Monday, Feb. 5, would prove to be a very bittersweet day in the hearts of Lower Dauphin girls’ basketball fans, but with more focus on the sweet.
The Lady Falcons upset 9-11 ELCO to improve to 5-16 on the year in their final contest on their home court. For many fans, it was simply great to see LD find just their third win at home this season, but also a bit sad as it will be the last time until next December that their squad takes the floor.
“You know Kyle, I might just shed a tear,” commented senior commentator Ethan Kurtz to his partner Kyle Barber on the FBC Sports Network. For the duo, it was the last time they will ever call an LD girls’ game as they will graduate in June. It was obviously a sad moment for the two after broadcasting countless games throughout the duration of the season.
Leading the charge for the Falcons in the win was junior forward Addy Misiolek who registered 14 points behind 4/6 shooting and a 2/3 performance from the free throw stripe. Freshman standout Addy Moran’s 13 points (including three three-pointers) were also key down the stretch.
Of the first-year guard Moran, Barber mentioned, “Coach [Goss] got lucky with freshman Addy Moran. She couldn’t miss from three and it seemed to be that way the whole season. She is an all-around player and I am very excited to see her high school career play out.”
Junior guard Janae Swartz and freshman forward Lexi Misiolek were also pivotal in the triumph, with Swartz having five steals to couple with six points and Misiolek putting up four points and two steals of her own. It was Lexi Misiolek’s best game of the season, one in which she played nearly the entire second-half, an unusual sight to many LD fans who are used to seeing her simply fill in once an outcome has already been decided.
Monday night, however, was a different story, as she was impossible to take off the court after checking in thanks in part to her great defensive presence, aggression, hustle and finishing.
“When Lexi Misiolek entered the court later in the game she brought energy with her that motivated her whole team. With multiple steals and rebounds she was a big factor in the Falcons win over ELCO,” senior Brett DeBell added of the freshman’s performance.
For seniors Cadyn Eismann, Nora King, Cassidy Piegzik and Minda Rhodes, it was their last time stepping foot on their beloved home court. As mentioned earlier, it was a sad moment, but getting a win in that final game made the day a whole lot better.
The Falcons play Tuesday, Feb. 6 at Central Dauphin East for the last contest of the 2023-24 campaign. A win would improve them to 6-16 to cap off their season.
