Just when the challenges were supposed to become more difficult, it was Old Forge junior Olivia Ciullo who got even tougher.
Ciullo opened the state tournament by leading the undersized Lady Devils to a victory over an opponent built around an all-state, 6-footer.
Then, in what turned out to be the last night of high school basketball in Pennsylvania this season, Ciullo scored a career-high 35 points in another win.
The coronavirus outbreak made sure that Old Forge and the other 47 contending Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association girls basketball quarterfinalists across six classifications never got a chance to see how it all turned out.
Ciullo, however, made enough of an impression in the available time that she received individual honors this week with news that she was a third-team Class 2A selection on the Pennsylvania Sports Writers All-State Girls Basketball Team.
“The team played a great year of basketball,” Ciullo said. “We played together so I give all the credit to them.”
Ciullo averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds per game.
In Old Forge’s limited opportunities against Class 2A competition, she averaged more than 20 points, including more than 23 in the postseason.
Old Forge (20-6) won all eight of those games against Class 2A teams, including a three-game sweep of Holy Cross, culminating in a Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza rematch with the team that had denied the Lady Devils a District 2 championship in 2019.
“My favorite moment is probably at the arena getting the district championship back,” Ciullo said. “I know how hard the team and I worked to get that back, so to do it meant a lot to all of us.”
Old Forge coach Ron Stacchiotti described Ciullo as a “gym rat.” He praised the dedication she showed through playing on a JB Hoops AAU team, making additional trips to Backcourt Hoops in Scranton for training and working one-on-one with former Lady Devils coach Tom Gatto on her inside moves.
All the assistance Ciullo sought and received was helpful, but, according to Stacchiotti, she deserves credit for how far she took things in developing the ability to score inside and mid-range against taller opponents.
“That step-back, she learned that on her own,” Stacchiotti said. “That fadeaway that she has, she works on that constantly at practice and she’ll work on it by herself.”
The 5-foot-9 Ciullo had plenty of familiar company on the all-state teams, including Maya Ettle, the 6-foot-4 senior center from Moravian Academy.
Ciullo was one of four players from her division, nine from the Lackawanna League and 10 from District 2 to be selected.
Old Forge native Bob Beviglia was one of four involved in a close vote for Class 4A state Coach of the Year after leading Lackawanna League Division 1 and District 2 Class 4A champion Scranton Prep to the first unbeaten season by a District 2 team since the Carbondale boys in 1993.
Three of the players Old Forge faced in Lackawanna Division 3 play were honored in Class 3A. Dunmore’s Moriah Murray, a repeat selection, and Riverside’s Kylie Lavelle each made the first team as sophomores. Dunmore freshman Ciera Toomey made the third team.
Two of Beviglia’s players were recognized in Class 4A.
Rachael Rose, a three-time selection, moved up from third team to second. Cecelia Collins made the third team. Both are juniors.
The Lackawanna League also had three seniors honored.
Susquehanna’s Taylor Huyck moved up from the third team to second team in Class A, teammate Mackenzie Steele made the third team in Class A and Scranton’s Colette Mulderig repeated third-team honors in Class 6A.
Dallas senior Lauren Charlton was the lone Wyoming Valley Conference player honored, making the second team in Class 4A.
