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WILKES-BARRE — When her first two shots of the game fell softly through the net, Rebecca Prociak had a feeling she was on her way to a big night.
She just didn’t know how big.
Prociak scored a career-high 40 points Monday as Holy Redeemer hammered Northwest 81-19 at Holy Redeemer High School in a statement game, putting more distance between the Royals and the rest of the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 3.
“We just want to make sure we’re on top of the division,” Prociak said.
The Royals are, mainly because Prociak’s at the top of her game.
She dominated a night when Holy Redeemer moved to 12-3 overall and 6-1 in Division 3 while taking three-game lead over Northwest (5-9 overall, 3-4 in Division 3) with six games remaining in the regular season.
“Not that we’re trying to make it a statement,” Holy Redeemer coach Chris Parker said, “but we’ve had a lot of inconsistency. We’re getting down to six games left in the season. We’ve got to start hitting on all cylinders and be in the right frame of mind down to the end of the season.”
The Royals certainly found the right mix Monday as Meghan Corridoni added 10 points, Kayla Hons dropped a pair of 3-pointers and Holy Redeemer’s defense harassed Northwest with 20 steals – six by point guard Lydia Lawson.
But it was Prociak who paved the way for it all.
Already leading the WVC with an average of 22.3 points per game, Prociak nearly doubled that by constantly beating double teams under the basket.
She hit 12 of her 24 shots from the floor (50 percent) and all of her 16 free throws while scoring nearly half of her team’s points.
“It was the highest amount of points I ever scored,” Prociak said. “I feel I played well. When I start off the game, I need some shots to fall for me. It helped. Everything was working.”
Northwest made Prociak work, though, packing the inside with defenders and bodying-up to make space scarce in the paint. That only raised her level of play.
“This is a physical team,” Prociak said. “And I thrive off physical.”
The bumping and banging did little to knock Prociak off her path to a career-high point total.
The 5-foot-11 forward, one of the league’s top three foul shooters, hit four foul shots in the first quarter, eight more in the second and two in each quarter of the second half to raise her season free throw accuracy to 81 percent.
“It’s never been natural,” said Prociak, who added 14 rebounds to the mix. “For the past four years of high school, that’s been my weakness. I’ve been working and working on it.”
She got to work early against Redeemer’s closest challenger in the division.
Prociak poured in 12 points in the first quarter as the Royals rolled to a 20-5 lead and never looked back. For good measure, she added 14 more points in the second quarter — the last two coming on a pair of foul shots with no time left on the clock to give Redeemer a 54-12 lead by intermission.
“She’s a go-to,” Parker said. “We know what our strength is — inside-out. When you have a dominant force like Rebecca Prociak, that just opens things up for the girls from the outside.”
Redeemer’s defense was just as destructive, forcing 22 turnovers in the first half and holding the Rangers to just six baskets through the entire game. Four of those came from Brenna Babcock, who finished with a team-high nine points, but Northwest finished shooting just 29 percent from the floor on 21 shots. Prociak alone took more tries at the basket for Redeemer, and she added three steals on the defensive end.
“I definitely take pride in that,” Prociak said. “I just want to play well all the time.”
Pittston Area 55, Tunkhannock 34
Kirsten Durling scored six of her game-high 18 points in the third quarter as Pittston Area pulled away after halftime and remained tied with Hazleton Area at the top of the WVC Division 1.
Durling’s six points in the first quarter helped the Patriots forge an early 14-11 lead, and Alexa Noone tossed in seven of her nine points in the second quarter as Pittston Area took a nine-point lead into intermission.
Jamie Chisdock and Taryn Ashby finished with 10 points for Pittston Area, while Christine Rossi led Tunkhannock with 11 points.
Hazleton Area 64, Dallas 55
Mackenzie Yori’s 29 points led the charge as the Cougars defeated Dallas.
Kendra Pfeil finished with 10 points in the win.
Dallas’ Nikki Wren scored 10 of her team-high 20 points on the free-throw line, going 10 for 10. Maddie Kelley had 15 points for the Mountaineers.
Berwick 58, Wyoming Valley West 49
Three players scored in double figures as Berwick held off Valley West.
Tori Talanca scored 19 points, while Reese Mensinger chipped in with 16 and Payden Montana added 13 to the win. Berwick was 13 of 20 from the free-throw line.
Valley West was led by Erin Gibbons’ 12 points and Colleen Cwalina’s 10.
Nanticoke 58, MMI Prep 13
Lisa Redenski scored 10 points and Kayla Aufiero chipped in with nine as Nanticoke defeated MMI Prep.
Kryslyn Postupack led the Preppers with 10 points.
Hanover Area 70, Wyoming Seminary 41
The Hawkeyes jumped out to a 23-8 first-quarter lead and rolled to a victory over Wyoming Seminary.
Hanover Area got a boost from the one-two punch of Asdone Hooper (20 points) and Genesis Rodriguez (20 points). Teammate Haylee Bobos had 10 points in the win.
Wyoming Seminary’s Maya Kornfeld scored a team-high 20 points and Amarinske Reitsma finished with 10.
Lake-Lehman 70, Meyers 54
Madison Borum scored 22 points and Mackenzie Love finished with 16 in the Black Knights’ win.
Miranda Parry had 11 points in the victory.
Meyers’ Bella Skaff led all scorers with 25 points and Alaena Lloyd added 12 points.
Crestwood 61, Coughlin 25
Crestwood used a 23-point second quarter to pull away for a victory.
Maddie Ritsick scored 22 points and Kate Snipas had 11 for Crestwood.
Savanah Robinson scored 10 for Coughlin.
Wyoming Area 76, GAR 52
Sarah Holweg scored 17 of her 30 points in the first half as the Warriors topped GAR.
Lydia Edwards finished with 19 points and Katie Wolfgang chipped in with 14 points in the win.
Marie Skrepenak paced GAR with 24 points. Teammate Shealynn Taylor had 12 points.
Holy Redeemer 81, Northwest 19
NORTHWEST (19) — Trista Babcock 2 0-2 4, Brenna Babcock 4 1-2 9, Liz Gurzynski 0 2-6 2, Jill Kondrosky 0 0-0 0, Hannah Wisniewski 0 1-2 1, Brooke Mendegro 0 3-4 3, Jackie Jones 0 0-0 0, Kendra Saxton 0 0-0 0, Hailey Taylor 0 0-0 0, Lindsey Thomas 0 0-0 0. Totals 6 7-16 19.
HOLY REDEEMER (81) — Sam Rajza 2 0-0 5, Talia Kosierowski 3 2-2 8, Lydia Lawson 2 0-0 4, Meghan Corridoni 5 0-0 10, Rebecca Prociak 12 16-16 40, Sara Flannelly 3 0-0 6, Kayla Hons 2 0-0 6, Madison Guido 0 0-0 0, Jocelyn Kosik 0 0-0 0, Randy Kuhar 1 0-0 2, Julia Andrejko 0 0-0 0. Totals 30 18-18 81.
Northwest`5`7`6`1`—`19
Holy Redeemer`20`34`9`18`—`71
Three-point goals — HR 3 (Hons 2, Rajza).
Pittston Area 55, Tunkhannock 34
PITTSTON AREA (55) — Kirsten Durling 8 2-2 18, Jamie Chisdock 4 1-2 10, Megan Cummings 0 2-2 2, Marley O’Brien 2 2-4 6, Taryn Ashby 2 6-7 10, Alexa Noone 4 0-1 9, Mary Silinskie 0 0-0 0, Rachel Ferrance 0 0-1 0, Portia Weidlich 0 0-0 0, Chrokee Musto 0 0-0 0, Andrea Ruby 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 13-19 55.
TUNKHANNOCK (34) — Sydney Faux 3 0-1 7, Josie Frisco 2 1-2 5, Megan Manglaviti 0 1-2 1, Amanda Hardy 3 2-4 8, Christine Rossi 4 2-8 11, Sam Stephens 0 0-0 0, Sam Generotti 1 0-0 2, Abby Ritz 0 0-0 0, Jess Ell 0 0-0 0, Racquel Sickler 0 0-0 0, Quinlan Hammersly 0 0-0 0, Izzy Robinson 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 6-17 34
Pittston Area`14`12`17`12`—`55
Tunkhannock`11`6`10`7`—`34
Three-point goals — PA 2 (Chisdock, Noone); TUN 2 (Faux, Rossi).
Crestwood 61, Coughlin 25
CRESTWOOD (61) – Riley Magin 0 0-0 0, Marlee Dillion 3 0-0 6, Andrea Shipton 2 0-0 4, Sarah Hopkins 2 0-0 4, Alyssa Cuono 1 0-0 3, Gianna Uhl 0 0-0 0, Kate Snipas 4 0-0 11, Abby Macko 0 0-0 0, Emily Shiplett 0 1-2 1, Bella Termini 0 1-2 1, Kristin Andrew 0 0-0 0, Julia Makowski 2 0-2 5, Ally Muse 0 0-1 0, Abby Murphy 1 2-2 4, Maddie Ritsick 6 7-7 22. Totals 21 11-16 61.
COUGHLIN (25) – Emily Cicon 0 0-20, Savanah Robinson 4 2-2 10, Claire Curtis 2 2-4 6, Victoria Phillips 0 3-8 3, Molly Poray 2 0-0 4, Niasha Sherry 0 0-0 0, Kira Meager 1 0-0 2, Amber Carnell 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 5-12 41.
Crestwood`18`23`14`6`—`61
Coughlin`9`5`7`4`—`25
Three-point goals – CRE 8 (Cuono, Snipas 3, Makowski, Ritsick 3). COU 6 (Robinson 3, Meager 3).
Lake-Lehman 70, Meyers 54
MEYERS (54) — Erin Morris 4 0-1 8, Tiffany Muniz 1 3-6 5; Bella Skaff 10 5-8 25, Alaena Lloyd 4 2-3 12, Devon Keiper 1 0-0 2, Gia Skaff 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 10-18 54.
LEHMAN (70) — Miranda Parry 4 2-2 11, Mackenzie Love 8 0-0 16, Corrina Scoblick 1 0-0 2, Molly Storz 4 0-0 12, Julia Eneboe 2 0-0 7, Savannah Purdy 0 0-0 0, Madison Borum 11 0-2 22. Totals 31 2-4 70.
Meyers`15`12`11`16`—`54
Lehman `14`13`22`21`—`70
Three-point goals — MEY 2 (Lloyd 2); L-L 6 (Parry, Storz 4, Eneboe).
Nanticoke 58, MMI Prep 13
MMI PREP (13) — Emily Mundorf 0 0-0 0, Bailey Slusser 0 0-2 0, Jessica McClellan 0 1-2 1, Maddie Perchak 1 0-0 2, Kryslyn Postpack 5 0-0 10, Maddie Dryfoos 0 0-0 0. Totals 6 1-4 13.
NANTICOKE (58) — Alyssa Lewis 2 0-0 4, Miranda Dunn 0 0-0 0, Kayla Aufiero 3 2-2 9, Alexis Pyzia 2 0-2 4, Amber Grohowski 2 0-0 4, Maddy Grilz 2 0-0 4, Lisa Redenski 4 0-0 10, Taylor Zabrenski 1 0-0 2, Chaquanna Zendarski 4 0-0 8, Gianna Roberts 2 0-2 4, Katie Butczynski 1 0-0 2, . Totals 26 2-6 58.
MMI Prep`0`1`6`6`—`13
Nanticoke `20`20`8`10`—`58
Three-point goals — NAN 4 (Aufiero, Radziak 2, Butczynski).
Hanover Area 70, Wyoming Seminary 41
SEMINARY (41) — Maya Kornfeld 8 4-6 20, Miranda Pace 1 3-4 5, Amarinske Reitsma 4 2-6 10, Mary Theresa Lehman 0 0-0 0, Julia Gabriel 0 0-0 0, Brenna Satkowski 2 0-0 4, Olivia Meuser 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 9-16 41.
HANOVER (70) — Asdone Hooper 10 1-1 21, Tiana Davis 0 0-0 0, Berengere Meyer 0 0-0 0, Mary Slusser 2 0-0 4, Genesis Rodriguez 10 0-0 20, Haylee Bobos 4 2-2 10, Sara Whitesell 1 0-2 2, Erika Merth 1 0-0 2, Victoria Hoffman 1 0-0 2, Victoria Benning 2 1-2 5, Cassy Stoffel 0 0-0 0. Totals 33 4-7 70.
Seminary`8`6`12`15`—`41
Hanover `23`22`17`8`—`70
Three-point goals — None.
Hazleton Area 64, Dallas 55
DALLAS (55) — Maddie Kelley 6 3-9 15, Courtney Hoats 0 0-0 0, Hanna Johnson 0 0-1 0, Sara Lojewski 2 2-6 6, Olivia Johnson 2 0-0 5, Leah Gorr 0 0-0 0, Kendra Saba 1 4-4 6, Nikki Wren 5 10-10 20, Samantha Kern 0 0-0 0, Maria Bednar 0 0-0 0, Sydney Strickland 0 0-0 0, Gianna Centrella 1 0-0 3. Totals 17 19-30 55.
HAZLETON (64) — Kendra Pfeil 4 0-0 10, Ally Yale 0 0-0 0, Mackenzie Yori 13 01 29, Maddie Mrochko 4 1-1 9, Lauren Pataki 0 0-0 0, Rachel Wech 0 0-0 0, Erika Book 0 0-0 0, Alyssa Shamany 4 0-0 8, Ashley Martincek 3 0-0 6, Alexis Sheeto 1 0-0 2, Jessica Zapotocky 0 0-0 0, Megan Trivelpiece 0 0-0 0. Totals 29 1-2 64.
Dallas `8`14`11`22`—`55
Hazleton Area`10`25`18`11`—`64
Three-point goals — DAL 2 (Centrella, O. Johnson); HAZ 5 (Pfeil 2, Yori 3).
Berwick 58, Wyoming Valley West 49
VALLEY WEST (49) — Erin Gibbons 3 3-4 12, Natalie Gruver 1 0-0 3, Amanda Scarcella 3 0-0 6, Kiersten Wiedwald 2 2-2 7, Gabby Smicherko 4 0-0 8, Colleen Cwalina 4 2-2 10, Grace Giza 0 0-0 0, Jordan Reilly 1 1-1 3. Totals 18 8-9 49.
BERWICK (58) — Reese Mensinger 4 7-13 16, Hannah Woodeshick 0 0-0 0, Tori Talanca 8 3-6 19, Raina Goulstone 0 0-0 0, Taylor Montana 3 2-3 8, Karen Boone 0 0-0 0, Megan Dalo 0 0-0 0, Mikayla Davis 0 2-2 2, Payden Montana 3 6-6 13. Totals 18 20-30 58.
Valley West`14`12`10`13`—`49
Berwick`15`12`13`18`—`58
Three-point goals — WVW 5 (Gibbons 3, Gruver, Wiedwald); BER 2 (Mensinger, P. Montana).
Wyoming Area 76, GAR 52
WYOMING AREA (76) — Jalen Rhodes 0 0-1 0, Jordan Kelly 0 0-0 0, Aleah Kranson 0 0-1 0, Mia Remplewicz 0 0-0 0, Sarah Holweg 12 4-6 30, Lydia Edwards 8 1-2 19, Jessica Sorick 0 0-0 0, Katie Wolfgang 6 0-0 14, Addison Orzel 0 3-4 3, Brandi Sorokin 0 0-0 0, Nicole Wright 5 0-1 10. Totals 31 8-15 76.
GAR (52) — Lindsey Quinn 3 0-2 9, Alexis Whiting 1 1-2 3, Aaliyah Braham 0 0-0 0, Cheyanne Taylor 0 0-0 0, Shealynn Taylor 6 0-0 12, Cierra Taylor 1 0-0 2, Khira Cook 1 0-0 2, Marie Skrepenak 10 4-4 24, McKenzie Nichol 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 5-8 52.
Wyoming Area`19`25`20`12`—`76
GAR `15`10`15`12`—`52
Three-point goals — WA 6 (Holweg 2, Edwards 2, Wolfgang 2); GAR (Quinn 3).
