Wilkes-barre Budget 
City Council Takes Charge 
Panel Oks Spending Plan, Moves To Pay Tax Loan

Anne Schaub

By KEVIN KAZOKAS Times Leader Sports Correspondent
 Friday, December 27, 2002 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1B 





WRIGHT TWP. - The concept of teamwork in basketball usually involves all of
the players on the floor working together. But sometimes the efforts of one
individual can inspire and unify the rest of the club. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 For Bishop Hafey, that spark plug is Terri Witkowski, and her valuable
contributions were evident in Friday night's 64-43 victory against host
Crestwood in the championship game of the 31st Annual John T. Munley Girls
Basketball Tournament. Witkowski nailed a trio of three-point baskets and
finished with 19 points in a performance that helped her earn tournament MVP
honors. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "She really makes her team better, and I think that's the highest
compliment you can pay a player," Hafey coach Rick Smith said after his team's
second consecutive dominant victory in the tournament. The Lady Vikings
defeated Coughlin by 29 points in Thursday's opening round contest. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In Friday's consolation game, Coughlin defeated Hanover Area 59-46, with
the aid of a 16-1 second quarter run. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 While Witkowski led all Lady Vikings with 31 total tournament points, she
cited her teammates as her inspiration. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We have a deep bench and we all work together," said Witkowski, who had
help from eight teammates who made offensive contributions in Friday's win. "I
feel that the rest of my team makes me better." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hafey overpowered Crestwood from the start as the Lady Vikings scored the
game's first four points with baskets from freshman Jody Searfoss and
Witkowski. That lead grew to 11 points when Searfoss made an inside shot later
in the first. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Crestwood closed the gap to nine early in the second quarter with a Rachel
Shutt layup, but would get no closer. The Lady Vikings steadily expanded their
lead as two of their players besides Witkowski finished with with double-digit
efforts. Denna Olexa had 13 points to go alongside her two treys and Searfoss
chipped in with 10 points as Hafey coasted to victory. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We moved the ball around well," said Smith. "We hit open shots and we hit
rebounds." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Junior forward Rebecca Kenthack paced the Lady Comets with 10 points and
was one of five players named to the tournament all-star team. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Crestwood head coach Marty Mrozinski pointed to Kenthack's play as well as
the return of junior guard Alison Difebo as some of the bright spots his team
could take away from the loss. Difebo scored nine points in her first full
game coming off an ankle injury that had forced her to miss four previous
contests. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Hafey's a good team," Mrozinski said. "They keep coming at you. We just
gave them too many opportunities to score and they took advantage of that." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the consolation game, Coughlin trailed 15-12 at the start of the second
period, but senior guard Santina Vinciarelli ignited a streak of 12
consecutive Coughlin points when she converted a basket she made while being
fouled into a three-point play to tie the game. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Then she added the go-ahead basket on the next possession after a Coughlin
press had forced a Hanover turnover. The score put Coughlin ahead 17-15, a
lead the Lady Crusaders would not relinquish. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hafey's Searfoss and Olexa and Crestwood's Shutt and Boone also made the
all-tournament team. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Maria Luchetti led Coughlin with 23 points. Hanover Area got 14 points from
Danielle McGurk. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bishop Hafey Takes Honors 
Lady Vikings Star Terri Witkowski Leads A Strong Offensive Effort Against
Crestwood In The Final And Captures The Mvp Award.

Bishop Hafey Takes Honors Lady Vikings Star Terri Witkowski Leads A Strong Offensive Effort Against Crestwood In The Final And Captures The Mvp Award.