Gianna Cafarella hit five 3-pointers and led three players who scored at least 17 points Monday night as Scranton Prep clinched its sixth straight Lackawanna League Division 1 girls basketball championship with a 67-44, Division 1-2 crossover win at Honesdale.
The Classics have won 78 straight Lackawanna games and are two wins away from a sixth straight 13-0 season in the league.
“A lot of coaches will say, ‘the league doesn’t matter, it’s the district,’” Scranton Prep coach Bob Beviglia said last week when the Classics clinched at least a tie for first. “I’ve never thought that. That’s why we put so much emphasis, not on the streak, but on winning league championships.
“I always tell kids the district seeding will take care of itself if we win games in the league and that’s what we’ve been able to do.”
The Classics (17-2 overall) have also secured the top seed in the upcoming District 2 Class 4A playoffs.
Scranton Prep played Monday’s game without second-leading scorer Rita Collins, but still had plenty of offense.
Cafarella scored 21 points while Bella Dennebaum had 19 and Jenna Hillebrand 17.
Honesdale nearly matched the Scranton Prep output early, but the Classics pulled away with a 33-17 second half.
Dennebaum had eight points in the first quarter, which ended with Scranton Prep clinging to a 17-15 lead.
Cafarella hit at least one 3-pointer in every quarter. She joined Dennebaum with five points each in the second quarter when the lead increased to 34-27 at the half.
Cafarella had 11 points and Hillebrand 10 in the second half. Each had three baskets in the third quarter when Cafarella hit a pair of 3-pointers as Scranton Prep put up 22 points and opened a 56-38 lead.
Ruby Martin had 11 of her 15 points in the first half for Honesdale. Karsyn Kromko added 10 points.
In other Monday Lackawanna Division 1-2 crossovers:
North Pocono 48, Valley View 39
Abby Lenchinsky took over on the inside and scored 15 of her 17 points in the second half to lead North Pocono to the road win on Valley View’s Senior Night.
Valley View led in the third quarter and was within two going into the fourth quarter before being outscored 18-11.
North Pocono used the win to protect its Division 2 lead.
Molly Murphy hit four 3-pointers while leading the Cougars with 14 points. Giada Costa added 11 points while Ella Cooper made 4 steals.
Wallenpaupack 47, West Scranton 29
Wallenpaupack remained within one game of North Pocono for the division lead with two games, including a head-to-head meeting, still to play.
The Lady Buckhorns finished strong in the third quarter to open a 44-21 lead going to the fourth.
