It was the year of the Olympians and the 2021-22 Times News Girls Basketball All Star Team reflects that. Jim Thorpe is well represented on the first team with four honorees.

The Olympians advanced all the way to the PIAA 4A semifinals, capturing a Schuylkill League and District 11 4A title in the midst of their historic season – both firsts in program history. Thorpe’s four seniors in Skyler Searfoss, Leila Hurley, Olivia Smelas and Leah Snisky accounted for a total of 96 wins and a combined 5,146 points over the course of their four-year careers.

This year’s first team consists of six seniors and five 1,000-point scorers and all of the players on the first team helped lead their squads to the postseason.

Meanwhile, the theme of the Times News Boys’ Basketball All Star Team is youth as underclassmen dominate the selections. This year’s first team is comprised of two seniors, one junior, and three sophomores.

While no Times News area boys’ basketball team reached a district championship game this season, all six players who were honored with first team selections did help their squads qualify for the district playoffs.

GIRLS

Skyler Searfoss, Jim Thorpe

FOUR-PEAT

… Searfoss, like most of her senior teammates, has started the last four seasons for the Olympians on the hardwood, and she has been honored with a Times News first team selection in all four of her campaigns.

TRIPLE-THREAT

… Searfoss’ ability to do the little things besides score the rock has been the key to both her individual and the team’s success during her career for Thorpe. This season, Searfoss averaged 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.6 steals per game, while leading the Olympians in scoring at 14.1 points per game. Her versatile play has helped earn her an impressive three Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Girls Basketball Player of the Year honors.

ALL-TIME

… There’s no doubt Searfoss has cemented herself as one of the best basketball players in Jim Thorpe school history and her scoring numbers back that claim up. She will go down as the school’s second all-time leading scorer with 1,787 career points.

COACH SPEAK

... “How do you put into words how much this young lady has done for her team and the community. She has been nothing short of fantastic for four years. The shot against Dunmore will go down as one of the greatest shots of all time. To have the poise and confidence to take the game over in those last few seconds just shows the level of play and determination she has to propel her team.” – Jim Thorpe head coach Nadia Gauronsky.

Leila Hurley, Jim Thorpe

PURE SCORER

… Some players can just score it and Hurley with her silky smooth lefty jumper has been scoring in bunches throughout her four-year career for the Olympians. Hurley finished her career with 1,468 points. She averaged 11.2 point per game this season.

LONG DISTANCE LEILA

… If you dial it up from behind the arc, Hurley will most likely knock it down. Hurley is one of the best three-point shooters in school, Schuylkill League and District 11 history with a career 191 three-point field goals. She hit 52 three-pointers this season at an impressive 37 percent shooting percentage. Hurley has a career 38 percent three-point shooting percentage.

CHARITY STRIPE

… There’s no doubt, the outside shot is the most dangerous part of Hurley’s game, but she’s also done a nice job of getting to the free-throw line in her Olympians’ tenure. Hurley has gotten to the line 345 times, with a shooting average of 76 percent from the charity stripe over her four year career.

COACH SPEAK ...

“Leila is one of the best shooters to ever play the game for Jim Thorpe. Over the last four years, she has had numerous big time shots that were invaluable in clutch situations. She has improved her ball handling this year, which helped us against pressure in clutch situations. Her shooting and the way she attacked the game with a positive attitude will be missed next season.” – Jim Thorpe head coach Nadia Gauronsky.

Olivia Smelas, Jim Thorpe

POST PROWESS

… Smelas has been as solid as a granite pillar in the post for the Olympians over her four-year career at the center spot. She was second on the team in scoring this season, averaging 11.3 points per game.

MILLENNIUM MILESTONES

… Smelas is the only player in Jim Thorpe basketball history to score 1,000 points and pull down 1,000 rebounds. Smelas finished her career with 1,252 career points. She averaged 10.3 rebounds per game this season.

ALL-AROUND

… At 6-1, Smelas was not only a threat to score from the post, she was also exceptional at finding her teammates for open looks. She finished second on the team in assists, averaging almost four per game. She was also impressive on the defensive end, averaging 2.7 steals per game and served as Thorpe’s rim protector, as she averaged 1.2 blocks per game.

COACH SPEAK ...

“Over 1,000 points and over 1,000 rebounds in a career is something that very few players ever achieve. Not only that, but she was second in the assist category for our team. When you have someone contributing that much to a team, it’s hard to put into words how much you will miss them on the court. However, off the court, her leadership and her attitude will be the most difficult to replace,” – Jim Thorpe head coach Nadia Gauronsky.

Leah Snisky, Jim Thorpe

YET TO COME

… The best is yet to come with Snisky, who has gotten better each and every year she has dawned an Olympians jersey. Her versatility at 6-feet, both as an inside and outside threat made her a tough matchup for opposing defenses as she averaged 10 points per game on the season.

BACK-TO-BACK

… Snisky has had back-to-back stellar seasons for the Olympians. She has scored an impressive 500 points between her junior and senior campaigns. Playing with three 1,000-point scorers over her four-year career, Snisky was still able to score a total of 636 points.

STRETCHING THE DEFENSE

… Snisky shot an efficient 51.4 percent on two-point field goals this season, but she was also a formidable threat from behind the arc, hitting 20 three-pointers. Snisky was also especially effective on the offensive boards this season and finished second on the team in total rebounds, averaging six per game.

COACH SPEAK

... “Leah has been the most underrated player all year. Leah is a deadly offensive player she was able to come in and make key shots at big time moments. Her game has improved tremendously over the last two seasons. She was a strong rebounder, a great mid-range shooter and most importantly a wonderful teammate, who always had winning on the forefront of her mind.” – Jim Thorpe head coach Nadia Gauronsky.

Brianna Moore, Palmerton

PROGRAM DEFINING

… The Bombers have just continued to get better each and every year under the leadership of the senior in Moore. Palmerton finally reached the pinnacle this season, with Moore helping to lead the charge as the Bombers won a District 11 3A championship, which was their first district title since the 1996-97 season. Palmerton also won a state playoff game for the first time since the 96-97 season as well.

LOCOMOTIVE-LIKE

… Don’t stand on the tracks when Moore is about to come through. Once Moore gets downhill, she’s almost impossible to stop from getting to the bucket as she led the Bombers in scoring this season at 14.9 points per game. Her ability to get out and score in transition with her speed and athleticism is almost unrivaled in the area. She surpassed the 1,000-point plateau back on January 4.

DO-IT-ALL

… Moore isn’t just a scorer as she used her 5-10 frame to make an impact in many other aspects of the game. Moore averaged 6.2 rebounds per game and a video game like 5.3 steals per game, which was tops in the Times News area. Moore also showed she wasn’t just adept at the dribble drive, but also could stretch the defense with her jumper, hitting 33 three-pointers on the season.

COACH SPEAK

... “Brianna had a great four-year career at Palmerton. Her quickness and athletic ability developed her into a special player along with her leadership on and off the court will be tough to replace.” – Palmerton head coach Dan Beck.

Emma Niebill, Northern Lehigh

FILL IT UP

… Niebill led the Times News area in scoring this season pumping in buckets from both the perimeter and the paint. Niebill averaged an impressive 20.22 points per game. She also surpassed the 1,000-point mark back on Feb. 4.

PURE

… There’s no denying Niebill’s versatility on the offensive end, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that at the core of her game, she’s a pure shooter, and her numbers back that up. Niebill shot an impressive 80 percent from the free-throw line on 111 attempts and drained 58 three-pointers on the season.

STAT SHEET

… Niebill also filled the stat sheet in an array of different categories. She averaged a double-double on the season, collecting almost 11 rebounds per game. Niebill also averaged three assists, three steals and one block per game for the Bulldogs.

COACH SPEAK

... “Emma is simply just a really hard worker and her hard work has certainly paid off. We could really put her anywhere on the floor and she could be an impactful scorer. She also moves so well without the ball and also never stops moving and then I think she also did a great job on defensive end for us. She’s just a really good overall player.” – Northern Lehigh head coach Chris Heery.

Second Team

Bethie Morgan, Palmerton; Paige Sevrain, Northwestern; Hailey Miller, Lehighton; Madison Maynard, Panther Valley; Carly Minchhoff, Marian; Frankie Martinelli, Marian.

Honorable Mention

Mackenzie Yuhas, Jim Thorpe; Charli McHugh, Lehighton; Aaliyah Fisher, Lehighton; Fatikha Tikhtova, Marian; Ashley Pleban, Marian; Cara Thomas, Northwestern; Raegan Nemeth, Palmerton; Sera Robin, Panther Valley; Sam Merklin, Pleasant Valley; Aryn Stivala, Pleasant Valley; Lorelei Plasha, Tamaqua; McKenna Meckes, Tamaqua; Bethany Houser, Weatherly; Emma Kane, Weatherly.

BOYS

Matt Machalik, Palmerton

SUPER SOPHOMORE

… Just a sophomore, Machalik was named this season’s Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Player of the Year. He led the Bombers to their best season in 26 years (18-8) and Palmerton has put together a 30-12 record since he entered the starting lineup in the fifth game of his freshman season.

LEADER

… Machalik leads the Bombers in points scored, steals, deflections, free throws attempted, free throws made, three-point percentage and charges taken. Machalik’s burst and ability to get to the rim, but also hit from the outside as he connected on 35-three pointers on the season helped him score his team-leading average of 17 points per game. He’s well on his way to 1,000 points if he keeps up this production, already having scored 589 career points in just two seasons.

BY THE NUMBERS

… Machalik’s numbers don’t lie when it comes to proving he has an all-around game. He averaged 5.1 rebounds, 2.5 assist and 3.1 steals per game on the season.

COACH SPEAK

... “His athleticism, balance and explosiveness make him a unique athlete. He’s a three-level scorer. “His leadership level is tremendous. Because of Matt’s success he gets a lot of attention. He always deflects the attention back to his teammates. That shows you what type of player, leader and person he is.” – Palmerton head coach Ken Termini.

Brendan Lonergan, Marian

BIG MAN

… Lonergan was perhaps the best big man in the area on the season, as he dominated most nights for the Colts in the paint. His athletic and strong build in the post helped him lead Marian in scoring as he averaged 18.2 points per game.

EXPLOSIVE NIGHTS

… Lonergan had some big nights scoring the basketball for the Colts. He scored 20 or more points 11 times on the season, with a 38-point effort in a win against Weatherly being his highest point total on the year. Lonergan finished his career with 916 points. 625 of those points were scored at Marian, while his other points scored were when he was at Minersville during his freshman and sophomore seasons.

REBOUND HOUND

… Lonergan’s rebounding prowess helped him lead the Colts, averaging nine rebounds per game. His ability to rebound also got him to the free-throw line 111 times, which also led the team.

COACH SPEAK

... “Brendan worked hard to position himself as a dominant force on both ends of the floor. His work ethic made him a leader for us on and off the court.” – Marian head coach John Patton.

Kaiden Herron, Jim Thorpe

CONSTANT PROGRESSION

… Herron, just a junior continues to get better each and every year for the Olympians. As a sophomore, he improved his scoring average by nine points and this season, he led Thorpe in scoring at 15 points per game, which was a three-point scoring bump from his 12 points per game average a season ago.

MORE THAN SCORE

... Herron did more than score for the Olympians this season. He averaged five rebounds, three steals and three assists per game.

FABULOUS FEBRUARY

… Nobody was playing better than Herron in the Times News area at the conclusion of the regular season. Herron had 22 in a big win over Pottsville to help propel Thorpe into Schuylkill League wildcard contention and followed that up with a 26-point effort in the wildcard playoff on the road at North Schuylkill to clinch a Schuylkill League playoff berth for the Olympians. Then in the following game, in the Schuylkill League semifinals against Shenandoah Valley, Herron poured in a career-high 29 points to help Thorpe advance to the Schuylkill League championship against Pottsville, which was the Olympians first time back to the Schuylkill League final since the 1986 season.

COACH SPEAK

... “Kaiden had great junior season. He put in a lot of hard work in the offseason to become a better player and I think the results speak for themselves. Kaiden continually stepped up for us when we needed it most, whether it was a defensive stop or a quick bucket. He makes everyone around him a better player, and we are really excited for his senior season.” – Jim Thorpe head coach Jason McElmoyle.

Stephen Hood, Panther Valley

BACK-TO-BACK

… Hood has started as a freshman and as a sophomore for the Panthers, so far in his career, and has been honored as a Times News first team selection in both of those seasons. Even with battling injuries this season, Hood managed to play in 17 games, averaging 14.8 points per game.

BATTLING FOR BOARDS

… A shoulder injury limited Hood at times this season, but he still battled in the paint in the rebounding department. He averaged 7.9 rebounds per game on the season, which led the team.

BIG MAN CAN SHOOT

… Hood, who is a 6-4 hybrid forward can operate from both the post and the perimeter. He shot 48 percent from the field on two-point attempts, shot 71 percent from the free-throw line and cashed in 34 three-pointers.

COACH SPEAK

... “One of the major differences between Steven this year and last year as a freshman does not show up in the scorebook. He became a much more complete player. He did a great job for us defensively, he was another ballhandler for us on the floor, and he passes the ball extremely well for a big man. With an offseason of hard work, he has the potential over the next two years to be a top player in our league and district, and compete for all state accolades.” – Panther Valley head coach Pat Crampsie.

Dylan Witkowski, Northwestern

STEADY OFFENSE

… The Tigers ran their offense through Witkowski on the season and he didn’t disappoint. The senior led the team in scoring at 12 points per game.

FROM DEEP

… Witkowski had some pretty impressive shooting nights from beyond the arc for the Tigers. He hit two or more three-pointers in 11 or more games and hit three or more five times. He hit four triples on three different occasions. Witkowski had a season-high of 24 points back on January 10 in a 52-50 win over Bangor.

EFFICIENT SHOT MAKER

… Witkowski was just simply solid shooting the basketball this season. He came through with 37 total three-pointers and shot an exceptional 81 percent from the free-throw line.

COACH SPEAK

... “Dylan was the focal point of our offense and every time he had a good night offensively we would usually come away with the win. He really stepped up his game this season, transitioning from a catch and shoot offensive player to someone, who could get to the basket more and get to the foul line more.” – Northwestern head coach Cory Cesare.

Brayden Hosier, Palmerton

CLIMBING THE RANKS

… Just a sophomore, Hosier served as a role player his freshman season for the Bombers, but took a big step this season, working his way into the starting lineup. Hosier came to play in Palmerton’s biggest matchups and was an All-Colonial League second team selection.

BRAYDEN BUCKETS

… Hosier is becoming quite the shooter for the Bombers as he led the team in three-pointers made with 41 and also led the team in free throw shooting percentage. As Coach Termini mentioned, Hosier also did a good job of finding his teammates, leading the team in assists and almost never left the floor, leading the team in minutes played.

SCORING IT

… Hosier can score it and proved that in his sophomore campaign by being the team’s second leading scorer, averaging 14 points per game. He was also second on the team in free throws attempted and free throws made, meaning he wasn’t afraid to take it to the rack and draw contact.

COACH SPEAK

... “Brayden’s improvement this year was impressive. His scoring gets him noticed, but his defense and passing are the most improved parts of his game. He led the team in assists and is learning how to make everyone around him better. And he has grown as a leader, too; he was a great co-captain, despite being just a sophomore. We are proud of his development both on and off the court.” Palmerton head coach Ken Termini.

Second Team

Derryl Fisher, Jim Thorpe; Jared Moore, Pleasant Valley; Chase Weaver, Panther Valley; Frank Valente, Marian; Nate Gregoire, Tamaqua; Julius Curry, Marian

Honorable Mention

Jack Lorenz, Lehighton; Logan Fritz, Marian; Isaiah Ramos, Northern Lehigh; Aiden Parvel, Northern Lehigh; Cade Christopher, Northwestern; Ethan Lazarus, Northwestern; Chase Reph, Palmerton; Michael Pascoe, Panther Valley; Donald Francois, Pleasant Valley; Connor Dillon, Tamaqua; Frankie Willis, Weatherly.