GIRLS BASKETBALL ALL-STARS: Lackawanna League Division 3

Dunmore sophomore and division Player of the Year Sophia Talutto (2). (Tim Drewes Photo)

A second-year player and a first-year coach played major roles in Dunmore continuing its dominance of Lackawanna League Division 3 girls basketball.

Sophomore Sophia Talutto was named Player of the Year and rookie head coach Carrie Toomey was named Coach of the Year in conjunction with the NEPASportsNation.com division all-star team, which was released Thursday night.

The Lackawanna Division 3 team completes the series of a dozen division all-star teams that have been released throughout the last two weeks. The all-District 2 teams are still to be announced.

Talutto had been a first-team choice as a freshman on the team named by NEPABasketball.com.

NEPABasketball.com was merged into NEPASportsNation.com prior to the start of this season in order to combine coverage of all District 2 sports into one website.

Talutto averaged team-highs of 12.3 points and 3.2 steals per game while ranking second in assists at 3.0.

Dunmore extended its streaks to 59 straight wins and 10 straight titles in the division in a season, which eventually produced District 2 and state championships in Class 3A in the first season under Toomey a former all-star player and assistant coach for the Lady Bucks.

The Lady Bucks were also recognized in the all-star process by first-team choice Cadie Lewis and second-teamers Tristan Canavan and Jackie Brown.

The NEPASportsNation.com all-star teams generally only have an honorable mention list in Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 because it has more teams than any of the other divisions.

Dunmore’s Ciera Toomey, however, is listed as special honorable mention on this season’s team. Toomey, the Coach of the Year’s daughter, was Player of the Year last season after being a first-team, all-star in both her freshman and sophomore seasons.

The injury rehabilitation process after reconstructive knee surgery limited Ciera Toomey’s time on the court during division play, but she again played on a first-team or top-player level during the time when she was in action.

Other than Talutto and Ciera Toomey, the only other player on this season’s team to be honored in the past is Old Forge’s Talia Piragas, who repeats as a second-teamer.

The rest of the first team features Lakeland’s Alexia Bauer, Mid Valley’s Elise Larson, Old Forge’s Julia McCullon and Riverside’s Lillie Pon.

The full all-star team list:

LACKAWANNA LEAGUE DIVISION 3

Coach of the Year

Carrie Toomey, Dunmore

Player of the Year

Sophia Talutto, Dunmore sophomore

First Team

Alexia Bauer, Lakeland junior

Elisa Larson, Mid Valley sophomore

Cadie Lewis, Dunmore senior

Jewlya McCullon, Old Forge sophomore