EXETER – There were many years in the recent past that being forced to play all the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 opponents could have been devastating to the Wyoming Area team.
When the WVC reorganized its schedule this season and had Division 2 teams play every opponent in the conference, it may have come at any ideal time in the growth of the Lady Warriors.
“I think it is important because, as you get through to the end of the season and into the playoffs, that challenge is what is going to prepare you for the district playoff scene,” Wyoming Area coach Chad Lojewski said after the Lady Warriors opened the Division 1 portion of their schedule with a 62-57 home-court loss in a tense game with Crestwood. “So, it’s important to us to be challenged and also rise to that challenge in these crossover games.
“It’s key to this program’s growth and evolution.”
Wyoming Area peaked at the end of last season with a strong playoff run that left the team an overtime loss away from the state playoffs.
As it attempts to climb higher, playing a tougher schedule – which included a non-league game against unbeaten Montoursville – is part of the equation.
“This one, it felt like we gave away a couple quality possessions,” Lojewski said after a four-point, fourth-quarter lead disappeared in the first of two straight losses to Division 1 teams. “To have that in your grasp is frustrating, but at the same time, it’s good growth for the team.”
Julia Makowski, who had half her points in the fourth quarter, and Sarah Hopkins had 18 points each to lead Crestwood.
Sarah Holweg led Wyoming Area with 27 points and four steals.
Addison Orzel had 10 points, 22 rebounds and four blocked shots.
“She’s asserting herself as one of the premier forwards in our division,” Lojewski said.
Crestwood, which ended the week in a second-place tie with Pittston Area in Division 1, scored the game’s first eight points on the way to a 16-9 lead after one quarter.
Wyoming Area struggled early, shooting just 2-for-16, and finished 17-for-66 (24.2 percent) from the floor.
The Lady Warriors had stretches, however, when they were in control.
They scored nine straight, forcing the first tie on a Holweg 23-footer in transition and taking their first lead when Holweg took a steal the length of the floor to make it 20-18 with 4:25 left in the half.
Wyoming Area put together another surge in the third quarter after Crestwood had hit two 3-pointers in the first 43 seconds of the second half for a 33-26 lead.
Lydia Edwards found Orzel cutting down the lane for a 35-35 tie with three minutes left. Then, after Crestwood regained the lead, Holweg and Edwards hit consecutive 3-pointers for a 41-37 Wyoming Area lead.
The Lady Warriors had a 43-39 lead going into the fourth quarter, but it did not last long.
Makowski had four points as Crestwood scored the first six of the quarter.
Although the game remained tight, Wyoming Area led just 15 seconds more the rest of the way on two free throws by Holweg for a 52-50 advantage with 4:25 left.
Crestwood made six straight free throws in the final 1:12 to stretch a one-point lead to seven before Katie Wolfgang’s two late free throws ended the scoring.
“They play very good defense,” Lojewski said of Crestwood. “It was important for us to have that game we did.
“ … We’ll get better because of it.”
Wyoming Valley West 57
Wyoming Area 44
Erin Gibbons scored 10 of her 22 points in the fourth quarter to help Wyoming Valley West pull away and regain the WVC Division 1 lead with the crossover win.
The Lady Spartans began the night tied for first place in the division with Pittston Area, which lost to Nanticoke.
Sarah Holweg scored five of her 12 points in the first quarter to help Wyoming Area to a 13-11 lead.
Wyoming Valley West took a 25-23 halftime advantage and built the lead from there.
Colleen Cwalina added 13 points and Gabby Smicherko had 11.
Katie Wolfgang also had 12 points for the Lady Warriors.
Wyoming Area was 3-3 in the WVC and 6-5 overall going into a Saturday game at Hanover Area.
The week ahead
The Lady Warriors have two more games against Division 1 opponents, Monday at home against Dallas and Thursday at Coughlin.
