Loyalsock celebrates their District 4 Championship 52-49 over Hughesville at Montoursville High School.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Skylar Jacobson wanted a gold medal. And less than 24 hours after expressing that desire, the 5-year-old received one.
She is young enough now that one day Jacobson may forget her father, Loyalsock coach Curtis Jacobson, draping that medal around her neck Friday night at Montoursville. Skylar may even forget the game itself.
The Loyalsock and Hughesville players and coaches who participated in Friday’s memorable District 4 Class AAA championship certainly will not. Nor will the fans who filled Montoursville’s spacious gym to near capacity. This was a championship rematch a year in the making, and it far exceeded all the hype that preceded it as both teams produced one of the most exciting district finals in recent memory.
Alaina Dadzie scored 28 points, Lacey Kriebel converted a crucial late layup and Loyalsock turned up the defense as it erased an 11-point third quarter deficit and edged Hughesville, 52-49 to capture the district championship. The Lancers (25-2) exacted a measure of revenge after Hughesville defeated them for the crown last year, and each rival took turns wowing all the fans from start to finish.
Both teams still have big goals going forward, but together, they truly created some unforgettable moments.
Loyalsock celebrates their District 4 Championship 52-49 over Hughesville at Montoursville High School.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
“When the ball was knocked away at the end, I looked up and saw there was only one second left and was like, ‘Oh my gosh, we just did this! This is ours this year!’” Kriebel said. “It felt so good. It was a close game, so that makes it more memorable. I’m going to remember this for a long, long time … forever.”
Kriebel is not alone.
It’s hard to imagine anyone who was involved Friday forgetting this instant classic. Like a year ago, Loyalsock swept the regular season series, but Hughesville thundered out of the gates in the final, taking a 24-17 halftime lead and pushing it to 11 on a Maddie Smith three-point play in the third quarter. The Lancers furiously rallied last year but Hughesville held on and won its first district championship.
This time, Loyalsock flipped the script. Dadzie, who scored 19 second half points, drained a turnaround jumper which put Loyalsock ahead, 48-46 with 2 minutes, 20 seconds remaining. Kriebel made it a four-point game with her drive at the 36-second mark and added a key last-minute block to go with Jaekairah Harden’s crucial late steal.
It channeled its inner-Rocky Balboa and had to go the distance, but Loyalsock ended two years of frustration, capturing its first championship since 2022 after losing consecutive finals heartbreakers. How the Lancers did so makes this fourth district title in seven seasons feel especially rewarding.
Alaina Dadzie of Loyalsock tries to steal the ball from Allison Anstadt of Hughesville at Montoursville High School. Loyalsock won the District 4 Championship 52-49.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
“It’s a whole lot of emotion. It just really shows all our hard work,” senior forward Julie Ellis said after hitting three clutch fourth quarter foul shots and excelling defensively. “This was a big goal we had, and it feels really good to know it paid off.”
“We had it in our mentality that we don’t want to do this again. We don’t like to lose,” Dadzie said. “Last year we didn’t like the way we ended, so we wanted to show them who we are.”
That is mission accomplished. But Hughesville also revealed who it is again, playing a fabulous game and coming within a play here, or a shot there of repeating as district champions. The Spartans (22-4) used a 13-4 second quarter run to build their halftime advantage and kept putting their foot on the gas in the third quarter.
Loyalsock turned up the defense and allowed just 16 points over the game’s final 13 minutes, but the result does not diminish the performance Hughesville put forth with every player making a positive impact.
“Their effort was great tonight. The way they came out and started the game, they played free, and you could tell,” Hughesville coach Dustin King said. “They hustled and every girl that took the court was just letting everything they had out there. I couldn’t ask for a better effort. I’m extremely proud of them. They did a great job.”
Alaina Dadzie of Loyalsock and Vivian Draper (34) of Hughesville fight for a loose ball at Montoursville High School. Loyalsock won the District 4 Championship 52-49.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
As much as both teams desperately fought to win Friday, they also understand the biggest prize remains out there. Both advance to states and Loyalsock will host Biglerville next Friday. Hughesville will face District 2’s runner-up, either Holy Redeemer or Dunmore, at a District 4 site.
A year ago, Hughesville reached the state quarterfinals and Loyalsock shook off the sting of losing in the district final to reach the state’s Final 4.The Spartans did not cut down the nets Friday, but they sure have a lot to be excited about going forward.
“They never quit, and this team always has a chance as hard as they play,” King said. “Tonight’s message was you played your hearts out and that’s all you can ask for, but we’re not done. Let’s lick our wounds a little bit and let’s prepare for our next game.”
It looked like Kriebel’s layup might have sealed the game, but Hughesville fought back, and Smith buried a long 3-pointer which cut the deficit to 51-49 with 8.5 seconds remaining. Kriebel made a free throw less than two seconds later and Hughesville called timeout with 3.3 left, needing a 3-pointer to tie.
Loyalsock never let Hughesville attempt that shot. A defense which swarmed throughout the second half made one last stand as Dadzie and Jillian Kennedy converged and helped knock the ball free off the inbound. It rolled toward midcourt as time expired and Loyalsock players jumped for joy before embracing each other.
Lacey Kriebel (11) of Loyalsock and Vivian Draper (34) of Hughesville reach for a loose ball at Montoursville High School. Loyalsock won the District 4 Championship 52-49.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Almost instantly, the black-clad Loyalsock students stormed the court, and all the classmates shared a moment that likely will someday mean as much to the players as the actual game itself did.
“It was really exciting. The crowd was really loud and electric,” Dadzie said. “It’s always nice to have a game like this to see so many people coming out and supporting us.”
That buzzing crowd had every basket feeling like it was a game-winner, seemingly increasing the drama each possession. Loyalsock closed the first quarter strong and went ahead, 13-11 before Hughesville heated up in the second. Five different players scored in that quarter with Alli Anstadt, Ava Snyder and Kendall Hamm all hitting 3-pointers. The Spartans had their inside-outside game working and Smith scored 17 points, while grabbing five rebounds. Anstadt shined, going for 13 points, 6 rebounds and five assists and Vivian Draper pulled down seven boards.
A Draper rebound led to Smith scoring off a layup, drawing a foul and hitting a free throw, giving Hughesville its biggest lead, 33-22. The Spartans were landing haymakers, but Loyalsock never flinched, never doubted itself and started landing its own punches, starting when Kriebel drilled a 3-pointer seconds after the Smith 3-point play.
Jillian Kennedy forced a key turnover late in the quarter and Dadzie capped a big quarter when she made a last-second steal at midcourt, dribbled inside the arc and banked in a buzzer-beating jumper. Suddenly, Loyalsock trailed just 40-35 and eight minutes still remained.
Maddie Smith of Hughesville tries to put up a shot as she’s guarded by Alania Dadzie of Loyalsock at Montoursville High School. Loyalsock won the District 4 Championship 52-49.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
“We saw that scoreboard and knew we didn’t want to have that feeling that we had in the locker room last year,” Ellis said. “I think we all remember it. We just had to use it as motivation and stay positive with each other.”
“These girls never lost belief. They’re in the huddle, saying ‘It’s only seven, it’s only five,’” Jacobson said. “It’s a collection of a lot of kids making plays. We kept going back to if you get stops and we get rebounds we’re going to be OK.”
Loyalsock kept living those words in the fourth quarter and Dadzie continued her marvelous performance. Kriebel dealt six assists and Ellis and Harden combined for five as they kept finding Dadzie and the junior forward kept finishing strong. Hughesville defended Dadzie well, but Dadzie combined her strength with excellent post moves and took a Kriebel entry pass up strong to tie the game with three minutes left.
Dadzie scored 10 fourth quarter points and gave Loyalsock its first lead since the second quarter’s opening minutes when she caught the ball in traffic, watched the double team come, spun around and swished the turnaround jumper that put Loyalsock ahead to stay, 48-46.
The defense took over from there and Kriebel blocked a potential game-tying shot in the paint. Harden made a steal with 50 seconds remaining along the baseline and Loyalsock called timeout. Kriebel took the inbound pass, got a step on her defender and attacked the basket. She beat help-side defense to the basket and her driving layup made it a two-possession game, 50-46.
“He (Jacobson) said only open layups and make them foul you. I saw a gap and I went for it,” Kriebel said. “I had like such a rush go through my body. It felt so good. I was like, ‘Let’s go!’ It felt so great.”
Every Lancer did her part throughout the comeback, and it was Kennedy’s turn 15 seconds later when she made a steal. That set up Harden who made a free throw and stretched the lead to 51-46.
But it seemed fitting that in a game like this, the outcome would not be decided until the last second ticked away. Smith’s long 3-pointer, which cut the deficit to 51-49, helped make that possible.
After coming so close last year and coming so far this game, however, Loyalsock made its final stand and celebrated a district crown earned just about the hardest way possible.
More challenges are ahead for both teams, but on this night Hughesville and Loyalsock combined to create an unforgettable game. And someday, young Skylar Jacobson will know exactly how much effort her dad’s team put into getting her that coveted gold medal.
“The environment was fantastic. It was loud and it was tough for both teams,” Jacobson said. “Every basket is the World Series, and everything matters and Hughesville made a lot of plays. I think we just probably made one more play than they did.”
“This game was exciting. Anyone who is a basketball fan had to have fun watching this game,” King said. “This game is huge for girls’ basketball.”
HUGHESVILLE (49)
Alli Anstadt 6 0-1 13, Maddie Smith 6 2-3 17, Ava Snyder 2 0-2 5, Vivian Draper 2 0-0 4, Kendall Hamm 2 0-0 6, Kylie Temple 0 2-2 2, Allyssa King 1 0-0 2, Anna Easton 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 4-8 49.
LOYALSOCK (52)
Alaina Dadzie 11 5-7 28, Lacey Kriebel 4 1-2 10, Julie Ellis 1 3-6 5, Jaekairah Harden 1 3-6 5, Jillian Kennedy 1 1-4 4, Addie Bastian 0 0-0 0, Madison Perry 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 13-25 52.
Hughesville 11 13 16 9–49
Loyalsock 13 4 18 17–52
3-pointers: Hugehsville 7 (Smith 3, Hamm 2, Anstadt, Snyder); Loyalsock 3 (Dadzie, Kriebel, Kennedy).
Records: Loyalsock 25-2. Hughesville 22-4.
Maddie Smith of Hughesville puts up a shot against Loyalsock at Montoursville High School. Loyalsock won the District 4 Championship 52-49.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Alaina Dadzie (30) of Loyalsock and Vivian Draper (34) of Hughesville reach for a rebound at Montoursville High School. Loyalsock won the District 4 Championship 52-49.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Alaina Dadzie (30) of Loyalsock and Vivian Draper (34) of Hughesville reach for a rebound at Montoursville High School. Loyalsock won the District 4 Championship 52-49.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Lacey Kriebel of Loyalsock scores to make it a 4 point game in the final minute against Hughesville at Montoursville High School. Loyalsock won the District 4 Championship 52-49.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Alaina Dadzie and Lacey Kriebel of Loyalsock celebrate after Kriebel scores to make it a 4 point game in the final minute against Hughesville at Montoursville High School. Loyalsock won the District 4 Championship 52-49.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Loyalsock celebrates their District 4 Championship 52-49 over Hughesville at Montoursville High School.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Loyalsock celebrates their District 4 Championship 52-49 over Hughesville at Montoursville High School.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Loyalsock celebrates their District 4 Championship 52-49 over Hughesville at Montoursville High School.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
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