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The Lady Hornets have officially embarked upon a crucial transitional phase in their evolution as a Division One basketball program.
On Tuesday evening, Honesdale hosted a rare tri-scrimmage for Lackawanna League power house Dunmore and perennial D-2 title contender Crestwood.
Coach Tracy Ludwig took the opportunity to unveil several exciting young players and a brand new offense for an appreciative crowd of local die-hards.
The outcome of this exhibition triad was best summed up by Coach Ludwig who said...
“Overall, I’m pretty happy with what I saw out there. Obviously, we still have a long way to go and we still have a lot to work on, but we did some really good things.”
Next up for Honesdale is a Friday morning road trip. The Red & Black will travel to Hanover for an exhibition match-up with the Hawkeyes. Opening tip for that scrimmage is slated for noon.
Next week, the Lady Hornets will open their regular season slate with another appearance in the Hawley Rotary Club Tip-Off Tournament. Honesdale will duke it out with the likes of Western Wayne, Carbondale and Paupack.
Stay tuned to TWI Sports for complete coverage of the Lady Hornets’ D-2 title quest.
Looking Back
Last winter, Honesdale won 10 games overall and posted a respectable 6-8 record in Division One action.
The Lady Hornets once again qualified for the District Two tournament, but suffered a disappointing first round loss to longtime rival North Pocono. This 49-42 loss was especially bitter in that the Red & Black swept both games from North Pocono during the season.
As in years past, Abington Heights, Scranton and Scranton Prep battled it out for the divisional crown. The Comets and Knights tied for the first half top spot with 6-1 records. Abington copped the crown in a special play-off, then added the all-season title with a per-fect 7-0 mark.
Honesdale managed just two wins in the first half of the campaign, but doubled that total in the second half.
The Lady Hornets may have trouble catching up with the Comets, Knights and Classics... but, Coach Ludwig is confident that her team can climb the Lackawanna League ladder.
“This league certainly isn’t getting any easier,” she said with a laugh. “We’re going to have to be at our best every game or we’ll be in big trouble. I’m really excited about the season because we have a chance to be very competitive this year.”
The Lady Hornets have officially embarked upon a crucial transitional phase in their evolution as a Division One basketball program.
On Tuesday evening, Honesdale hosted a rare tri-scrimmage for Lackawanna League power house Dunmore and perennial D-2 title contender Crestwood.
Coach Tracy Ludwig took the opportunity to unveil several exciting young players and a brand new offense for an appreciative crowd of local die-hards.
The outcome of this exhibition triad was best summed up by Coach Ludwig who said...
“Overall, I’m pretty happy with what I saw out there. Obviously, we still have a long way to go and we still have a lot to work on, but we did some really good things.”
Next up for Honesdale is a Friday morning road trip. The Red & Black will travel to Hanover for an exhibition match-up with the Hawkeyes. Opening tip for that scrimmage is slated for noon.
Next week, the Lady Hornets will open their regular season slate with another appearance in the Hawley Rotary Club Tip-Off Tournament. Honesdale will duke it out with the likes of Western Wayne, Carbondale and Paupack.
Stay tuned to TWI Sports for complete coverage of the Lady Hornets’ D-2 title quest.
Looking Back
Last winter, Honesdale won 10 games overall and posted a respectable 6-8 record in Division One action.
The Lady Hornets once again qualified for the District Two tournament, but suffered a disappointing first round loss to longtime rival North Pocono. This 49-42 loss was especially bitter in that the Red & Black swept both games from North Pocono during the season.
As in years past, Abington Heights, Scranton and Scranton Prep battled it out for the divisional crown. The Comets and Knights tied for the first half top spot with 6-1 records. Abington copped the crown in a special play-off, then added the all-season title with a per-fect 7-0 mark.
Honesdale managed just two wins in the first half of the campaign, but doubled that total in the second half.
The Lady Hornets may have trouble catching up with the Comets, Knights and Classics... but, Coach Ludwig is confident that her team can climb the Lackawanna League ladder.
“This league certainly isn’t getting any easier,” she said with a laugh. “We’re going to have to be at our best every game or we’ll be in big trouble. I’m really excited about the season because we have a chance to be very competitive this year.”
Honesdale lost four seniors to graduation, three of whom saw serious minutes in the starting line-up. At the top of that list is 1,000-point scorer Katy DeGraw, who is continuing her basketball career at Centenary.
“I really don’t know what to say about Katy anymore,” said Coach Ludwig on Senior Night. “She’s the heart & soul of this team. We’ll miss her when she moves on to college.”
Looking Ahead
With DeGraw gone, Honesdale now must look elsewhere for its offensive focus.
One logical place to begin that search is with Marisa Gallik.
A streaky perimeter shooter with a silky-smooth jay, Gallik is still just a junior and poised for a breakout season. Marisa looked good during Tuesday’s tri-scrimmage, scoring on four straight Lady Hornet possessions against Crestwood.
“She isn’t afraid of anything,” said Coach Ludwig. “Marisa is the kind of player who won’t ever back down. She will shoot from the outside, but she’ll also attack the basket off her dribble.”
Kim Martin and Anna Albers also played well for Honesdale. Both are seniors and each will play a key role this winter.
Martin is a power forward who’s trying to bounce back after a serious back injury. Albers is a fiery guard who will probably shoulder the majority of ballhandling duties.
On Tuesday afternoon, Kim showed flashes of brilliance by scoring from the paint and from the perimeter. Anna ran the floor with reckless abandon despite a sore knee and the after-effects of the flu.
While these veteran players stepped up as expected, several newcomers also gave Dunmore and Crestwood fits.
As an eighth grader, Mary Martin helped lead the Lady Hornet freshmen to a District Two title last year. A lightning-quick guard, Martin is already part of the backcourt rotation.
“I think it’s safe to say that Mary Martin has found a home on the varsity team,” said Coach Ludwig. “She’s going to play a big part for us.”
Audrey Calkins is back on the court after re-habbing a torn ACL. A junior post player, Aud-rey hit the boards hard at both ends of the floor and played solid defense.
Randi Jo Kowalczyk, Corina Robbins and Alexis McCarthy also contributed to the Red & Black attack.
“We’re definitely moving in the right direction, but we still have a long way to go,” Coach Ludwig said. “Once these girls get used to each other, I think this will be an exciting team.”
