WILKES-BARRE - The Sabers took home the first district title of the 2025 PIAA District II playoffs. Using a total team effort to capture the gold in the Girls A bracket with a 37-34 victory over MMI Prep. 

Freshman Kiera Burke broke a 31 all tie going coast to coast for the layup with 2:30 to play, then moments later collected a huge steal under their hoop and laid it in to help seal the win.

"I feel like I definitely came out with a lot of energy knowing that we had to have some big plays in order to get ahead and I feel like having that energy helped us just get the lead and take the win" Burke noted.

Sophomore Lauren Huyck pumped in a game high 17 points and helped lead a relentless Lady Sabers defense with seven steals.

"I think our season was topped off with this, I mean we had a few rough spots, but this was definitely fun and really good for us," Huyck said after the victory.

Capping any season with a district title is special, but for Head Coach Jeff Baldwin it was a satisfying ending to what has been a learning season for his young squad.

"We struggled a lot this season, but for them to put a performance together today and go home district champions, I'm extremely satisfied," Coach Baldwin proclaimed.

Huyck buried a three pointer to get the scoring starting, she would add another bucket to put Susquehanna up 5-0.

Chloe Allen got the Lady Preppers on the board with 3:23 left to play in the opening quarter to make it 5-2.

Huyck knocked down a pair of free throws, but MMI answered with a three before the first horn sounded. After eight minutes Susquehanna held a 7-5 lead.

Cassie Cottrell scored the first bucket of the second quarter to extend the Lady Sabers lead to four. MMI's Allen  cut the lead in half with a pair at the line.

Burke would tally the next four points, canning one from behind the arc and converting a free throw making it 13-7.

Allen notched two more foul shots for the Lady Preppers, Madyson Beach got one back at the stripe for Susquehanna. 

Huyck made a nice baseline move and finish for the final points of the half, putting her team up 16-9 at the break.

Adrianna Rockwell collected an offensive rebound and put it back to start the second half, but MMI went on a 7-0 spurt lead by Anna Orobnock, trimming their deficit to just two points.

Burke dished out a sweet pass to Huyck for the basket to make it 20-16, however the Lady Preppers would again go on a run, this time of five to take a 21-20 lead with 3:38 to play in the third.

Beach pulled Susquehanna back to even making one at the line, Burke grabbed one off the offensive glass and scored to give them a 23-21 lead.

MMI freshman Orobnock scored three of her 12 second half points, nailing a three at the buzzer to give the Lady Preppers a 24-23 lead heading into the fourth.

Huyck tallied the first six points of the final frame, first scoring off an assist from Rockwell. After another bucket, she hit her third consecutive basket, finishing a nice runner in the lane for two more.

Orobnock answered with a triple for MMI to make it a two point game, Marley Smith hit her only bucket of the night, but it was a big one to put her team up four.

Georgia Washko hit a two point field goal and a pair at the line to knot things up at 31 with 3:38 left to play in the contest.

That's when Burke's heroics started, first displaying great ball handling going coast to coast and finishing a contested layup to give her team the 33-31 lead with 2:30 to play.

After a Washko free throw, Burke snatched a steal and made a two pointer with just over minute to play.

Beach would add another two point field goal as their lead swelled to five. Orobnock converted a pair of free throws with nine seconds on the clock.

They would prove to be the games final points as the Lady Sabers end their season with a 37-34 victory and a district gold medal.

Huyck paced the Susquehanna offense with a game high 17 points, she also had seven steals and four rebounds.

The leading scorer had this to say about playing at the Arena, "I think it was definitely a good experience, we got a lot out of it and will help us for next season too." 

Burke was also in double figures notching 10 points to go with eight boards, three steals and a pair of assists.

The freshman had this to say about her first Arena experience, "I feel like it's definitely a bigger court than I'm used too and I feel like the shots don't fall as easily as the other courts we've played on"

Beach finished with six rebounds and four points, Cottrell hauled in a team high nine rebounds to go with two points and a pair of steals.

Smith and Rockwell each scored two points, while Rockwell and Esther Davis each had five rebounds and a pair of blocks. 

It truly was a total team effort as all seven of Coach Baldwin's players contributed with points and big rebounds throughout the game.

Coach Baldwin praised his team on their mentality, "That's absolutely what we talk about, we talk about team, team, team first, not an individual and for them to put that performance up, I am extremely proud of everyone of them."

For a young Susquehanna squad playing in the arena was a great experience and confidence builder for the future.

Coach Baldwin agreed, "I think it's going to be a building experience for us, I had a couple girls that were down here last year, but didn't see a lot of time on the floor, at least they got to see the atmosphere." 

"This is a totally different place to play, they responded really well today, they worked hard and I hope this is a great building block for our season next year."

Despite the district title the Lady Sabers cannot advance in the PIAA playoffs as they did not qualify for the District II & XI subregional.