Northern Tier Sports ReportWYALUSING — Wyalusing’s Emily Johns had a big night as the Rams rolled past South Williamsport, 54-31, during the opening round of the District IV, Class AAA Girls Basketball Tournament Wednesday.
Johns had 19 points and grabbed her 500th rebound in the win, while Alysha Botts added 15 points.
“It feels really good,” she said. “I’ve had this goal for a long time, so it feels really good to achieve it. I knew I needed nine, so I was really close, but it was really nerve wracking because I knew I had to get that. I really wanted to get that because I wanted to get it at home.”
The win was Wyalusing’s first postseason victory since 2024 when they made the state playoffs after taking third in the Class AA District IV Tournament.
“Honestly, this is what you work for all season,” remarked Botts. “We’ve had a little while to prepare for this, and we’ve been focusing on a lot of different things that we really executed tonight. I’m really proud of ourselves that.”
Brinley Sterling chipped in with nine points, Jenna Morningstar scored six, Treanna Nickeson netted four, and Callee Warner rounded things out with one point.
Carley Quimby had 11 to lead South Williamsport.
“It’s been a long, hard grind, and the kids took it on,” Wyalusing coach Nick Reynolds said. “The kids knew what they were supposed to do, and they came out, and they showed up tonight.”
The Rams couldn’t have asked for a better first quarter as they raced out to a 22-3 lead.
Johns had eight points in the frame, while Botts, and Sterling each scored five.
Johns scored six of her team’s eight points with a Botts 3-ball making it 11-0.
She added another basket, followed by field goals from Johns, Nickeson, and Stering for a 19-2 lead.
After South hit a free throw Sterling hit a 3-ball with 22 seconds left in the first quarter for the 19-point different.
The Mounties regrouped some in the second quarter cutting the deficit to 25-12 with 3:31 left in the half.
That’s when Wyalusing answered with a 9-0 spurt down the stretch for a 34-12 lead at the break. Six different Rams scored in that quarter, led by four from Botts.
Johns reasserted herself with 10 of her team’s 16 third quarter points as Wyalusing pulled away to a 50-24 lead going into the fourth.
Wyalusing will now face Troy for the third time this year, heading to the Commons Building on Friday with a 7 p.m. start.
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