TOP STORIES COUNTDOWN (20-16): A TEAM OVERCOMES TRAGEDY, A STUNNING WIN, AND BIG INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES (2025-07-11)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
The list continues with teams overcoming tragedy, big individual performances, and streak ending wins.

20. Canton volleyball overcomes death of a teammate to reach district finals: Typically August is a time of excitement and anticipation, but Canton volleyball was struck with tragedy as setter Vayda Bryan died in an accident.

The Warriors used the volleyball season as a way to deal with their grief.

“A lot of us are just trying to play for Vayda,” said senior Addie Pepper. “We’re trying to make the best of the season - a lot girls have it tough right now, we all do - but we’re just going to play for her.”

They held a ‘Green Out’ against their rivals NEB during the season in Vayda’s memory - green was Bryan’s favorite color. Other teams had similar celebrations of Vayda’s life.

On the court Canton overcame a 1-4 start, but rallied to make the district playoffs, thanks to wins over Williamson, South Williamsport, and season sweeps over Wyalusing and Athens.

They kept their season going thanks to a 3-0 win over CV in the district semifinals, but ultimately fell to powerhouse NEB in the finals.

Pepper and Kendall Kitchen, their two seniors, had a lot to carry this past year, but soldiered their teammates on to an improbable district runner-up performance, setting them up to make a deeper run in 2025.

“With all the adversity this team was dealt this season, they really showed a lot of tenacity throughout it,” coach Jackie Thompson said. 

19. Towanda’s Brennick Lain qualifies for states in diving: Towanda’s Lain made the leap quickly from novice to state qualifier, taking second at the District IV, Class AA Championships with a score of 304.80 to make states.

Lain didn’t know he made states until being handed his second place medal. That may have been an affect from his strategy, which was just focus on his dives and reset after each one.

“I almost started crying,” Lain said about making states. “I’m still kind of wrapping my head around it, it’s a huge milestone for me. I never really believed in myself much, so that proved me wrong.”

Lain ended up 21st in the state in diving, and will have the opportunity to do even better this upcoming winter.

18. Towanda’s Anna Dunn sets school record in goals scored: After netting her 50th career goal as a junior Dunn was looking to break the school record of 79 to finish out her career.

It took most of the season but Dunn notched number 80 in a late season win over NEB at home. 

“I was just so proud of myself,” Dunn said. “I’ve worked hard all four years for this, and I’m just so happy for myself, and proud to be able to hit this milestone.”

NEB’s defense kept Dunn out of the back of the net until the second half. She would get through the NEB defense to tie the record, then slipped inside the post to get the record.

Dunn finished with five goals that day to get to 83.

17. Wyalusing girls’ hoops gives Troy first league loss in two years: In a defensive battle the Rams pulled out a 43-40 win over defending league champions Troy, giving them their first league loss in two years.

It had been an up-and-down season for Wyalusing up to that point, but the victory proved to be a highlight for the Rams in 2024-2025. 

The Rams overcame a 25 turnover night but limited Troy’s field goals, forcing them to keep the ball around the perimeter. 

Troy led by as many as eight early, but the Rams answered with a 15-2 run to take a 5-point lead at the half.

The Trojans rallied in the third to go up 2-points but the game was tied halfway through the fourth. From that point Wyalusing out scored them 5-2 to get the win.

Treanna Nickeson led Wyalusing with 14 points, while grabbing six boards, with senior Rachel Wilson adding eight points and 12 boards.

It was the high point of Wyalusing’s season, as they led the NTL for a short while after that. However, injuries limited them down the stretch.

Still, they’ll always have that night in January where they took down the champs.

16. Riley Vanderpool scores six touchdowns in Towanda’s playoff win over Bloomsburg: It was a the culmination of one classes efforts to bring Black Knight football back to the forefront.

As freshmen they came in when the Knights were at their lowest, then started to turn things around as sophomores. They got to .500 as juniors, and a playoff berth, while their senior year they found their stride, earning a home playoff game.

They got to show out, particularly quarterback Riley Vanderpool, as he ran for 236-yards and six touchdowns in the 42-20 win over the Panthers.

After falling down 20-14 midway through the second quarter the Knights rattled off 28 straight points to pull away for the win.

“The linemen really picked it up in the second half, they helped me out a lot tonight,” Vanderpool said. “I was looking to throw the ball, but couldn’t really get the ball in the air that much, but we made up for it.”

Vanderpool had touchdowns runs of 73 yards, 30 yards, 41 yards, 27 yards, seven yards, and 24 yards on the night.

Defensively they had three interceptions as they held the Panthers scoreless for two-and-a-half quarters.

It was Towanda’s first home playoff win since 2011, and a perfect send off for a talent senior class.

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