The girl's Schuylkill league championship game on Friday night begins with Tri-Valleyfacing the Marian Catholic Fillies. The Lady Bulldogs edged out Blue Mountain Wednesday night 51-46 to advance to the final while Marian beat Jim Thorpe in the nightcap.
Friday night at Martz hall will markTri-Valley's third straight trip to the Schuylkill league championship game. With their (23-0) record and #1 ranking in the super 16 they hope the third trip in ends with a win.
"Your chances, hopes, goals to win this game on Friday. What would that feeling be like? Oh it's up there-it's #1 besides school work-it's #1." said Juli Weber.
"I think anytime you have a point guard like Juli Weber that gives you a chance to win. She's kind of like a surgeon out there carving her way thru the defense. Another good game for her? I put all my trust in Juli. She runs the offense for us. I trust her decision making and you take the good with the bad with Juli. Sometimes she makes mistakes but she creates so much for us and we rely on that tremendously." said Bob Felty Jr.
In the boy's game it's a re-match of last years final between Pottsville and Pine Grove won by the tide. And Pottsville is looking for a little piece of history going for their 3rd consecutive Schuylkill League championship and at times coach Dave Mullaney with two freshman on the floor.
"Their two great kids-our freshman Eli and Travis. They've been improving every game all year and they gave us big minutes last night. I'm hoping they can give us big minutes on Friday as well." said Dave Mullaney.
Pine Grove goes big and small with Kyler Burke and Larry Zimmerman. Mahanoy Area had trouble with both.
"I'm blessed to have two of the top players in the league on my team, and the good thing with Larry is he's unselfish beyond measure. Meaning on any other team he would probably score 25 a night. On this team we believe in five over everyone else." said David Archer.
"Our seniors this year I think we're 0-7 against Pottsville, and we take that to heart because we have so much pride for our school and this program that we got to come out and get them once and there's no better place to be than the Schuylkill league championships to get them." said Larry Zimmerman.
District playoffs start next week in District 11.
