Perfect records allowed the Hazleton Area girls, Carbondale boys and Lakeland boys to make moves in the latest Riverfront Sports Super Six Power Basketball Rankings of District 2 teams.
The new rankings were released early in the afternoon on Christmas Day.
A short week of competition was made even short by weather and travel conditions in the days before the holiday break, reducing the number of games and the amount of rankings movement from a week ago.
It did not, however, stop the Lady Cougars, Chargers and Chiefs from continuing to make a positive impression in the first month of the season.
Hazleton Area pounded host Tunkhannock, 58-24, in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 opener to move up one post. It passed division rival, defending champion and fellow unbeaten Pittston Area into second place among Big School girls teams. At 7-0, the Lady Cougars have the best basketball record in District 2.
Carbondale won twice and Lakeland won once to move into the rankings as the No. 5 and No. 6 teams in Small School boys. Carbondale has the district’s best boys record at 6-0.
There are nine remaining unbeatens in District 2 and eight show up in the rankings.
The exception is the Wilkes-Barre Area girls and, although there is no official “others to watch” or “honorable mention” list to the Super Six, the Wolfpack has clearly worked its way into consideration among Big School girls.
Hazleton Area, Carbondale, Lakeland and the teams they displaced represented the only changes following a week in which the two dozen teams on the Super Six lists went a combined 24-6. The losses included two to strong teams from outside the district and one from a game in which ranked teams faced each other, therefore assuring someone had to absorb a loss.
Abington Heights, in Big Schools, and Holy Redeemer, in Small Schools, continue to lead the boys rankings.
Scranton Prep and Dunmore are the top Big School and Small School girls teams.
The entire Big School boys and Small School girls rankings remained the same.
Unbeatens Abington Heights and Dallas are followed, in order, by Scranton Prep, Valley View, Tunkhannock and unbeaten Delaware Valley in Big School boys.
The Dunmore girls are followed by Lake-Lehman, Montrose, Holy Redeemer, Old Forge and Wyoming Seminary in Small School girls.
The top four Small School boys teams remained stable.
Holy Redeemer held No. 1 despite its second loss, 67-63, at Class 6A Williamsport.
Unbeaten Old Forge, Holy Cross and Mid Valley are second through fourth.
New No. 5 Carbondale won at Lake-Lehman, 58-36, Tuesday and at home over Susquehanna, 58-26, Thursday. The Chargers have won their first six games by an average of 18.5 points.
Lakeland, the new No. 6, won at Hanover Area, 64-46. The Chiefs have the highest District 2 playoff formula Power Ranking to lead a loaded Class 3A seeding race. They have beaten four opponents by an average of 17 points since winning the opener over Class 5A Wallenpaupack in overtime.
Blue Ridge lost, 62-25, at No. 2 Holy Cross and Riverside split its two games to fall out of the rankings.
The top three Big School girls teams are unbeaten.
No. 1 Scranton Prep won, 53-40, at Nanticoke to improve to 4-0.
Hazleton Area went from third to second, swapping with Pittston Area, which trailed at halftime before running over Berwick, 52-33, in the WVC Division 1 opener.
Wyoming Valley West, Abington Heights and Scranton remained fourth, fifth and sixth.
The full rankings with records and previous rankings:
RIVERFRONT SPORTS SUPER SIX BASKETBALL POWER RANKINGS
BIG SCHOOL BOYS
| Rank | Team | W-L | Last Rank |
| 1 | Abington Heights | 5-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Dallas | 5-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Scranton Prep | 3-2 | 3 |
| 4 | Valley View | 5-1 | 4 |
| 5 | Tunkhannock | 5-2 | 5 |
| 6 | Delaware Valley | 4-0 | 6 |
SMALL SCHOOL BOYS
| Rank | Team | W-L | Last Rank |
| 1 | Holy Redeemer | 5-2 | 1 |
| 2 | Old Forge | 5-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Holy Cross | 3-2 | 3 |
| 4 | Mid Valley | 5-1 | 4 |
| 5 | Carbondale | 6-0 | NR |
| 6 | Lakeland | 5-0 | NR |
BIG SCHOOL GIRLS
| Rank | Team | W-L | Last Rank |
| 1 | Scranton Prep | 4-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Hazleton Area | 7-0 | 3 |
| 3 | Pittston Area | 6-0 | 2 |
| 4 | Wyoming Valley West | 5-1 | 4 |
| 5 | Abington Heights | 3-3 | 5 |
| 6 | Scranton | 5-1 | 6 |
SMALL SCHOOL GIRLS
| Rank | Team | W-L | Last Rank |
| 1 | Dunmore | 4-1 | 1 |
| 2 | Lake-Lehman | 4-2 | 2 |
| 3 | Montrose | 3-2 | 3 |
| 4 | Holy Redeemer | 4-3 | 4 |
| 5 | Old Forge | 4-1 | 5 |
| 6 | Wyoming Seminary | 3-3 | 6 |
