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Dallas defeats Lower Dauphin in 5A opener

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Northwest runs into trouble in dropping girls basketball state debut

<p>EXETER &#8212; Even a horrendous second quarter and a slower pace wasn&#8217;t enough Friday night. The Holy Redeemer girls basketball team was able to overcome both.</p><p>Sam Rajza kick-started a bland offense in the third quarter and Sam Yencha dominated the boards with 13 rebounds as the Royals defeated Hughesville 44-34 at Wyoming Area Secondary Center in the first round of the PIAA Class 3A girls basketball tournament.</p><p>District 2 runner-up Redeemer (23-4) won its seventh consecutive first-round state game.</p><p>&#8220;For me, it&#8217;s my second,&#8221; said Redeemer coach John Jezorwski, who took over the program last season. &#8220;I&#8217;m so proud of these girls. I think the sky&#8217;s the limit for these girls. I think we can play with anybody. We proved that last week with Dunmore. Dunmore is one of the best teams in the state and we were right there with them.&#8221;</p><p>The Royals will play Tuesday against District 1 champ St. Basil (21-5), which defeated District 12 fifth seed West Philadelphia 74-21. District 4 runner-up Hughesville ended its season at 16-10.</p><p>Redeemer looked like it would cruise to victory as Rajza knocked down five points in the first quarter for a 14-5 lead going into the second. But the sharp offensive attack abruptly went could. The Royals missed their first six shots of the second before Yencha snapped the drought with an inside basket at 4:39. Yencha later added another bucket at 3:10, but it accounted for Redeemer&#8217;s only other points. The Royals shot 2 of 13, allowing Hughesville to chip away and pull to an 18-18 tie by halftime.</p><p>&#8220;The second quarter, I think we started taking things for granted,&#8221; Jezorwski said. &#8220;We started rushing things, and we didn&#8217;t settle down. Because we had what we wanted, we just weren&#8217;t finishing it.&#8221;</p><p>Hughesville hung with Redeemer through the early minutes of the third quarter, and Alisha McKinley&#8217;s bucket moved the Spartans within 25-22 at the 5:06 mark. But that was the last time Hughesville&#8217;s big girl was heard from the rest of the game. Her teammates were unable to pick up the slack.</p><p>Instead, Redeemer finished off the third with a 9-0 burst, with baskets by Rajza and Lauren Wasiakowski coming off turnovers. Rajza nailed a 3-pointer to close out the quarter and give the Royals a 34-22 advantage. The spurt was one of the few times they were able to get the pace to their liking.</p><p>&#8220;Like I said all along, we&#8217;re not a 40-point team, we&#8217;re a 60-point team,&#8221; Jezorwski said. &#8220;I think we took 36 shots total for the game. That&#8217;s not our style. We want to get up and down, shoot the ball and get good shots. Sometimes I think we fall in love with that jump shot a little bit too much.&#8221;</p><p>A 6-0 burst midway through the fourth pretty much sealed the game. Hughesville&#8217;s Emily Akers connected on a couple 3-pointers late, but keeping her limited to those baskets were part of a successful game plan.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>PIAA Class 3A First Round</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Holy Redeemer 44, Hughesville 34</strong></p><p><strong>HUGHESVILLE (34) &#8212;</strong> Alex Snyder 1 1-2 3, Kendra Smith 1 2-2 5, Jayden Leighhow 3 0-3 6, Emily Akers 2 2-2 8, Alisha McKinley 6 0-0 12, Cierra Getz 0 0-2 0. <strong>Totals 13 5-11 34.</strong></p><p><strong>HOLY REDEEMER (44) &#8212;</strong> Julie Andrejko 3 0-0 7, Samantha Yencha 5 6-7 15, Lauren Wasiakowski 2 0-0 4, Samantha Rajza 6 0-0 14, Cameron Marcinkowski 1 1-2 3, Sarah Kuderka 0 0-0 0, Alyssa Gushka 0 0-0 0. <strong>Totals 17 7-9 44.</strong></p><p><strong>Hughesville`5`13`4`8 &#8212; 34</strong></p><p><strong>Holy Redeemer`14`4`16`10 &#8212; 44</strong></p><p><strong>Three-point goals &#8212;</strong> HU 3 (Smith, Akers 2), HR 3 (Andrejko, Rajza 2). </p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Holy Redeemer&#8217;s Lauren Wasiakowski looks for an outlet on Friday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_TTL031018GBBHughesvilleRedeemer3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Holy Redeemer&#8217;s Lauren Wasiakowski looks for an outlet on Friday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_TTL031018GBBHughesvilleRedeemer1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Holy Redeemer&#8217;s Sam Rajza puts up a shot over Hughesville&#8217;s Kendra Smith for a basket during the first round of the PIAA Class 3Agirls basketball tournament on Friday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_TTL031018GBBHughesvilleRedeemer1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Holy Redeemer&#8217;s Sam Rajza puts up a shot over Hughesville&#8217;s Kendra Smith for a basket during the first round of the PIAA Class 3Agirls basketball tournament on Friday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_TTL031018GBBHughesvilleRedeemer2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Holy Redeemer&#8217;s Sam Yencha fends off Hughesville&#8217;s Emily Akers (left), Alex Snyder (center) and Jayden Leighow during Friday&#8217;s state tournament game. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_TTL031018GBBHughesvilleRedeemer2.jpg</photo2><caption2>Holy Redeemer&#8217;s Sam Yencha fends off Hughesville&#8217;s Emily Akers (left), Alex Snyder (center) and Jayden Leighow during Friday&#8217;s state tournament game. </caption2><photoCredit2>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Royals pull away in second half in state opener</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By John Erzar</p><p>jerzar@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach John Erzar at 570-991-6394 or on Twitter @TLJohnErzar</p></shirttailMeta></div>

PIAA basketball: Holy Redeemer girls open Class 3A bracket with win