City of Basketball Love

By Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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The 2024-25 Pennsylvania Sportswriters’ All-State Awards are out on the girls’ side, and the honorees — as usual — are chock-full of area products. 

Four different local girls won state Player of the Year honors: Perkiomen Valley senior Grace Galbavy (6A), Archbishop Wood sophomore Ryan Carter (5A), Audenried Charter senior Shayla Smith (4A) and Westtown School sophomore Jordyn Palmer (Non-PIAA). They lead a group of 18 PIAA selections and all 12 non-PIAA selections from the CoBL area, representing many of the region’s top talent. 

Galbavy, a Wake Forest commit, finished as the all-time leading scorer in Pioneer Athletic Conference history with 1,869 points. The 6-foot-1 senior wing averaged 15.6 ppg, making 54 3-pointers, along with 6.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.0 steals and 1.6 blocks per game this season. She was one of three Viking seniors on the all-state teams, along with second-team selections Quinn Boettinger (Navy) and Bella Bacni (Jefferson), while Perk Valley coach John Russo was named Coach of the Year after leading the Vikings to their first PIAA 6A state title. 

The 6A first team also included Cardinal O’Hara senior and Drexel signee Molly Rullo as well as Archbishop Carroll junior Alexis Eberz, with Garnet Valley senior Haylie Adamski (Lafayette) and Haverford senior Rian Dotsey (St. Joe’s) on the second team. Pennridge senior Ella Brown (Holy Family), Conestoga junior Ryann Jennings (Lehigh) and Cheltenham junior Maya Simmons were on the third team.

In her first year at Wood, Carter took the state by storm, averaging 17.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.1 steals per game as she led the Vikings into the PIAA 5A state championship game. The No. 9 prospect in the 2027 class according to ESPN, the first-team Catholic League selection has high-major offers from all over the country. Wood senior Emily Knouse, a St. Joe’s commit, joined her on the 5A first team.

In four years at Audenried Charter, Smith made her case as one of the best to ever come out of the city. The multi-time Public League champion and future Penn State guard finished her high school career as the leading girls’ scorer in Philadelphia history with 2,666 points after averaging 27.5 ppg in her senior year, while also adding 6.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game. The 4A coach of the year was Lansdale Catholic’s Tom Lonergan, who joined the program late in the preseason and led the Crusaders into the PIAA 4A state championship game, where they lost to Neumann-Goretti. Neumann-Goretti senior Carryn Easley (Fordham) got a first team all-state nod, while her classmate Amya Scott (Delaware State) was on the second team.

Palmer is putting together an incredible career at Westtown, winning her second consecutive Player of the Year honor after she won the 3A honor last year; this is the first year of the non-PIAA designation. The 6-1 forward, the No. 5 player in her class according to ESPN, averaged 21.7 points and 10.2 rebounds for Westtown, which won the PAISAA state championship for the fourth straight time and earned a trip to the Chipotle National semifinals. Moose coach Fran Burbidge was also named Coach of the Year after winning Friends’ Schools League and state titles once again.

(Ed. Note: We would like to thank Chris Wechtenhiser, the sports editor at the Courier-Express/Tri-County papers in DuBois, for coordinating the girls' all-state process this year, doing a great job on somewhat last-minute notice).

The complete list of honorees:

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CLASS 6A
Player of the Year: Grace Galbavy, Perkiomen Valley, 6-1, Sr.
Coach of the Year: John Russo, Perkiomen Valley

First Team
Grace Galbavy, Perkiomen Valley, 6-1, Sr.
Molly Rullo, Cardinal O'Hara, 5-11 Sr.
Alexis Eberz, Archbishop Carroll, 5-11 Jr.
Kailah Correa, Lebanon, 5-4, Sr.
Rylee Kalocay, Upper St. Clair, 5-9, Sr.

Second Team
Quinn Boettinger, Perkiomen Valley, 6-3, Sr.
Haylie Adamski, Garnet Valley, 6-0, Sr.
Rian Dotsey, Haverford, 6-2 Sr.
Bella Bacani, Perkiomen Valley, 5-6, Sr.
Kaitlyn Bindas, Hazleton Area, 5-6, Soph.

Third Team
Ella Brown, Pennridge, 5-8, Sr.
Bailey White, Allderdice, 5-4, Jr.
Ryann Jennings, Conestoga, 5-11, Jr.
Maya Simmons, Cheltenham, 5-9, Jr
Bella Super, Governor Mifflin, 5-7, Soph.

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CLASS 5A
Player of the Year: Ryan Carter, Archbishop Wood, 5-11, Soph.
Coach of the Year: Bryan Bennett, South Fayette

First Team
Ryan Carter, Archbishop Wood, 5-11, Soph.
Natalie Wetzel, Peters Township, 6-3, Sr.
Addie Biel, Cathedral Prep, 6-2, Sr.
Emily Knouse, Archbishop Wood, 6-0, Sr.
Daniella Ranieli, Pittston Area, 5-3, Sr.

Second Team
Lily Fatool, Shikellamy, 5-7, Jr.
Ryan Oldaker, South Fayette, 5-10, Jr.
Juliette Leroux, South Fayette, 5-11, Jr.
Samantha Griebel, Punxsutawney, 5-7, Sr.
Jayla Koser, Middletown, 5-11, Jr.

Third Team
Maggie Spell, Thomas Jefferson, 5-10, Jr.
Bella Vent, Hollidaysburg, 5-6, Sr.
Jackie Gallagher, Crestwood,  5-9, Soph.
Taylor Phillips, Obama Academy, 5-7, Sr.
Natalia Schaffer, Fox Chapel, 5-8, Sr.

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CLASS 4A
Player of the Year: Shayla Smith, Audenried Charter, 5-10, Sr.
Coach of the Year: Tom Lonergan, Lansdale Catholic

First Team
Shayla Smith, Audenried Charter, 5-10, Sr.
Aubree Hupp, Blackhawk, 5-10, Jr.
Peyton Dincher, Jersey Shore, 6-1, Sr.
Amaya Stewart, Wyomissing, 6-1, Sr
Carryn Easley, Neumann-Goretti, 5-4, Sr.

Second Team
Katie Boal, Franklin, 6-4, Sr.
Sanyiah Littlejohn, Lansdale Catholic, 5-10, Sr.
Amya Scott, Neumann-Goretti, 5-3, Sr.
Jenna Hillebrand, Scranton Prep.,  5-9, Sr.
Megan Jacoby, Delone Catholic, 5-5, Sr.

Third Team
Grace McDonough, Lansdale Catholic, 6-2, Sr.
Sonny Diehl, Clearfield, 6-0, Soph.
Eve Housley, Somerset, 5-7, Jr.
Annsley Baker, Beaver, 5-9, Soph.
Izzie Gamble, Grove City,  5-8, Sr.

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CLASS 3A
Player of the Year: Alaina Dadzie, Loyalsock, 6-1, Jr.
Coach of the Year: Curtis Jacobsen, Loyalsock Township

First Team
Alaina Dadzie, Loyalsock, 6-1, Jr.
Erica Gribble, Greensburg Central Catholic, 5-11, Jr.
Makayla Presser-Palmer, Northwestern, 5-11, Jr.
Ava Persichetti, River Valley, 5-9, Sr.
Karis Thomas, Shady Side Academy, 5-6, Jr.
Oumou ‘Mimi’ Thiero, Quaker Valley, 6-4, Jr.

Second Team
Lacey Kriebel, Loyalsock, 6-0, Sr.
Sophia Talutto, Dunmore, 5-7, Sr.
Sienna Kirsch, Cambria Heights, 5-8, Sr.
Janae Patterson, Pequea Valley, 5-6, Jr.
Greta O’Brien, Avonworth, 5-8, Sr.

Third Team
Cassie Sauer, Shady Side Academy, 6-2, Jr.
Alli Anstadt, Hughesville, 6-0, Sr.
Ella Wilson, Lake-Lehman, 6-0, Sr.
Claudia Ierullo, Our Lady of Sacred Heart, 5-6, Sr.
Skyler Gates, Brownsville, 6-4, Jr.
Mckenna Runkle, Schuylkill Haven, 5-8, Soph.

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CLASS 2A
Player of the Year: Layke Fields, Kennedy Catholic, 6-0 Sr.
Coach of the Year: Rachel Prosser, Berlin-Brothersvalley

First Team
Layke Fields, Kennedy Catholic, 6-0 Sr.
Coral Prosser, Berlin-Brothersvalley, 5-8, Soph.
Mylee Harmon, Redbank Valley,  5-6, Sr.
Addison Kilmer, Mountain View, 6-1, Jr.
Cami Beppler, Bishop McCort Catholic, 5-7, Sr.

Second Team
Bella Magestro, Kennedy Catholic, 5-8 Jr.
Lia Krarup, Wilmington, 5-6, Sr.
Jewlya McCullon, Old Forge. 5-4, Sr.
Addison Haight, Kane, 5-7, Fr.
Clara Steinberg, Eisenhower, 5-8, Jr.

Third Team
Aunesty Johnson, Aliquippa, 5-8, Sr.
Carla Brown, Aliquippa, 5-6, Sr.
Ella Stambaugh, Wyoming Seminary, 6-0, Soph.
Addy Fritz, Marian Catholic, 5-10, Jr.
Lilly Gerwert, Bellwood-Antis, 6-1, Jr.

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CLASS A
Player of the Year: Iyanna Wade, Clairton, 5-4, Sr.
Coach of the Year: Kristi Kaack, Bishop Guilfoyle Academy

First Team
Iyanna Wade, Clairton, 5-4, Sr.
Naomi Crispin, Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy, 5-6, Jr.
Emma Larkin, Geibel Catholic, 5-5, Jr.
Desiree Smucker, Linville Hill Christian, 5-7, Sr.
Kylie Fruehstorfer, Union, 5-6, Sr.

Second Team
Morgan Ruggery, Bishop Guilfoyle Academy, 5-8, Soph.
LeeAnna Royer, Williamsburg, 5-7, Jr.
Qynne Demler, New Covenant Christian, 5-7, Soph.
Riley Hatzfeld, Our Lady of the Cross, 5-6, Sr.
Anberlyn Petrecca, Bishop Guilfoyle Academy, 6-0, Soph.

Third Team
Bella Dumbroski, Serra Catholic, 5-9, Fr.
Hannah Lokitis, Lourdes Regional, 6-1, Soph.
Levada Gorsuch, Williamsburg, 6-1, Soph.
Madison Peterson, Glendale, 5-11, Sr.
Kristin Szymusiak, Blacklick Valley, 5-10, Sr.

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Non-PIAA Classification
Player of the Year: Jordyn Palmer, Westtown School, 6-1, Soph.
Coach of the Year: Fran Burbidge, Westtown School

First Team
Jordyn Palmer, Westtown School, 6-1, Soph.
Logyn Greer, Friends’ Central, 6-3, Sr.
Jessie Moses, Westtown School, 5-10, Soph.
Kaylinn Bethea, Penn Charter, 5-9, Sr.
Riley Davis, Notre Dame, 5-10, Soph.
Zya Small, Friends’ Central, 6-1, Soph.

Second Team
Nal’la Bennett, Friends’ Central, 5-5, Sr.
Kennedy Henry, Westtown School, 6-0, Sr.
Atlee Vanesko, Westtown School, 5-10, Jr.
Grace Nasr, Notre Dame, 6-3, Soph.
Gabby Bowes, Germantown Academy, 5-11, Sr.
Gabby Vaughn, Shipley School, 6-0, Jr.