Metro
PLAINS TWP. — With the first game of Thursday night’s Wyoming Valley Conference Soccer Senior All-Star doubleheader ending up in a rout, it looked as though the second game might be headed for the same fate.
But a re-energized and fired up Team Red wasn’t rolling over.
Wilkes-Barre Area senior David Abbey scored with six minutes remaining to complete a comeback from three goals down and create a 3-3 tie with Team Black at Wilkes-Barre Area High School.
Even better for Abbey on the equalizer: the assist came from one of his Wolfpack teammates.
“I got the redirect from Joey (Egidio), it landed right at my feet,” Abbey said. “I know time’s ticking down, I needed to get the last shot and I scored.”
Team Red, coached by Pittston Area’s Mike Pryor, included players from Pryor’s Patriots team, along with those from Berwick, Dallas, Lake-Lehman, Tunkhannock Wilkes-Barre Area and Wyoming Seminary.
Team Black was comprised of seniors from Hanover Area, Holy Redeemer, Hanover Area, Wyoming Area and Wyoming Valley West and coached by Wyoming Area’s Chris Tomlinson. It took a 3-0 lead at halftime, all on goals by Wyoming Valley West’s Aidan Kaminski.
Hayden Laughman, Colin Skilonger, Ben Nichol, Aaron Loughney and Brady Kearns were the Warriors selected for Team Black. Team Red included Gavin Wolfe, Javier Eguigurr, William Egan and Devon Cerasaro.
Team Red must have figured something out during the brief intermission, because it quickly became the more aggressive team and attacked Team Black’s rotating group of goalies.
Fresh off a state semifinal match just two nights earlier, it was a couple of standouts from Dallas who got the ball rolling from Team Red.
First, Carter Brunn made a great run to make it 3-1 just a few minutes into the second half.
Devon Nelson got his name into the scoring column at the 26:36 mark, showcasing his speed and his ball skills in maneuvering his way into position to let one rip for another Team Red goal.
Girls soccer
Holy Redeemer’s Mary Lombardi and Crestwood’s Ella Brady scored twice each as Team Black ripped Team Red 7-0 in the girls opener to Thursday’s soccer doubleheader.
Team Black was made up of seniors from Holy Redeemer, Wyoming Valley West and Crestwood. Wyoming Valley West head coach Steph Gover assumed coaching duties.
The seniors from Dallas, Hanover Area, Lake-Lehman, Nanticoke Area, Wilkes-Barre Area and Wyoming Area suited up for Team Red, with Dallas head coach Nikki Pekarski running the show.
Ella Shepulski, Kendall Day, Emily Kostik and Summer Semanek were the Wyoming Area players selected for the game.
Girls tennis
Wyoming Area’s Rebecca Gula and Erica Gilligan were in action when Wyoming Seminary hosted the first Senior All-Star Match between girls tennis players from the Lackawanna League and the Wyoming Valley Conference in October.
The Lackawanna League won a total games tiebreaker after both squads won five matches in the all-doubles format.
Each doubles team was made up of seniors from two different schools.
Gula teamed with Crestwood’s Ella Richards to defeat Delaware Valley’s Olivia Van Tussell and North Pocono’s Amaya Monacelli 6-4.
Gilligan and Crestwood’s Cameron Carlos were defeated by North Pocono’s Kara Erikson and Delaware Valley’s Michelle Zakharova 6-0.
Erikson and Zakharova were selected as the Lackawanna Most Valuable Players.
Tunkhannock’s Addy Pineau and Crestwood’s Palcey Clower were MVPs for the WVC.
The day started with a skills competition, which was won by Holy Redeemer’s Addison Rosenko. West Scranton’s Zarina Mustafina was second and Tunkhannock’s Pineau was third.
