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PLYMOUTH — They tried coming at her with one, two, sometimes three defenders.

They tried fronting her, boxing her, and closing down passing lanes in an effort to keep her from getting the ball.

Leah Hodick made sure nothing Wyoming Valley West did in an attempt to stop her worked, because she wouldn’t be denied.

Hodick scored 24 points in a breakout game Thursday and led Pittston Area’s charge back into first place with a 46-42 victory over Wyoming Valley West in a battle of two Wyoming Valley Conference teams now tied at the top of Division 1.

“I’m really confident with my inside game,” said Hodick, a 6-foot freshman center. “I do a lot of things to work on my game. Any kind of matchup people throw at me, I do my best to overcome it. I think I proved that tonight.”

Over and again.

Hodick’s eight points in the first half kept Pittston Area within a bucket at intermission, then she produced an eight-point third quarter — hitting shot after shot over flailing Valley West defenders on the baseline — to put the Patriots in front entering the final quarter.

“Leah’s tough for a freshman,” Pittston Area coach Kathy Healey said, noting that her freshman’s 24-point effort was the highest point total of her young career — “By far. She doesn’t get rattled. She just goes in there and does her job and she focuses. She does a lot of things.”

Hodick’s effort erased the memory of a difficult overtime loss to Hazleton Area earlier this week and moved Pittston Area into a share of first place with the Spartans, previously unbeaten in league play, at 4-1 in Division 1.

“They’re a great team,” Healey said of the Spartans. “They have some great shooters. We knew it was going to be tough.But every night in our league is a battle.”

Pittston Area’s defense never surrendered.

With Hodick and Alexa Noone locking down the inside and defensive stalwart Taryn Ashby harassing outside shooters, Pittston Area limited Valley West’s game-changing opportunities.

Gabby Smicherko led the Spartans with 14 points and Erin Gibbons finished with 12 points, but both sharpshooters had trouble breaking free of Pittston Area’s perimeter pressure when Valley West desperately needed a 3-point shot in the final minutes.

“We talked about stopping their 3-point shooters,” Healey said. “If they were able to make 2’s, then we’d adjust that wasn’t going to kill us. The 3’s would hurt us.”

In the end, Hodick did most of the damage.

Her swooping layup at the third-quarter buzzer put the Patriots ahead to stay, 33-31, and erased any momentum Valley West gained from Smicherko’s tying 3-pointer with 15 seconds to play in the quarter.

Then Hodick really took over, hitting two baskets within a two-minute span to boost Pittston Area’s lead to six points with 5:32 left in the game.

By then, it became obvious the Patriots were most interested in exploiting the huge advantage Hodick gave them in the paint.

“Absolutely,” Healey said.

Meanwhile, the Spartans began searching the skies for answers.

“I knew I was getting her frustrated,” Hodick said of the main girl guarding her. “That’s the best thing you want. Then you just have all these things to play with.”

Hodick wasn’t playing around, though.

She hit six of her seven foul shots in the game, including four straight down the stretch — and the final two gave Pittston Area a five-point lead with 2:46 to play.

“I practice that a lot, actually,” Hodick said. “I think that’s one of my strengths, having a big person that can do a lot. I’m playing well in big-game situations. I think that’s a plus.”

Ashby joined Hodick as Pittston Area’s only other double-digit scorer with 11 points, including a key 3-pointer in the third period and three free throws in the final minutes — the last which set the final score with seven seconds remaining and put the game out of Valley West’s reach.

It all led the Patriots back to the top of the standings, and put them right back in a favorite’s role as a team to beat in Division 1.

“I’m just so happy we won. It means so much,” Hodick said. “That loss at Hazleton, it really made us want to get back out there and show that just one loss is not going to stop us. I think we proved that. We’re going to prove to everyone we can do this, this year.”

Dallas 53,

Hazleton Area 50

Maddie Kelley hit 11 field goals and had 23 points as the Mountaineers outscored the Cougars 14-4 in the third quarter to take control.

Sara Lojewski added 15 points for Dallas while Kendra Pfeil had 14 for Hazleton Area.

Crestwood 54,

Coughlin 13

Julia Makowski led the way with 16 points as nine different Comets players scored.

Crestwood held Coughlin to just three points and one made field goal after halftime.

Lake-Lehman 55,

Wyoming Seminary 35

With a triangular attack of Madison Borum (16 points), Corinna Scablick (14) and Savannah Purdy (13), Lake-Lehman cruised to a 20-point victory.

The Black Knights outscored Wyoming Seminary 35-18 in the first half and was able to cruise in the final two quarters.

Wyoming Seminary was paced by M.T. Lehman and Annemaaike Peitsma, both scoring seven points.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Pittston Area 46, Wyoming Valley West 42

PITTSTON AREA (46) — Kirsten Durling 2 0-0 5, Leah Hodick 9 6-7 24, Alexa Noone 3 0-0 6, Andrea Ruby 0 0-0 0, Taryn Ashby 3 4-7 11, Mary Silinskie 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 10-14 46.

WYOMING VALLEY WEST (42) — Erin Gibbons 3 4-4 12, Andi Blaski 1 0-0 3, Natalie Gruver 2 0-0 4, Gabby Smicherko 5 2-5 14, Colleen Cwalina 4 1-2 9, Katie Johnson 0 0-0 0, Sidney Scarcella 0 0-0 0, Toni Amato 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 7-11 42.

Pittston Area`8`11`14`13`—`46

Wyoming Valley West`10`11`10`11`—`42

Three-point goals — PA 2 (Durling, Ashby); WVW 5 (Smicherko 2, Gibbons 2, Blaski).

Dallas 53, Hazleton Area 50

HAZLETON AREA (50) — Kendra Pfeil 5 1-4 14, Marissa Trivelpiece 3 2-2 8, Maddie Mrochko 4 2-2 10, Virginia Yurchak 2 1-2 5, Mackenzie Jones 0 2-2 2, Mia Cundro 0 0-0 0, Alexis Sheeto 0 0-0 0, Erika Book 2 0-0 4, Katie Lipinski 1 0-0 3, Megan Trivelpiece 2 0-0 4. Totals 19 8-12 50.

DALLAS (53) — Maddie Kelley 11 1-9 23, Hanna Johnson 1 0-0 2, Sara Lojewski 5 5-8 15, Kendra Saba 3 0-0 6, Maria Bednar 0 0-2 0, Olivia Johnson 1 0-0 3, Lauren Charlton 1 2-4 2. Totals 22 8-22 53.

HAZ`15`14`4`17 — 50

DAL`10`15`14`14 — 53

Three-point goals — HAZ 4 (Pfeil 3, Lipinski); DAL 1 (Johnson)

Crestwood 54, Coughlin 13

CRESTWOOD (54) — Riley Magin 1 0-0 2, Kristen Andrews 1 0-0 2, Andrea Shipton 1 1-2 3, Sarah Hopkins 3 0-0 6, Gianna Uhl 0 0-0 0, Bella Termini 2 3-3 7, Kate Snipas 4 0-0 9, Sarah Richards 2 3-4 7, Julia Makowski 5 5-5 16, Ally Muse 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 12-14 54.

COUGHLIN (13) — Emily Cicon 3 0-0 6, Ajalaya Butts 0 0-0 0, Le June Berry 0 0-0 0, Claire Curtis 0 5-8 5, Arianna Brittingham 0 0-0 0, Molly Poray 1 0-0 2, Niasha Sherry 0 0-0 0, Morgan Gayton 0 0-0 0, Amanda Barberio 0 0-0 0, Kira Meager 0 0-0 0. Totals 4 5-8 13.

CRE`18`11`10`15 — 54

COU`7`3`1`2 — 13

Three-point goals — CRE 2 (Snipas, Makowski); COU 0

Lake-Lehman 55, Wyoming Seminary 35

WYOMING SEMINARY (35) — M.T. Lehman 3 0-0 7, Annemaaike Peitsma 3 0-0 7, Alex Wesneski 2 2-4 6, Mia Raineri 3 0-0 6, Olivia Meuser 2 1-1 5, Julia Gabriel 1 0-0 2, Julia Iskra 1 0-0 2, Paige Parsons 0 0-0 0, Christina Kilyamek 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 3-5 35.

LAKE-LEHMAN (55) — Madison Borum 8 0-1 16, Corinna Scablick 7 0-1 14, Savannah Purdy 4 4-7 13, Sarah Salus 3 0-2 7, Janelle Cawley 1 2-4 5, Hailey Kubiski 0 0-0 0, Courtney Henninger 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 6-15 55.

Wyoming Seminary`6`12`11`6`—`35

Lake-Lehman`22`13`12`8`—`55

Three-point goals — WS 2 (Lehman, Reitsma); LL 3 (Salus, Cawley, Purdy).

Pittston Area’s Andrea Ruby (30) starts to gain control of a rebound while her arm tangles with Colleen Cwalina (42) of Wyoming Valley West on Thursday night at the Spartans Gym.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_wvw_p1_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston Area’s Andrea Ruby (30) starts to gain control of a rebound while her arm tangles with Colleen Cwalina (42) of Wyoming Valley West on Thursday night at the Spartans Gym. Fred Adams | For Times Leader

Pittston Area’s Taryn Ashby (right) gets ready to pass to Andrea Ruby (30) as Natalie Gruver of Wyoming Valley West guards closely Thursday night at the Spartans Gym in Plymouth.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_wvw_p2_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston Area’s Taryn Ashby (right) gets ready to pass to Andrea Ruby (30) as Natalie Gruver of Wyoming Valley West guards closely Thursday night at the Spartans Gym in Plymouth. Fred Adams | For Times Leader

Pittston Area’s Leah Hodick takes aim at the basket as Wyoming Valley West’s Andi Blaski moves in to try to defend.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_wvw_p3_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston Area’s Leah Hodick takes aim at the basket as Wyoming Valley West’s Andi Blaski moves in to try to defend. Fred Adams | For Times Leader

Wyoming Valley West’s Erin Gibbons moves the ball around Pittston Area defender Kristen Durling on Thursday night.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_wvwp4_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Valley West’s Erin Gibbons moves the ball around Pittston Area defender Kristen Durling on Thursday night. Fred Adams | For Times Leader

Andi Blaski takes the ball down court for Wyoming Valley West against Pittston Area on Thursday night.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_wvw_p5_faa.jpg.optimal.jpgAndi Blaski takes the ball down court for Wyoming Valley West against Pittston Area on Thursday night. Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Pittston Area freshman center breaks loose with 24 points

By Paul Sokoloski

[email protected]

VIDEO

To see video of Pittston Area’s Leah Hodick score two of her 24 points, visit the online version of this story at timesleader.com

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

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