BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports Report
Northeast Bradford girls’ basketball continued to be a model of consistency during the 2024-2025 season. Despite losing key players from last year they repeated as NTL Small School champions, and were District IV, Class A runners-up for the season year in a row.
“I feel it was another great season,” said NEB coach Ben Beebe. “The girls won an amazing sixth straight title, and district runner up. As a coach I couldn't be happier with the effort the girls put in this season. They are a great group and I will truly miss my three seniors, they had a great four years.”
The Panthers had a rough opener, falling to District II, Class AA runner-up Elk Lake (50-35), but then went on a 4-game win streak with victories over Blue Ridge (54-32), Wellsboro (54-43), Williamson (67-28), and Wyalusing (54-20). NEB ended December with a loss at Troy (53-43).
They hit their stride in January, winning seven straight games to start the new year with wins over NP-Liberty (69-39), Neumann (67-29), Canton (61-27), Muncy (42-41), CV (64-35), Williamson (71-42), and NP-Mansfield (75-51).
They had some tough losses to Large School teams Athens (48-45), and Towanda (64-58), but rallied for three more wins after that, beating NPL (66-43), South Williamsport (51-41), and Sayre (54-8).
Canton (45-41) ended their 6-year divisional winning streak, but NEB rebounded to beat Sayre (56-20), Bloomsburg (45-38), and CV (64-39).
In NTL Showcase action they got revenge against Towanda, but fell to Troy in the finals at Mansfield University.
NEB opened D4 play with a big win over East Juniata (53-34), then pulled away from Canton (53-32) in the semifinals.
In the finals, though, they ran into a hot shooting Muncy team for the second year in a row, falling 48-37.
They recovered for states, losing on the road to Williams Valley 48-45.
Leah Beebe (15 PPG) led the Panthers in scoring while Lillie Maynard (12 PPG) led them in pretty much everything else.
Mallorie Maynard (8 PPG) came into her own on the team, as seniors Becca VanDeMark (10 PPG), and Lilah Hughes (7 PPG) continued their strong play from earlier seasons.
Kara Dughi found a role off the bench for NEB.
NEB loses three key seniors in Lillie Maynard, VandeMark, and Hughes, so, once again, it’ll be next woman up as they go for a seventh straight divisional title.
