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WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Most of the main players are gone.But those who remained from the District 2 championship defeat Holy Cross suffered at the hands of Holy Redeemer found the frustration that came with it pretty hard to forget.That became clear Thursday, when Abby Anderson and Lexi Walsh led a charge of 18 straight Holy Cross points to start the game and send the Crusaders cruising past Redeemer, 66-46 in a rematch of last season&#8217;s District 2 Class 2A girls basketball title game.&#8220;Both of us lost quite a few players (from that district championship),&#8221; Holy Cross coach Barry Fitzgerald said. &#8220;We have two starters back, they have some kids who played. For the most part, both teams were different from last year&#8217;s district final.&#8221;Anderson and Walsh made sure the result was different, too.Both were on the floor when Redeemer rolled past Holy Cross, 52-37 in the 2015-16 district final, and both played big roles in reversing the outcome Thursday.Anderson scored 10 of her game-high 23 points in the first six minutes and Walsh added six of her 19 as the Crusaders stormed to an 18-point lead, before Irelyn Jannuzzi hit a bucket for Redeemer&#8217;s first points with 1:47 to play in the opening quarter.&#8220;We fell down early again,&#8221; said Holy Redeemer&#8217;s first-year coach John Jezorwski, whose Royals have struggled out of the gates during the first week of season. &#8220;We had a slow start again. I don&#8217;t know how to change that, yet. We&#8217;ll make adjustments.&#8221;The Crusaders simply made baskets.They nailed all six of their 3-point attempts in the first half, with Haley Bestrycki and Anderson drilling a pair apiece, as Holy Cross opened a 41-16 halftime lead.Holy Redeemer never recovered.&#8220;Abby and Lexi did what we needed them to do. They both attacked the basket,&#8221; Fitzgerald said. &#8220;We need those two to lead us in every phase of the game. Those two kids need to play well. And they did.&#8221;The Royals are still trying to piece things together after losing the heart of a lineup that went 9-4 in state playoff games the last four years and made three straight state quarterfinal games.Reserve Samantha Yencha led Redeemer with 10 points and Samantha Rajza, a part-time starter last season, scored all nine of her points to help cut a 29-point deficit to 20 points entering the final frame.&#8220;I like that they didn&#8217;t quit, even at the end and down by 20,&#8221; Jezorwski said. &#8220;We fought back. These kids have no quit in them. We&#8217;ll be all right. Come districts, we&#8217;ll be ready to play. Hopefully, we&#8217;ll have a chance to see them (the Crusaders) again.&#8221;Pittston Area 65, Scranton 58Taryn Ashby scored a game-high 24 points, including four 3-pointers to lead the Patriots.Kirsten Durling finished with 16 points and Leah Hodick added 14 points to the win.Northwest 53, Weatherly 40Brenna Babcock scored 17 points and Reagan Harrison chipped in with 16 in the Rangers&#8217; victory.Hannah Wisniewski had 12 points for Northwest.Crestwood 59, Williamsport 38The Comets jumped out to a 24-12 first-half lead en route to a win over the Millionaires.Andrea Shipton led the way with 12 points, while Julia Makowski scored 10.Holy Cross 66, Holy Redeemer 46HOLY CROSS (66) &#8212; Abby Anderson 7 7-8 23, Lauren Torre 0 0-0 0, Mollie Burda 1 2-2 5, Lexi Walsh 8 3-6 19, Abby Sempa 3 1-3 8, Haley Bestrycki 4 1-1 11, Caroline Kranick 0 0-0 0, Alyssa Pezutti 0 0-2 0, Madelyn McGoff 0 0-0 0, Amanda Ross 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 14-22 66.HOLY REDEEMER (46) &#8212; Julia Andrejko 2 0-0 4, Irelyn Jannuzzi 1 0-0 2, Samantha Rajza 3 2-2 9, Maya Kornfeld 2 5-8 9, Talia Kosierowski 1 0-0 3, Samantha Yencha 4 2-3 10, Lauren Wasiakowski 0 1-2 1, Cameron Marcinkowski 1 0-0 2, Sarah Kuderka 0 2-2 2, Alyssa Gushko 0 0-0 0, Randie Kuhar 2 0-0 4. Totals 16 12-17 46.Holy Cross`18`23`9`16`&#8212;`66Holy Redeemer`6`10`14`16`&#8212;`46Three-point goals &#8212; HC 6 (Anderson 2, Bestrycki 2, Sempa, Burda); HR 2 (Kosierowski, Rajza).Pittston Area 65, Scranton 58SCRANTON (58) &#8212; Ciarra Loyd 6 1-1 14, Tahilah Dillon 2 0-0 5, Ciera Chandler 1 0-0 3, Erin Barrett 2 1-2 7, Peyton Orzello 1 5-7 7, Shelby Funcmess 1 2-4 4, Kristen Hart 5 4-5 14, Corette Melderig 1 2-4 2. Totals 19 15-23 58.PITTSTON AREA (65) &#8212; Kirsten Durling 7 2-4 16, Mary Silinkskie 1 2-2 4, Portia Weidlich 2 0-0 4, Leah Hodick 3 8-8 14, Cherokee Musto 0 1-2 1, Andrea Ruby 1 0-0 2, Taryn Ashby 7 6-6 24. Totals 21 19-24 65.Scranton`12`16`10`20`&#8212;`58Pittston`12`16`16`21`&#8212;`65Three-point goals &#8212; SCR 5 (Loyd, Dillon Chandler, Barrett); PA 4 (Ashby 4).Crestwood 59, Williamsport 38WILLIAMSPORT (38) &#8212; Jada Whaley 6 4-8 16, Emily Pardee 0 0-2 0, Katelyn Wilson 0 0-0 0, Gabrielle Thomas 2 9-11 13, Elaina Stone 0 0-0 0, Halle McCormick 1 0-0 2, Samiyah Litle 3 1-4 7. Totals 12 19-25 38.CRESTWOOD (59) &#8212; Riley Magin 2 0-0 4, Andrea Shipton 4 4-6 12, Sarah Hopkins 3 2-2 9, Bella Termini 4 0-4 8, Kate Snipas 3 0-0 7, Sarah Richards 1 2-6 7, Julia Makowski 4 2-4 10, Ally Muse 1 0-2 2. Totals 23 10-24 59.Williamsport `5`7`8`18`&#8212;`38Crestwood `11`13`13`22`&#8212;`59Three-point goals &#8212; WIL 0; CRE 3 (Snipas, Richards, Hopkins).<style>
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<div class="neCaption">Holy Redeemer&#8217;s Maya Kornfeld drives to the basket during Thursday&#8217;s girls basketball game against Holy Cross. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_TTL121616Basketball1-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Holy Redeemer&#8217;s Maya Kornfeld drives to the basket during Thursday&#8217;s girls basketball game against Holy Cross. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_TTL121616Basketball2-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Holy Redeemer&#8217;s Talia Kosierowski goes up for the shot. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_TTL121616Basketball2-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Holy Redeemer&#8217;s Talia Kosierowski goes up for the shot. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Paul Sokoloskipsokoloski@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570-991-6392 or on Twitter @TLPaulSokoloski</shirttailMeta></div>

Holy Cross cruises past Holy Redeemer in 20-point girls basketball victory