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DEP sets ‘informal conference’ on W-B Area high school issue for after election

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Tsioles shows Valley West the way to 4th straight D2 field hockey title

<p>KINGSTON &#8212; Late in the game and locked in a tie, Abie Sorokas was just following orders.</p><p>Now, the Wilkes-Barre Area Wolfpack can follow her to the state playoffs.</p><p>Sorokas scored the winning goal with 6:48 to play Monday, goalie Briannah Lee made two critical saves in the final 30 seconds and the Wolfpack won the first District 2 Class 3A field hockey championship for the first-year jointure with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Hazleton Area at Nesbitt Stadium.</p><p>&#8220;It feels amazing,&#8221; Sorokas said. &#8220;Really, the best feeling in the world.&#8221;</p><p>Kaia Stets came off the bench from a hand injury suffered moments earlier and came from nowhere to swipe possession away from Hazleton Area and set up Sorokas for the winning score.</p><p>&#8220;I used my speed,&#8221; said Stets, her right index finger heavily taped after the game. &#8220;When I went out, I was using my stick and I got hit with a stick. I really wanted to win. It&#8217;s amazing.&#8221;</p><p>The Wolfpack, a jointure of the former Coughlin, Meyers and GAR sports teams, will advance to the PIAA playoffs, which open next Tuesday.</p><p>It was more heartbreak for Hazleton Area, which lost a bid to bring home the school&#8217;s first District 2 field hockey title for the third time in five years.</p><p>But the Cougars didn&#8217;t go quietly.</p><p>A decided underdog after losing to Wilkes-Barre Area during the regular season, Hazleton Area tied the game at 1-1 with no time left in the first half when Jill Buchman punched in a penalty corner.</p><p>Lee wouldn&#8217;t let the Cougars score again.</p><p>Facing two penalty corners in the final minute, Lee first blocked a point-blank shot from Hazleton Area that protected the Wolfpack&#8217;s one-goal lead with 30 seconds remaining in the game.</p><p>&#8220;I told myself before the game I was going to play aggressive, don&#8217;t let anything get past me,&#8221; Lee said.</p><p>The last of her nine saves came at the very end, when the senior and four-year starter kicked away another Hazleton Area shot off a penalty corner as time ran out.</p><p>&#8220;I knew at that point once we got it out of the circle, the game was over,&#8221; Lee said. &#8220;We really wanted it.</p><p>&#8220;It feels so good.&#8221;</p><p>The Wolfpack had a good feeling when Candladia Washinski took an assist from Sorokas and scored the game&#8217;s first goal with 13:11 remaining in the first half.</p><p>But Hazleton rallied to tie things by the break, then carried most of the action for the first 20 minutes of the second half. Lee and the Wilkes-Barre Area defense wouldn&#8217;t let them break through though.</p><p>Then Sorokas, who lost her father earlier this season, delivered a reverse chip high into the cage as the Wolfpack broke into glee with less than seven minutes to play.</p><p>&#8220;When I was on the field, my coach said to go right, make a move,&#8221; Sorokas said. &#8220;I made my move, saw an open shot and took it.</p><p>&#8220;It went in.&#8221;</p><p>And now, the Wolfpack is going to states.</p><p>&#8220;They played well,&#8221; Wilkes-Barre Area coach Colleen Wood said. &#8220;Kaya coming off the injury and going back in was a game-changer. Briannah was marvelous. They all played well together.</p><p>&#8220;It was a great game.&#8221;</p><p>It was really a goal for the team</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Hazleton's Amelia Bredbenner puts the ball in play on a corner against Wilkes-Barre Area ----------------Fred Adams|for Times Leader 1028-19</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_wba_haz2_faa.jpg</photo0><caption0>Hazleton's Amelia Bredbenner puts the ball in play on a corner against Wilkes-Barre Area ----------------Fred Adams|for Times Leader 1028-19</caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_wba_haz3_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre Area&#8217;s Candladia Washinski (center) is congratulated by her teammates after scoring the first goal of the District 2 Class 3A championship game Monday in the first half against Hazleton Area. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_wba_haz3_faa.jpg</photo1><caption1>Wilkes-Barre Area&#8217;s Candladia Washinski (center) is congratulated by her teammates after scoring the first goal of the District 2 Class 3A championship game Monday in the first half against Hazleton Area. </caption1><photoCredit1>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_wba_haz1_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre Area&#8217;s Jolene Ulichney battles for the ball with Hazleton Area&#8217;s Jenna Watterau in the District 2 Class 3A field hockey title game at Nesbitt Stadium. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_wba_haz1_faa.jpg</photo2><caption2>Wilkes-Barre Area&#8217;s Jolene Ulichney battles for the ball with Hazleton Area&#8217;s Jenna Watterau in the District 2 Class 3A field hockey title game at Nesbitt Stadium. </caption2><photoCredit2>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_wba_haz4_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre Area&#8217;s Jolene Ulichney (left) chases the ball with Hazleton Area&#8217;s Mia Dremock in the first half of the District 2 Class 3A championship field hockey game Monday at Nesbitt Stadium. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_wba_haz4_faa.jpg</photo3><caption3>Wilkes-Barre Area&#8217;s Jolene Ulichney (left) chases the ball with Hazleton Area&#8217;s Mia Dremock in the first half of the District 2 Class 3A championship field hockey game Monday at Nesbitt Stadium. </caption3><photoCredit3>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Sorokas, Lee lead Wilkes-Barre Area to first district field hockey title</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Paul Sokoloski</p><p>psokoloski@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Sorokas scores the winner as Wilkes-Barre wins D2 field hockey title