THE 2024-2025 WINTER SEASON FEATURED SOME DOMINANT PERFORMANCES (2025-04-02)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
There were plenty of dominating performances in wrestling and boys’ basketball, while girls’ basketball saw all five area teams have success. Girls’ wrestling and swimming & diving continued to grow, as well.

TOP 10 MOMENTS

10. Troy girls claim second straight NTL Showcase title: It was the cherry on top of their NTL title cake as they beat Canton in the opener, seeing Kailyn Sterling earn her 1,000th point, then topped NEB under the bright lights of Mansfield University to claim back to back titles.

9. NEB boys fall in back to back OT district games: Not all moments have to be good to be notable, but the young Panthers’ squad has plenty of motivation coming back next year. They fell to district runners-up, Muncy, in overtime in the district semifinals, while they lost in OT to Sayre in the third place game - showing how close they are, and how far they still have to go.

8. Towanda’s Brennick Lain qualifies for state diving: Lain went into the district competition with a goal to take second, and became emotional when he reached that goal. He was able to put together his best day of the season when it mattered most, and now has a new goal for next year.

7. Towanda girls’ hoops wins three big games in four days: The Knights came a long ways from a 3-7 start to beating playoff teams Wyalusing (52-42), NEB (64-58), and Athens (47-37), in three hard fought games in four days. That capped nine game win streak, momentum that that rode into the state playoffs.

6. Towanda’s Lillie Maynard becomes first state qualifying wrestler in program’s history: Maynard was a Northeast Regional runner-up, and made history as the program’s first state qualifier. While she came up just short of the medals, she set the bar high for the program’s future.

5. Wyalusing girls hoops gives Troy girls first league loss in two years: In a defensive battle the Rams gave Troy their first league loss since 2023, gutting out a 43-40 win on their home court. The team got contributions from everybody, and used a defensive stand late to pull off the win.

4. Canton girls’ hoops ends NEB’s divisional win streak: Nobody in the Small School division had beaten NEB this decade, but after five years of frustration the Warriors pulled out the 45-41 win. NEB still went on to win the division title, but Canton showed they had arrived.

3. NEB’s Anaiah Kolesar claims Northeast Regional title: Kolesar won her program’s first regional title, beating a higher state ranked opponent in Williamsport’s Emily Murphy, by a decisive margin of 10-1. She would ride that momentum all the way to a fourth place finish at states.

2. Towanda’s Mason Higley, and Sawyer Robinson make it through the blood round: Fans were on pins and needles watching Higley, and Robinson navigate a tricky blood round, one that had gotten their teammate, Riley Vanderpool. In the end, though, both did what they had to do to get state medals, with Robinson earning his second, and Higley grabbing his first.

1. Troy boys’ hoops edges Warrior Run for second district title in three years: After coming up short against Loyalsock last season, Troy overcame a slow offensive night to pull out a 44-41 over the Defenders to win their second Class 3A title in two years. It was part of a march that saw them beat Bloomsburg (68-55), and Southern Columbia (64-46) in preceding rounds.

Notables: Towanda girls’ wrestling hosts first quad meet…Towanda wrestling rolls to North Section title…Canton edges Wyalusing on the mat in close dual

TOP 7 STORYLINES

7. Towanda girls’ wrestling program gets start: It was the inaugural year for the Lady Knights on the mat, and they did it in style. They went over .500 in dual meets, hosted their first meet in a quad-dual, going 2-1, and saw their first state qualifier in Lillie Maynard. Not bad for year one.

6. Towanda girls’ basketball reaches states: It was just one win and in in districts this year, but the Knights did a good job getting a home playoff game, then beating rivals Wyalusing for the third time during the season. Their semifinal loss to eventual state champions, Loyalsock, doesn’t look too bad in hindsight, and the team regrouped to beat Mt. Carmel to take third in the district.

5. Canton girls’ basketball reaches states for first time since 2002: Canton opened districts by doing everyone a favor in knocking off trendy title pick Southern Columbia at home. They would fall to NEB in the semifinals, but then rallied to beat Northwest in the third place game, 38-35, to punch their ticket to states.

4. NEB girls’ hoops earns sixth straight NTL Small School title: It wasn’t quite blemish free - Canton nipped them at their place - but it was just as dominant. The Panthers hit the mercy rule in pretty all their other divisional games en route to a sixth straight league title.

3. Troy girls’ basketball claims second straight NTL title: Like NEB, it wasn’t blemish free, but they were on another level after they regrouped from their loss to Wyalusing. They won 12 straight league games after that - all of them by double digits - as the senior laden Trojans put their stamp on their legacy.

2. Towanda boys’ wrestling blows through the NTL: It was one of the most dominant performances by one team in league history as the Knights, with their closest league match a 51-15 win over Athens. They won 60-10 over rivals, Wyalusing, to keep the Standing Stone Trophy, and never failed to score more than 50 points in a league dual match.

1. Troy boys’ basketball stays undefeated in NTL for second straight season: Troy was equally as dominant as Towanda in their league games, with the only team able to hang with them was NP-Mansfield, a squad Troy beat three times during the year including the NTL Showcase. Most of Troy’s league games were in the mercy rule by the end of the third quarter, and they ran their league win streak to 39 games by season’s end.

Notables: Towanda boys’ basketball has bounce back season…Canton wrestling overcomes injuries to make district duals

TOP 5 COACHES

5. Paul Burgert, NEB, Boys’ Basketball: Despite turning over most of the roster from last year’s district title winning team, a young Panthers’ squad, with just one senior, nearly won the league title, nearly made a district final, and nearly made states. 

T-3. Ryan VanNoy, Canton, Girls’ Basketball & Rob Gentile, Towanda, Girls’ Basketball: Canton had generational success this year, while Towanda improved from last year despite having only five returnees from the year before. Both teams made the NTL Showcase, both squads made the state playoffs, and they only had one senior between them.

2. Bill Sexton, Towanda, Wrestling: A senior laden group with plenty of exciting young talent was a recipe for success, and the Black Knight staff whipped up plenty of accolades this year with a league title, a North Section title, and two state medalists. 

1. Bob Woodward, Troy, Boys’ Basketball: Troy lost half their roster from a year ago but kept on chugging as they continued their dominance through the NTL, along with claiming the District IV, Class 3A title, show the type of work the staff put in this season.

Notables: Ben Beebe, NEB, Girls’ Basketball…Curtis Miller, Troy, Girls’ Basketball…Landon Henry, Towanda, Boys’ Basketball…Brock Nichols, Towanda, Girls’ Wrestling…Tyler Wheaton, NEB, Girls’ Wrestling

TOP 7 FEMALE NEWCOMERS

7. Alivia Spicer, Towanda/Canton, Girls’ Wrestling: One of several girls’ wrestlers on this list. Part of the Canton co-op, Spicer won 19 matches this year, which including a tournament title, along with being a key part of their dual meet success.

T-6. Reese Sullivan, Towanda, Girls’ Basketball & Mary-Kate Eberlin, Towanda, Girls’ Basketball: The diminutive but feisty off the bench guards for the Knights who brought energy into the game whenever they checked in.

T-4. Shaylynn Morris, Towanda Girls’ Wrestling & Lylah Bride, Towanda Girls’ Wrestling: Both of them had double-digit wins - 17 for Bride, 14 for Morris - as they reached the Northeast Regional Tournament.

3. Elizabeth Naughton, Towanda Girls’ Wrestling: Naughton was a 20-match winner, going 22-10 on the season, as she reached the Northeast Regional Tournament.

2. Kyah Renzo, Troy, Girls’ Basketball: Renzo was an off the bench weapon for the Trojans who could play guard or forward. Her strength, and athleticism made it tough for second units to handle.

1. JC Allis, Towanda, Girls’ Wrestling: Allis went 17-7 on the year, and the only thing that kept her from making states was an injury at the Regional Championships. Injuries were her toughest opponent this year, but the freshman showed a lot of promise heading into next season.

Notables: Kara Dughi, NEB, Girls’ Basketball…Liz Kilmer, Wyalusing, Girls’ Basketball…Kenzie Brown, Towanda, Girls’ Wrestling

TOP 7 MALE NEWCOMERS

7. Shay Gartland, Wyalusing, Boys’ Basketball: Gartland went through more than anybody should off the court this season, and on the court the sophomore was tasked with running point on a young team, the hardest position to learn on the job. By season’s end he had come a long way, along with his teammates.

6. Clay Wilks, NEB, Boys’ Basketball: The big man became a force inside, able to finish with either hand, and was a rebounding machine, giving the Panthers a post player to build around going forward.

5. Spencer Martin, Troy, Boys’ Basketball: The off the bench guard had a steady hand, and proved to be a capable 3-point shooter for the Trojans as he learned from the guys ahead of him for next season.

4. Trey Teribury, Troy, Boys’ Basketball: The sophomore stepped into a big role as a stretch-4. He averaged double-digits on the season, while coming up with big plays during the postseason.

3. Reese Sluyter, Towanda, Boys’ Wrestling: Once he got into the line-up he was a mainstay for the Knights. He went 26-9, was a North Section champion, and his postseason run ended early because of injuries. 

2. Boom Thompson, Towanda, Boys’ Basketball: Thompson was one of the best floor generals in the league from day one, running a rejuvenated Towanda offense as they got back to the postseason this year. A strong ball-handler, canny passer, and solid shooter, Thompson played well above his grad.

1. Gage Evans, Towanda, Wrestling: Evans had about as good a season as freshman can have. He went 39-12 in a tough 133 pound weight class, was a North Section champion, and qualified for states, with an elbow injury keeping him from getting to the medals. 

Notables: Mac Burgert, NEB, Boys’ Basketball…Garret Parks, Troy, Boys’ Wrestling

TOP 7 FEMALE ATHLETES

7. Brynn Woodruff, Towanda, Girls’ Basketball: Woodruff was a double-double threat for the Knights, being able to score inside-and-out, while also batting for rebounds in the paint. She was the go to player when they needed a bucket.

6. Alyssa Parks, Troy, Girls’ Basketball: Parks was one of the best all-around players in the league, capable of running the point, driving to the basket, hitting a 3-ball, and picking off steals. She was the engine that the Trojan team ran on.

5. Lillie Maynard, Towanda, Girls’ Wrestling: Maynard went 18-7 on the season, was a regional runner-up, and a state qualifier. As a senior who had plenty of wrestling experience, she led the first iteration of the Towanda girls’ wrestling team to a successful start.

T-3. Kendall Kitchen, Canton, Girls’ Basketball & Leah Beebe, NEB, Girls’ Basketball: Mirror images of each other, smaller guards who can shoot, drive, and won’t back down from anybody. 

2. Kailyn Sterling, Troy, Girls’ Basketball: A dominant scoring in the paint that NTL teams never figured out how to stop as she reached the 1,000 point plateau. She could defend across several positions with her quickness, and was the Player of the Year for the Trojans.

1. Anaiah Kolesar, NEB, Girls’ Wrestling: Kolesar went 36-6 on the year, won a Northeast Regional title, and earned her second straight state medal, taking fourth for the second year in a row. The junior continued to raise the bar for NTL Girls’ wrestling as a junior, just as the sport is exploding in popularity.

Notables: Cailyn VanNoy, Canton, Girls’ Basketball…Lillie Maynard, NEB, Girls’ Basketball...Ava Lambert, NEB, Girls’ Wrestling…Elizabeth Naughton, Towanda, Girls’ Wrestling

TOP 7 MALE ATHLETES

7. Ben Fitch, Canton, Boys’ Basketball: Fitch averaged a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds on the season, grabbing his 500th career board. He did this despite teams being able to key in on him, but Fitch used his size, strength, and athleticism to get to the basket, and finish.

6. Riley Vanderpool, Towanda, Boys’ Wrestling: Vanderpool went 41-8 on the season anchoring the middle weights for the Knights. He was a North Section, and District IV champion, falling in the blood round for the second year in a row. The senior finished his career with over 150 wins.

T-3. Evan Woodward, Troy, Boys’ Basketball; Jack Burbage, Troy, Boys’ Basketball & Lincoln Chimics, Troy, Boys’ Basketball: The 3-headed monster for the Trojans with any three on any given night leading the offense, and defense. All three could defense all five positions on the floor, all three could shoot from anywhere, and all three could get into the paint, overwhelming opposing teams en route to league, and district titles.

T-1. Mason Higley, Towanda, Boys’ Wrestling & Sawyer Robinson, Towanda, Boys’ Wrestling: The duo have been pillars for Towanda’s dual meet team for the last three years. They both boasted undefeated dual meet seasons for Towanda, both were North Section champions, and both ended up on the state podium. These two, plus Vanderpool, mark the end of an era for Towanda wrestling.

Notables: Ayden Hunsinger, Wyalusing, Boys’ Wrestling…Lyle Vermilya, Canton, Boys’ Wrestling…Reed Palmer, Troy, Boys’ Wrestling…Gage Evans, Towanda, Boys’ Wrestling…Cooper Brown, NEB, Boys’ Basketball…Brennick Lain, Towanda, Swimming & Diving

A LOOK AHEAD: There was plenty of good during the winter 2024-2025 season with plenty of teams saying good-bye to talented senior classes. Those losses, though, should open things up for other programs next year, but a lot can happen between now and then.

BOYS’ WRESTLING

TOWANDA was the class of the NTL, but half this past year’s roster will graduate, including all of their upper weights. The rest of the league probably won’t be too sad to see them leave, but there are plenty of other talented wrestlers waiting in the wings for the Knights, so don’t expect a big drop off. However, do expect to see a vastly different line-up than the one you’ve been watching for the last three years…CANTON gutted out a .500 dual meet season, and did it with just one senior. That senior will be missed, but they return two regional qualifiers next season as they look to stay a little healthier, and, hopefully, make a bigger jump…WYALUSING also struggled with injuries throughout the year, but once healthy they showed what they could do by taking second at the North Section Tournament. They, too, were underclassmen heavy, losing just one senior, so expect a bounce back season from the the Rams next year…TROY battled through a tough season, but did see a North Sectional title winner, and a state qualifier. They lose just two seniors, so they have plenty returning next year…NEB was another underclassmen heavy team, with no seniors. They keep adding more wins year and after year, and had two regional qualifiers this past season. Look for them to keep improving in 2024-2025.

GIRLS’ WRESTLING

TOWANDA hit the ground running in 2024-2025, with five regional qualifiers, and one state qualifier. Things continue to look up as they lose just two seniors from their line-up, though they’ll have to see if they will continue co-op with Canton next year. Even if they don’t expect them to be a force in the NTL, District IV, and beyond next season…NEB built off their success from the year before with three regional qualifiers, and a state medalist this past season. They lose one senior, but return two regional qualifiers to be the backbone of next year’s squad. If they can get their numbers up a little bit they could make a splash in the league and district next year.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

TROY romped through the NTL this season, and finished it off with a district behind a senior heavy group. It’ll be a much younger squad next season, raw but with talent, as the cupboard isn’t bare, but just untested as they see how far they can take the 39 NTL game win streak…NEB graduates just one senior as sit in good position to retake the NTL Small School title, and be in the running for that elusive District IV, Class AA championship. With four of five starters coming back, along with plenty of experience for their bench players, the Panthers could be the team to beat…TOWANDA had a bounce back season as they made districts, and did it with just one senior. With a strong backcourt-center combination they should be in the running for a wide open NTL Large School championship next season…CANTON said good-bye to their last two stalwarts from a team that nearly shocked the NTL Small School division two years ago. A lot of younger players will be asked to step into big roles next season as the Warriors transition to a new era…WYALUSING had a rebuilding year, but saw plenty of promise from their younger players by season’s end. With plenty coming back, and more talent coming up, expect the Rams to be more competitive across the league in 2025-2026.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

TROY said good-bye to an era this past year as those seniors take two NTL titles with them out the door. It’ll be a year of transition next year, but they have plenty of younger players that showed promise this year, along with a strong group coming up from junior high…NEB did plug-and-play again this year, winning a league title, and reaching the district finals for the second straight year. They’ll be replacing three starters going into next season as they try for their seventh straight NTL Small School title…TOWANDA had no seniors, but still accomplished their goals of reaching states this year, raising the bar for what they can do next season. The Knights bring back all five starters, plus several key freshmen, and will be looking to add a new crop of talent, making them one of the favorites to win the NTL Large School title in 2025-2026…CANTON had a historically good season, but will have to fill a big void for next year. Still, they return four of five starters, and will hopefully get a few more back from injury for next season as they look to challenge NEB for the NTL Small School title…WYALUSING had a strong season, coming up just short of a second straight state berth. The Rams say good-bye to two starters, but return three starters, and several key bench players, along with adding in some junior high talent, giving them a good prognosis for next year.

SWIMMING & DIVING

TOWANDA continued to see their programs grow in number, and success, with a state qualifying diver. If the trend-lines keep growing expect them to see more district qualifiers next season, and even a few more podium spots.

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