OPENING NIGHT
Blue Ridge is at Forest City in the only Lackawanna League Division 4 game from the opening schedule that will be played Thursday night. The two teams tied for last place last season.
Elk Lake hosts Division 3 member Riverside in a crossover game that is not part of the league standings.
ON HOLD
Lackawanna Trail called off its scheduled Thursday opener, at home against Mountain View, as part of a COVID-19 precaution.
Montrose’s program has been on hold because of COVID-19. The Lady Meteors are tentatively set to return to practice Monday with a chance to begin play Jan. 29.
The scheduled opener would have sent Montrose to Susquehanna in a meeting of last season’s top two teams.
RANKINGS
Montrose is ranked fifth among Small School girls teams in the My City Mortgage Super Six Power Rankings of District 2 teams.
THE RACE
Montrose is the favorite after returning most of its players from a team that lost only to Susquehanna in divisional play last season.
Elk Lake and three-time defending champion Susquehanna are the only other teams that appear capable of contending.
2019-20 STANDINGS
The final standings were: Susquehanna 12-0, Montrose 10-2, Elk Lake 8-4, Mountain View 6-6, Lackawanna Trail 4-8, Blue Ridge 1-11, Forest City 1-11.
CLASSIFICATIONS
Montrose, the division’s largest school, is the only one competing in Class 3A.
Blue Ridge, Elk Lake, Lackawanna Trail and Mountain View are Class 2A teams.
Susquehanna and Forest City already know they should see each other at least three times. In addition to their two games in the division, they are the only two active District 2 Class A teams this season (Wyoming Valley Conference member MMI Prep is sitting out), meaning they will face other at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza for the district title.
ON THE BENCH
Gina Baker moves up from assistant coach to take over as head coach at Susquehanna, replacing Kirk Fallon, who was named NEPABasketball.com Lackawanna Division 4 Coach of the Year in each of his two seasons.
Joel Nietz takes over at Lackawanna Trail.
RETURNING STARS
Three of the website’s selections for first-team Lackawanna Division 4 all-star return, along with all five members of the second team.
Montrose returns Hayley Pompey and Tangi Smith from the first team and Mia Snyder from the second team.
Elk Lake returns Krista Jones from the first team and Lily Decker from the second team.
Other returnees from the second team are Susquehanna’s Meghan Kiernan, Mountain View’s Regan Cameron and Forest City’s Bella Pleska.
SPECTATORS
Only two of the division’s seven schools are allowing any spectators in their gyms as the season opens.
Susquehanna is allowing for one ticket for each home athlete and a total of 10 tickets for the visiting team to distribute.
Blue Ridge is allowing one person in the gym for each athlete and two people per athlete to view from the auditorium.
LIVESTREAMS
Blue Ridge, Elk Lake, Forest City, Montrose and Susquehanna are offering livestreams from games in their gym.
Mountain View is working on arranging a system.
Lackawanna Trail does not have any livestream plans.
TEAM OUTLOOKS
Elk Lake Preview: https://nepabasketball.com/2020-21/previews/ElkLakeGirlsPre.
Lackawanna Trail Overview: https://nepabasketball.com/2020-21/previews/TrailGirlsOverview.
Mountain View Overview: https://nepabasketball.com/2020-21/previews/MtViewGirlsPre.
Susquehanna Preview: https://nepabasketball.com/2020-21/previews/SuskyGirlsPre.
Coming soon: Links to other teams.
