Dallas girls earn win in post-season play

By Tom Robinson

For Dallas Post

Nikki Wren, left, of Dallas, was a first-time Division 1 selection when Wyoming Valley Conference coaches selected their all-star team earlier this month.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_TTL011916GBBPADal3.jpg.optimal.jpgNikki Wren, left, of Dallas, was a first-time Division 1 selection when Wyoming Valley Conference coaches selected their all-star team earlier this month.

Dallas’ Jay Bittner, center, received honorable mention in the Wyoming Valley Conference Boys All-Star selections on Feb. 21.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_crest-4-1.jpg.optimal.jpgDallas’ Jay Bittner, center, received honorable mention in the Wyoming Valley Conference Boys All-Star selections on Feb. 21.

Sara Lojewski, right, of Dallas, made the Wyoming Valley Conference All-Star third team.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_TTL011916GBBPADal1.jpg.optimal.jpgSara Lojewski, right, of Dallas, made the Wyoming Valley Conference All-Star third team.

Nikki Wren did all she could to try to extend the Dallas girls basketball season.

While Sarah Holweg was setting a school record with 44 points to lead Wyoming Area past Dallas, 67-48, in a District 2 Class AAA quarterfinal Feb. 19 at Pittston Area High School, Wren was putting up some impressive numbers of her own.

Wren finished her final game for the Mountaineers with 20 points and 19 rebounds.

“She’s a phenomenal athlete,” Dallas coach Kelly Johnson told the Times Leader. “She’s a workhorse and plays in most games against players that have three or four inches on her.

“She’s tough as nails.”

Sara Lojewski added 15 points for Dallas, the only Back Mountain team, boys or girls, to win a game in this season’s district basketball tournament.

The Mountaineers, who finished 17-7, defeated Lake-Lehman, 45-26, in the opening round. They went 9-5 in Division 1 of the Wyoming Valley Conference to finish third out of eight teams during the regular season.

All-star coach

Mark Belenski from Dallas will coach the Division 1 team in the annual Dr. George P. Moses Senior All-Star Game April 1 at 8 p.m. at Holy Redeemer High School.

The boys game is scheduled for 8 p.m., following the 6 p.m. girls game.

The game features senior players from Wyoming Valley Conference teams. Belenski will coach Division 1 against players from Divisions 2 and 3. GAR’s Jerry Altavilla and Len Martin will coach Divisions 2 and 3.

Tanner Gattuso from Dallas and Tony Maloney from Tunkhannock have been selected to the Division 1 team.

Jacob Corey will represent Lake-Lehman on the Division 2-3 team.

Boys all-stars

Wyoming Valley Conference coaches selected their all-stars at a Feb. 21 meeting.

Maloney was a first-team choice and Gattuso a second-teamer in Division 1. Jay Bittner from Dallas received honorable mention.

Corey was a second-team choice in Division 2.

Girls all-stars

Dallas’ Wren was a first-time Division 1 selection when WVC coaches selected their all-star team earlier this month.

Teammate Maddie Kelley, a junior guard, made the second team. Sara Lojewski, another Dallas junior, made the third team, along with Tunkhannock senior Christine Rossi.

Lake-Lehman senior guard Julia Eneboe was a second-teamer in Division 2.

Talia Kosierowski, a Holy Redeemer junior from Dallas, was a second-team choice in Division 3 for her role in helping the Royals repeat as division champions.

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