NTL GIRLS BASKETBALL: NEB HOLDS OFF CANTON TO CLINCH 7TH STRAIGHT NTL SMALL SCHOOL TITLE (February 4, 2026)

Northern Tier Sports Report
ROME — Northeast Bradford claimed their seventh straight NTL Small School girls’ basketball title on Tuesday as they fought off a tough Canton squad, 41-32.

“It feels great,” NEB coach Ben Beebe said. “We played a really hard Canton team tonight, and they keep getting better and better, though, year after year, my girls keep showing up, and they keep putting in the work, which gets us to where we’ve got to go.”

For senior Leah Beebe it means she goes out a 4-time league champ.

“It feels so good,” said Leah. “We have worked hard year after year, and it’s amazing to see it all pay off with the wins.”

This year’s group is full of fresh faces after losing quite a few key seniors to graduation a year ago.

“I have played with all of these girls my whole career, and so it’s just really great that we can do everything year after year together,” Leah said. 

Last year Mallorie Maynard was a role player, Katrina Russell was nursing an injury, while Kara Dughi, and Aurelia Kolesar saw spot time off the bench. Now they’re the backbone of the team along with Beebe.

“Winning the titles feels great,” Maynard said. “It is one of the biggest goals we have throughout the season, along with districts, of course. Having a leader position means keeping sure you and your team aren’t in your heads, and you just play you. I feel like my class keeps a good, consistent job at making sure our teammates are good, so we all work well with each other.”

It was a group effort in the score book for the Panthers, as Kara Dughi led the way with 13 points, five boards, and three steals, as Leah had 11 points, five assists, and two steals.

Aurelia Kolesar notched nine points, six boards, and five steals, with Katrina Russell getting five points, and four rebounds. Maynard chipped in with three points, and two steals.

“Scoring wise I thought the girls played absolutely amazing at different times in the game,” coach Beebe said. “Sometimes I was cringing at them, and the next time they were making amazing plays.”

Cailyn Van Noy had 13 points, seven boards, and three steals to lead Canton, as Lydia Roupp notched six points, and two steals.

Alexis McRoberts, and Danah Wesneski had five points apiece, as McRoberts added eight boards, and three assists, while Wesneski finished with three steals.

Stella Rockwell rounded things out with three points.

It was a defensive battle early with NEB leading 8-3 behind six points from Dughi.

“Our defense has been getting better and better,” coach Beebe said. “I thought we did a really good job in the post, and our guards did a decent job of keeping their hands to themselves - that’s a goal of ours to keep working on.”

Both teams had 10 points in the second, as Roupp had four points to lead Canton - who also got 3-balls from Rockwell, and Van Noy - while Beebe had four points to lead NEB.

It was another back and forth frame in the third, as the Panthers out scored Canton 9-8 behind four points from Kolesar, while Beebe hit a 3-ball.

McRoberts, and Van Noy had three points each for the Warriors.

Canton scored their most points in the fourth, netting 11, behind four points from Van Noy while Wesneski hit one from deep.

But NEB also had their best frame, scoring 14, as they went 9-for-17 from the free throw line - good enough to pull out the win.

Canton turns around and hosts NP-Liberty on Thursday, while NEB travels to Sayre.

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PHOTOS BY TINA MAYNARD

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