Addison Orzel wanted the chance to be part of her close friend’s 1,000th career high school point.
So, when Aleah Kranson brought the ball up court midway through the fourth quarter at Hanover Area Jan. 21, it was Orzel setting a screen to try to free up Sarah Holweg for a shot near the 3-point line.
When that did not create enough space, Orzel tried another screen for Holweg. Then, another.
The third one gave Holweg the step she needed to hit a floater from the elbow with 3:48 left, giving her 1,000 career points with more than a season still remaining at Wyoming Area.
“I was so relieved after,” Holweg said. “I just wanted to get it over and done with.
“I couldn’t have done it without the team. They didn’t have to let me do that, but they did, so I was very thankful.”
The awareness that the milestone was approaching allowed coach Chad Lojewski a chance to get Orzel involved in the play that finished the chance. It also may have thrown Holweg off her game just a bit as she scored 26 points with the Lady Warriors in control of what turned into a 57-52 road victory.
“I was aware,” Holweg said. “There were some sloppy shots thrown up a little earlier to try to get it.”
Sloppy shots are not usually a problem for Holweg.
She does shoots often, by design, in the Wyoming Area offense. And, she brings much to the team.
Holweg led the Wyoming Valley Conference in 3-point baskets made as both a freshman and sophomore. Now, she’s leading all of District 2 with 19.9 points per game while also leading the team in assists (3.8) and steals (3.6). She ranks third on the Lady Warriors in rebounds (5.6).
And, she’s trying to find ways to make the team – and herself – better as it heads for the stretch run on a three-game winning streak.
“Definitely defense,” Holweg said of her biggest area of concentration right now. “I always dribble every day, too, and shoot every day just to stay fresh.”
Holweg has a lot on her plate. She frequently handles the ball for the offense, mixing setting up some of her own shots with distributing the ball for teammates. When Wyoming Area presses, which is often, Holweg is usually one of the most active players.
The combined tasks could be draining physically or demanding mentally, but the junior guard is up to the tasks assigned by Lojewski.
“I like that he’s on me a lot because it gets me going,” Holweg said. “I’m very confident with the team that we have.
“We have a lot of good girls on our side – Lydia Edwards, Katie Wolfgang, Aleah Kranson, Addison Orzel and there’s a bunch of freshmen off the bench who come in and step in and help us when it’s needed.
“There’s a lot of energy. I don’t necessarily have to take the whole leading thing on myself because there’s other girls on the team that lead, but I do like to take charge and make sure everyone is together and that we’re in it to win it.”
That was the case Wednesday night when the Lady Warriors handled Dallas, one of the teams they trail in the District 2 Class 4A playoff race, 62-48.
Holweg, who scored a school-record 44 points against the Mountaineers in last year’s District 2 playoffs, scored 25 more in the win.
“We were hungry,” Holweg said of the start that put Wyoming Area ahead, 29-10, seconds into the second quarter. “That was us at our best.”
