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He’s in a new position, with a new team, in a new divisional setup.

But first-year Holy Redeemer head coach John Jezorwski sees an opportunity for the same type of girls basketball success both he and the program experienced in the past.

Gone are Lydia Lawson, Meghan Corridoni and Rebecca Prociak, along with controversial head coach Chris Parker — the man who led them all to two straight state semifinal berths before the Royals finished last season in the PIAA quarterfinals.

In comes former West Scranton assistant and beloved AAU coach Jezorwski, bringing along former Wyoming Seminary star guard Maya Kornfeld, New Jersey scoring machine Irelyn Januzzi and similar high hopes of making more state runs.

“I think they just re-start there,” Jezorwski said. “They re-load. You really can’t replace a Rebecca Prociak, a Lydia Lawson, a Meghan Corridoni. These girls were there waiting for a chance to step in and step up. I’m fortunate.”

Indeed.

Jezorwski takes over a Royals program that hasn’t lost a league game in three years; returns key players Talia Kosierowski, Sam Rajza and Randie Kuhar from last season’s District 2 Class 2A championship and PIAA quarterfinalist team; and added transfers Januzzi, the daughter of former Meyers and Wilkes bullseye shooter Dave Januzzi, along with Kornfeld, an 18-point scorer at Sem last season whose decision to switch schools for her senior year was recently upheld by the District 2 committee.

The Royals will open their 2016-17 season Friday with a 7 p.m. home game against Scranton Prep. They’ll be moving to Division 2 after playing the last two years in Division 3 in a WVC that was revamped after the PIAA reclassified teams into six categories instead of the previous four.

And while Redeemer’s move will stir up excitement in a divisional mix with defending Division 2 champ Nanticoke Area and fast-charging Wyoming Area, it’ll leave the WVC Division 3 wide open.

That division promises to be a scramble, especially after MMI Prep dropped its girls basketball program last week, leaving teams frantically trying to fill dates suddenly opened by the Preppers’ departure.

But it may also leave teams like Meyers and their own new head coach Mary Mushock, a long-time assistant in the program who will also make her debut as a head coach this season.

“If I can instill a little more confidence in them, I think they can succeed,” said Mushock, who replaces Chris Gray at the Meyers helm. “I don’t think they’ve had that the last couple years. I don’t think we had a core group of kids out there. We never had that level of experience and leadership. You need to come in with more of a mental strength than physical.”

Mushock has been involved with the Meyers program for the past 12 years, the last seven as a varsity assistant, and realized her goal of becoming a varsity coach when Gray wasn’t re-hired by the Wilkes-Barre Area School District following a DUI charge last spring.

“I wouldn’t say I was waiting for this spot,” Mushock said. “But it definitely was my eventual path, to be a basketball coach.”

Jezorwski’s path to Redeemer was a little more complicated.

After putting together the most successful run in Redeemer’s short history, Parker was dismissed as the school’s head coach after attaining his 100th coaching victory last season. He ended his tenure with a fourth consecutive 20-win seaso0n, led the Royals to a 22-7 postseason record and went 9-4 in state play — setting a standard that would make any coach who replaced him feel nervous.

“A little bit,” Jezorwski said. “Coach Parker did a fantastic job.”

But Parker’s five-year tenure also included adversity.

The District 2 committee recently put Holy Redeemer’s girls basketball program on probation — as game officials will have to file reports on the team’s conduct throughout the season — for the second time in four years resulting from a postgame District 2 playoff clash between the coaching staffs of Carbondale and Parker’s Royals last season.

And Redeemer was also investigated by the District 2 committee for violation of the PIAA’s sportsmanship rule after a 125-13 victory over now-defunct MMI Prep in the 2014-15 season.

In Jezorwski, the Royals turned to a familiar face to lead their program — as many of the current players were involved with his AAA summer program, the Keystone Karma.

He feels confident he’ll be able to adjust to the differences of being a head coach at the high school level.

“There’s a lot more responsibility,” Jezorwski said. “When something goes wrong, it’s your fault now. Everybody’s looking to you to have the right answer.

“I hope we have that most of the time.”

Talia Kosierowski, dribbling against Southern Columbia last season, is a returning starter for Holy Redeemer who should help John Jezorwski’s transition into the program as a first-year head girls basketball high school coach a smooth one.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_Holy-Redeemer-S.-Columbia-GBB-5.jpeg.optimal.jpegTalia Kosierowski, dribbling against Southern Columbia last season, is a returning starter for Holy Redeemer who should help John Jezorwski’s transition into the program as a first-year head girls basketball high school coach a smooth one. Tony Callaio file photo | For Times Leader

By Paul Sokoloski

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Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570-991-6392 or on Twitter @TLPaulSokoloski