For the second time in as many years, Section V champion Elba and Section II victors Northville will meet with a spot in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D championship game on the line. Elba hopes to turn the tables in 2025. Here’s the breakdown:
ELBA LANCERS
(23-0 / Genesee Region/ No. 1 NYSSWA)
vs.
NORTHVILLE FALCONS
(22-2 Section II / Western/ No. 2 NYSSWA )
Thursday, Hudson Valley Community College, 4:15 p.m.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM LAURA ACCIAIO.
How they arrived here: Elba’s postseason run includes victories over Avoca-Prattsburgh (71-36), Notre Dame-Batavia (52-36) and Fillmore (54-36) in the Section V Class D title game. The Lancers then rallied to beat Section VI champ, Sherman (54-48). Northville started its postseason with a victory over Argyle (63-30) and then Saratoga Central Catholic (68-38), Smithtown Christian (56-23) and Eldred (74-21) to clinch a spot in Thursday’s state semifinal.
Scoring offense: Elba (63.2), Northville (60.3)
Scoring defense: Elba (39.1), Northville (26.6)
Trends: Elba has 21 double-digit wins this season, and the Lancers have scored at least 52 or more points in every game they’ve played. Only once this season has Northville allowed an opponent to score 50 or more points in a game and that was a 57-50 win on January 10th.
Players to watch for Elba: Sydney Reilly Sr. 19.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.0 APG; Mariah Ognibene Sr. 10.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG; Lydia Ross Jr. 10.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 4.0 SPG; Brea Smith 11.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG; Maddie Hall Sr. 5.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.0 SPG.
Northville: Hailey Monroe (school’s all-time leading for both boys and girls with over 1,800 points, scored 31 points in the state quarterfinals); Keira Mackey (scored 17 in state quarterfinals); Abby Armstrong and Izzy Colon.
Coaches: Charlie Pangrazio (Elba), Jim Zullo (Northville)
History 101: Northville defeated Elba, 42-34 in last year’s Class D semifinal. The Falcons dropped a 54-34 decision to Hammond (X) one day later. This will be Elba’s third trip to the state semifinals. In 2012, under the direction Tom Nowak, the Lancers won the Class D title.
Northville head coach, Jim Zullo is in his fourth stop at the helm. A member of the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame, Zullo guided Shenendehowa to six Section II Class A titles and the 1987 NYSPHSAA Class A title. Zullo’s 1987 team included Greg Koubek who later went on to play in four NCAA Division I Final Fours as a member of the Duke Blue Devils. Zullo has also coached at Little Falls High School and Broadalbin-Perth High School. Zullo, now 81 years old, is in his second year with Northville.
What’s at stake: A spot in Friday’s Class D championship game against either La Fargeville (III) and Chateaugay (X). That game is scheduled for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off at Hudson Valley Community College.
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