The 2016-17 edition of the Tamaqua girls basketball team got a big 'wow' Friday evening in its season opener.

The Raiders turned in a 63-19 mercy-rule blitzing of Lincoln Leadership Academy in the semifinals of the Tamaqua Blue Raider Tip-Off Tournament.It's been no secret that the Lady Raiders program has been down the last couple of season, but if last night is any indication that could be about to change.Sure this wasn't a battle-tested Schuylkill League team the Raiders hung a big number on. But the pure execution, the ability to rebound and varsity debut of seven highly touted freshmen players - who haven't lost a game in two seasons may soon start to bear fruit.To be sure, it was a grand night for Emily Kuczynski who scored 29 points. The freshman looked well past her age from the onset, juicing home 23 of those points in the first half."She's very athletic and like most of our (young) players, they play more than one sport," offered coach Erika Davis. "We did a nice job on both ends of the court for a first-game."Lincoln didn't get off the bus right and was saddled with a 26-7 deficit to open the contest."We want to play an aggressive style, create turnovers and turn them in to points," continued Davis. "I thought for the most part we did a good job defending, using our press and running the floor."Rangy Kristin Jones knocked home a put-back to open the Tamaqua scoring, then Courtney Hoffman hit a bucket off a turnover before Kuczynski scored her first of what were many baskets for the Raiders. Lincoln interrupted the wattage on a Zeleny Ramos bucket, before Raider freshman guard Jamie Zuber swished a threeball, Hoffman followed with an inside basket. After that, it was all Kuczynski as she nailed 13 of her team's next 15 points."She's very gifted," said Davis of her potential star. "I liked our tempo and that fact that we want to press, which we couldn't do last year, is another part of our game that we will work at."There was hardly any work after the first quarter. Zuber drained a trey to start the second quarter, Kuczynski hit a pair of buckets and Hoffman added a basket.The Raiders started to shuffle in the entire roster when they ballooned the lead to 35-7.The Raiders will play Catasauqua in the tournament championship at 1:30 today. Catty held on for a 48-44 win in the opener over East Stroudsburg South.FOR THE RECORD ... So how effective was Kuczynski? She missed a grand total of two shots. One in the first quarter and one in the second.CLEANING GLASS ... Tamaqua had a whopping 45 rebounds, led by Jones with seven and freshman Emily Titus with six.LINCOLN LEADERSHIPRodriguez 3-0-0-8, Ramos 2-3-3-7, Thomas 1-0-0-2, Gonzalez 1-0-0-2, Molena 0-0-0-0, Smith 0-0-0-0, Marmolejos 0-0-0-0,Mamary 0-0-0-0,Molena 0-0-0-0, Villanueva 0-0-0-0. Totals: 7-3-3-19.TAMAQUAHromyak, R. 1-0-0-2, Hoffman 4-0-0-8, Zuber 3-0-0-8, Hromyak, A. 0-0-0-0, Sherry 0-0-0-0, Jones 2-0-0-4, Kupchinsky 1-0-0-2, Coccio 1-0-0-2, Titus 1-0-0-2, Ceci 1-0-0-2, Rudy 0-0-0-0, Frederickson 1-0-0-2, Kuczynski, (Emma) 14-1-2-29, Agosti 1-0-0-2, Reinhardt 0-0-0-0. Totals: 30-1-2-63.Lincoln LA 7 7 3 2 - 19Tamaqua 26 15 18 4 - 63Three-pointers: LLA - Rodriguez 2. T - Zuber 2.