Olympians roll past NS

It sputtered a bit at the start of the game.

But once the engine began to click on all cylinders, visiting North Schuylkill was left in the dust as Jim Thorpe rolled to its 12th win of the season.

What was billed as a clash between two powers became a one-sided, 60-39 rout by the Olympians, who have now compiled a 38-3 record dating back to last year.

The Spartans (8-4) took an early 10-6 lead on a basket by Joslin Stitzer, but after two free throws by Thorpe’s Skyler Searfoss tied the score at the 2:09 mark, the home team’s spark plugs ignited a 13-2 run for a seven-point advantage after one period.

All five starters contributed, and with a layup by Olivia Smelas and a three-point bucket and free throw by Leila Hurley, Jim Thorpe was well on its way to another victory.

The second period doomed the Spartans to their fate, when they failed to score a basket from the floor until Mya Wetzel hit a three with 2:50 to go.

Meanwhile, the Olympians scored 29 of the game’s next 37 points with a balance of baskets by Hurley, Searfoss, Mackenzie Yuhas, and Smelas, whose layup off a steal and ensuing free throw ballooned JT’s lead to 17 points by halftime.

“We played mostly a man defense to pressure their three-point shooting, and it worked very well for us,” said Olympians head coach Rob Kovac. “We have Leah Snisky and Yuhas, who have great arm length to interfere with shots from the perimeter, and that allowed us on offense to take control of the game.”

The only issue that Kovac had to address was when a few of his starters picked up two early fouls, but his frequent substitutions kept everyone out of serious trouble.

In the third, the Spartans were able to put 16 points on the board, but were unable to cut into Thorpe’s double-digit lead, which reached 21 on a basket by Hurley — who tallied seven of her game- high 21 points in the period.

“Leila was really on her game tonight, scoring both inside and in and around the perimeter,” said Kovac.

The Olympians scored every which way in the third: Searfoss on a full court layup after a steal, Hurley on a corner trey, and Smelas with in-the-lane jumpers. With an 18-point margin going into the final period, the only plan for Kovac and his well-oiled machine was to play deliberately with the big lead and take time off the clock.

Despite leading late in games by wide margins, Kovac described playing the time down as a work in progress.

“We’re still learning how to take the air out of the ball and play with the lead,” he said. “And how to play smart and get to the finish line if we get into foul trouble.”

The closest North Schuylkill could get was 16 on a basket by Wetzel, who led the Spartans with 16 points, in the first minute of the final period. Instructed to shoot only if an easy score was offered, Searfoss deliberately dribbled at half court until the Spartan defense pressured her to make a pass.

The final basket came on an open short bank shot by Snisky with less than two minutes left to play.

SHARING THE SUCCESS … A significant reason for Jim Thorpe’s 12-1 record this season is that opponents cannot key on any one player. Their unselfish offensive play is centered around passing the ball until someone gets a good look at the basket.

DOMINANT DEFENSE … Coming into the game, Thorpe’s opponents were scoring an average of just 32 points per game. Although the Spartans put up 39, they were well under their offensive average for the season.

NORTH SCHUYLKILL

Hines 1-1-2-3, My. Wetzel 5-2-2-16, Mengel 0-0-4-0, Gawrylik 1-1-2-3, Ma. Wetzel 3-2-3-9, Wagner 0-4-6-4, Mogish 0-0-0-0, Stitzer 2-0-0-4. TOTALS: 12-10-19-39.

JIM THORPE

Scott 2-0-0-4, Snisky 3-0-0-6, Yuhas 1-0-0-2, Hurley 6-8-8-21, Searfoss 4-4-5- 13, O. Smelas 6-0-0-12, Craigie 1-0-0-2. TOTALS: 23-12-13-60.

N. Schuylkill 10 6 16 7 - 39

Jim Thorpe 17 16 17 10 - 60

Three-pointers: NS - My. Wetzel 4; JT - Hurley 1, Searfoss 1.