Mar 18, 2025
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock’s Jillian Kennedy(10) bats down a pass intended for Dunmore’s Sophia Talutto (2) in the third quarter of last week’s PIAA Class AAA quarterfinal game at Martz Hall in Pottsville.
As Loyalsock studied Dunmore film, it repeatedly watched the Bucks carve up opposing defenses as they brilliantly ran their offense.
So, Loyalsock’s game plan was fairly simple. Don’t let Dunmore run an offense. Against a district champion which had won 18 straight games while routinely blowing out the opposition, that seemed a tall order.
But Loyalsock raised some outstanding offensive work with even better defensive execution and held all the cards in last Friday’s Class AAA state quarterfinal. Loyalsock made Dunmore feel uncomfortable all night, rarely let it run its sets and won, 60-36. The Lancers (28-2) earned a second straight Final Four appearance and will play Imhotep on Friday at Parkland.
“I’m just going to go back to the defensive effort. It was pretty incredible,” Loyalsock coach Curtis Jacobson said. “They run such good stuff and we came into the game saying, ‘I don’t want them to run an offense.’ We don’t want them running anything they want to run.”
They didn’t.
Loyalsock had Dunmore out of rhythm from the start, not allowing a point until nearly five minutes into the game. The Lancers limited the Bucks to 15 first-half points and put the game away with a 27-7 third quarter run as offensive and defensive dominance came together.
Dunmore entered the game 24-2 and averaging 56.1 points per game. Point guard Sophia Talutto is an all-state player who has more than 1,500 career points and will play at Scranton. This was a task easier said than done, but Loyalsock found a way to make sure the vital parts in the Dunmore machine could not properly function.
“I don’t think they really ran much all night on offense,” guard Lacey Kriebel said after making three steals. “They were just trying to do something, so that was huge to disrupt them. Defense wins us games.”
It has helped Loyalsock win 28 games this season, more than any Lancer team in program history. Loyalsock allows just 30.9 points per game and understands that defense travels. Offense can come and go at times, but play outstanding defense and a team has a shot to win any time it plays.
That has shined through all season. Even in defeat, Loyalsock has come close to winning. Its two losses are to 5A state semifinalist Crestwood (on a buzzer-beater) and District 4 Class AAAA champion Central Columbia (with 2.6 seconds remaining) by a combined three points.
The defense has continued surging throughout the playoffs and Loyalsock has held three straight state opponents to 36 points or fewer. Defense kept the Lancers ahead in a close game against West Catholic in the second round before the offense erupted in the fourth quarter and they pulled away for a 54-35 win.
It was a similar story early against Dunmore. The Lancers ran their offenses well throughout the first half but shots were not falling. Still, the swarming defense gave Dunmore fits and allowed Loyalsock to build a 22-15 halftime lead. The offense exploded in the third quarter, the defense remained constant and Loyalsock was Final 4-bound.
“We came in with a game plan,” Julie Ellis said after helping set the game’s early tone. “We had two games to really prepare and we went out there and executed it.”
Loyalsock did so by utilizing a triangle-and-two defense, one which it had not run all season; one that it installed the previous day. Loyalsock features a well-rounded group which has some good height, speed and length. Equally important, this is a smart team, one which learns fast and adapts quick.
The Lancers often switch defenses during games, whether via their press or in half-court. They ran some zone at other times which looked like man-to-man and through in a little straight man-to-man at times.
The main objective was neutralizing Talutto. The junior guard scored 29 points in a double overtime second round win against Notre Dame-Green Pond, taking the game over in the second overtime. She played well again and scored 18 points against Loyalsock but never could heat up and the points came sporadically. Defensive ace Jaekairah Harden often stuck to Talutto and the Bucks were not able to run the offenses which so often freed the quick guard with long range.
“I tried to get her on her non-dominant hand,” Harden said. “We wanted to get her out of the stuff she’s used to doing.”
Slowing Talutto slowed the entire Dunmore offense. The Lancers harassed ball-handlers, defended space well, rotated, helped and communicated. Good shots were hard to come by and when Dunmore did put them up, Loyalsock did effective work on the boards, often limiting it to one shot.
“That’s always a point of emphasis. Extra possessions in the state playoffs are really valuable,” Kriebel said. “We just try and get as many steals and rebounds to get us as many extra chances to score.”
Loyalsock consistently denied Dunmore chances to score. It was an outstanding collective performance, born from film work and then translated to the court.
As a coach, Jacobson enjoyed watching Dunmore on film running its offenses so well. As Loyalsock’s coach he was filled with pride watching his team break down that offense and with tremendous defense.
“Every game I watched, they walked the ball up the court, called a play and executed it to perfection. I said, ‘I can’t watch this (Friday),’” Jacobson said. “I told our players I can’t watch them do this because they’re going to pick us apart if they do. That was the goal and the girls did it.”
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