Abington Heights entered the New Year on a seven-game girls basketball winning streak that included the championship of the Taylor Lions Tournament.
The Lady Comets, who had started the season with two straight losses in a tournament at Hazleton Area, have climbed into second place in a competitive nine-team field chasing eight playoff berths in District 2 Class 5A. Those nine teams combined to go 50-29 in December.
Abington Heights trails only Scranton, District 2’s only unbeaten team, in the Class 5A race and has moved ahead of Pittston Area, the team it lost to it last season’s championship game.
All seven of the Lady Comets victories have come by double-figures margins with the team averaging 53.9 points while giving up 29.7 during the streak.
Abington Heights 67, Riverside 36
Tournament Most Valuable Player Maggie Coleman made four 3-pointers while joining Emily McDonald with 15 points each in the Dec. 28 Taylor Lions Tournament final at Riverside.
Kate Scoblick, who scored 10 points, and Peyton Houlihan grabbed seven rebounds each.
McDonald had seven points and Scoblick hit two 3-pointers as the Lady Comets took a 23-8 lead after one quarter. McDonald and Houlihan also had 3-pointers in the quarter.
On the way to an all-tournament team selection, McDonald made two 3-pointers and scored eight points during the third quarter when Abington Heights extended a 36-20 lead to 57-34.
Abington Heights 47, Bethlehem Liberty 30
Coleman scored 13 points and led strong first and third quarters to carry Abington Heights past Bethlehem Liberty Dec. 26 and into the Taylor Lions final.
Coleman had five points and four other Lady Comets scored as the team built a 17-7 lead after one quarter.
Liberty closed to within 23-18 at halftime, then Coleman went 4-for-4 from the line while scoring six points to key an 11-4 advantage in the third quarter.
Madison Zalewski scored 11 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to share the team lead in that category with Houlihan.
McDonald scored nine points and Madeleine Walsh chipped in eight points and three steals.
Non-league highlights
The first five wins in the streak came between Dec. 5 and Dec. 21 with four coming against teams that won championships of some type last season.
Abington Heights defeated Berwick (51-33), Holy Redeemer (59-44), Montrose (49-7), Wilkes-Barre Area (57-21) and Loyalsock Township (47-37).
McDonald had 15 points, 11 rebounds and three assists against Loyalsock. Zaleski added 10 points, Houlihan scored nine first-half points and Scoblick finished with 11 rebounds and five steals in the win.
The Lady Comets shut out Wilkes-Barre Area in the first quarter and Montrose in the second quarter.
Coleman (16), McDonald (15) and Zalewski (11) all scored in double figures against Holy Redeemer.
Coleman made six 3-pointers, including four in the third quarter, to account for all 18 of her points in the first win of the season against Berwick.
