THE SPORTS REPORTS: NP-LIBERTY'S LITZELMAN HEADLINES BAKER'S DOZEN AS 'GIRLS NEWCOMER OF THE WINTER' (2023-04-01)

The Sports Reports
Haley Litzelman made an immediate impact on the North Penn-Liberty team, playing an integral role in its five-win improvement in 2022-23. She is The Sports Reports’ “Girls Newcomer of the Winter.”

Litzelman joined a senior-heavy Lady Mountie squad as a freshman this season and ran the point like a veteran. She scored 9.8 points and grabbed 6.3 rebounds per game, added 3.2 assists and 3.1 steals per game and made 54 three-pointers on the year.

She scored her career-high of 26 points in a win over Galeton, including eight 3-pointers. She have 3s in a game, and four 3-points three times in a game. Litzelman hit double-figures in 10 games this season as she led the Lady Mounties to a 12-10 regular season record and a spot in the NTL Showdown as the small-school runner-ups. NP-L finished the season at 13-13, after an 8-15 season in 2021-22.

Litzelman then led NPL to a District 4 Class A playoff win over Millville, where she scored 21 points with five 3-pointers and hit 4 of 5 from the free-throw line. She shot 77 percent from the line this season.

2022-23 Baker’s Dozen “Girls Newcomer of the Winter”
Haley Litzelman, freshman, basketball, North Penn-Liberty: See above.

Anaiah Kolesar, freshman, wrestling, Athens: Kolesar had a strong season with a first-place finish at the Honesdale Tournament, and a third-place finish at the Coal Cracker Invite. She finished second at the Northeast Regionals, and then was seventh at the Pa. Championships.

Hailey Berry, senior, wrestling, Horseheads: Berry, a first-year senior, went 30-6 and won a Section IV championship at 132 pounds. She also captured championships at the STAC, U-E Tradesman and Oneonta tournaments. She was also a runner-up at the Southern Tier Memorial and was a NYSPHSAA Invitational qualifier.

Kyah Nelson 7th-grader, wrestling, Tioga: Nelson, a 7th-grader, came back from a serious illness which hospitalized her to compete in the NYSPHSAA invitational just five days later, and went 1-2. She went on to win a Section IV championship at 145 pounds. She also won the Jarvis Girls Invitational and Southern Tier Memorial, bumping up to 152 in the latter.

Kaitlyn Sutton, freshman, basketball, Sayre: A good ball-handler, Sutton showed a knack for scoring in all facets of the game, and was a sneaky good rebounder. She averaged 7.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 2.4 steals per game. She also knocked down 19 3-pointers.

Olivia Cheresnowsky, freshman, swimming, Athens: A consistent points-winner all season, Cheresnowsky won three medals at the District 4 Championships, including a third-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke. She finished sixth in the 100-yard freestyle. She swam on the Athens 400-yard freestyle relay that finished second at the District 4 Championships, setting a new school record in its final swim. She also swam on the 200-yard freestyle relay that placed third at the D4 meet in a school-record time.

Jordyn Gross, sophomore, basketball, Horseheads: Gross led her team with 10.5 rebounds per game,  and scored 7 points per game, including 20 in the Section IV semifinals against Maine-Endwell.

Brynn Woodruff, freshman, basketball, Towanda:  Woodruff fit right in with a veteran Towanda squad, bringing them scoring in the paint and rebounding to help them to another league title. She averaged 8.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

Chloe Bennett, sophomore, basketball, Wyalusing:  Bennett was one of the best 3-point shooters in the NTL, and became a strong secondary scorer for the Rams. She average 9.5 points per game.

Nicola Soper, freshman, basketball, Candor: Soper had a strong debut season on one of the region’s youngest teams. She averaged 8.6 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game.

Elizabeth Denlinger, freshman, swimming, Athens: Denlinger placed fifth in the 100-yard freestyle, and ninth in 100-yard breaststroke at the District 4 Championships. She swam on the Athens 400-yard freestyle relay that finished second at the District 4 Championships, setting a new school record in its final swim. She also swam on the 200-yard freestyle relay that placed third at the D4 meet in a school-record time.

Sophia Cimo, sophomore, indoor track & field, Corning: Cimo had a best throw of 41-feet, 1/4-inches in the weight throw, the best among newcomers in Section IV. She finished 24th at the state championships in the event.

Abigail Hink, 8th-grader, bowling, Elmira: Hink averaged 166 on the season, and helped the Lady Express to a fifth-place finish at the New York State Championships.