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Nanticoke storms back to earn spot in Class 4A girls basketball final

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Holy Redeemer boys basketball heads to title game for first time since 2011

<p>EXETER &#8212; At the end of a long game, Reese Mensinger and the Berwick Bulldogs could barely contain their excitement.</p><p>For the first time in nearly 20 years, they&#8217;re going to a district championship game.</p><p>Mensinger made sure of it, scoring Berwick&#8217;s first seven points of the fourth quarter as the Bulldogs used a patient game to thwart Scranton Prep, 39-30, in a District 2 Class 4A semifinal Friday at Wyoming Area High School.</p><p>&#8220;I was thinking I wanted to pull through and do it for my team,&#8221; Mensinger said.</p><p>The victory put the Bulldogs in the final for the first time since 1998 &#8212; a feat not lost on the team.</p><p>&#8220;They know it,&#8221; Berwick coach Bill Phillips said. &#8220;The banner&#8217;s in our gym.&#8221;</p><p>The Bulldogs used a patient game to wear down Prep, throttling back the offense and showing great patience in setting up shots.</p><p>The Prep defense contained Mensinger through the first three quarters, holding her to a 3-point goal and two free throws.</p><p>But 10 points apiece from Tori Talanca and Abbey Burt carried Berwick to leads of 16-14 at halftime and 27-20 after three quarters.</p><p>And when Prep did try making a late-game comeback, Mensinger found the answers.</p><p>She popped a 3-pointer after the Classics cut their defict to six points with 1:32 to play, effectively sending the Bulldogs to a battle with Nanticoke for the district championship. Prep will face Dallas on Tuesday in the District 2 third-place game for a berth in the PIAA playoffs.</p><p>&#8220;That&#8217;s been our goal since the beginning of the season,&#8221; Mensinger said.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Berwick 39, Scranton Prep 30</strong></p><p><strong>SCRANTON PREP (30) &#8212;</strong> Julia Sirotnak 4 0-0 10, Calista Kline 3 2-4 9, Kathleen Rose 0 0-0 0, Katherine Dzwonczyk 3 1-2 7, Devin Merritt 2 0-0 4, Alaina Weston 0 0-0 0, Holly Daveski 0 0-0 0. <strong>Totals 12 3-6 30.</strong></p><p><strong>BERWICK (39) &#8212;</strong> Reese Mensinger 3 5-6 13, Tori Talanca 3 4-6 10, Abby Burt 3 1-3 10, Megan Dalo 0 0-0 0, Mikayla Davis 0 0-1 0, Mallory Pinterich 0 0-0 0, Roni Isenberg 2 2-5 6. <strong>Totals 11 12-21 39.</strong></p><p><strong>Scranton Prep`2`12`6`10`&#8212;`30</strong></p><p><strong>Berwick`4`12`11`12`&#8212;`39</strong></p><p><strong>Three-point goals</strong> &#8212; SP 3 (Sirotnak 2, Kline); BER 5 (Burt 3, Mensinger 2).</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Paul Sokoloski</p><p>psokoloski@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570-991-6392 or on Twitter @ TLSports</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Mensinger, Berwick heading to District 2 girls basketball title game