Bucktail hoopsters named to Mid Penn Conference team

By Bees O’Brien
WILLIAMSPORT, PA- The 2022-23 Mid Penn Conference All-Conference team has been announced and several Bucktail basketball players received honors.

Bucktail’s Brody Pentz was named all-conference second team. Pentz led Bucktail in scoring and rebounding during the season. The sophomore collected a District 4 best 12 double-doubles during the 2022-23 season. Pentz’s play was crucial in Bucktail locking up a District 4 1A playoff spot.

The Bucks’ Johnny Green and Gary Whip were both named as honorable mentions.

Green scored 17, 18 and a career high 19 points at South Williamsport for a career high. Green’s game greatly improved during the course of the season and became one of the Bucks’ top scoring threats. Whipp quickly became a go-to guard in head coach Mike Charcalla’s offense. He accumulated some big offensive nights for Bucktail, going over twenty points on two occasions, but it was his quick feet on defense that led him to being named honorable mention.

St. John Neumann’s Davion Hill was named conference MVP. Hill averaged nearly 35 points per game and currently has his Knights in the District 4 2A championship game later this week.

Northwest’s Landon Hufford was voted Defensive Player of the Year. Hufford was a critical part in the Rangers locking up the Mid Penn West Division title. Northwest will meet South Williamsport in the 2A consolation game and a spot in the state playoffs this week.

Taylor Yaple (Northwest), Ben Carpenter (Sullivan County), Lee Habalar (South Williamsport), Ross Eyer (Muncy) and Rayne Parish (Montgomery) made up the first team.

Pentz, Marquan Harris (South Williamsport), Toby Zajak (CMVT), Josh Miner (Northwest) and Branson Eyer (Muncy) rounded out the second team.

Bucktail’s Lady Bucks had a pair earn honorable mention as well. Seniors Lily Francis and Kayla Probert were named honorable mention selections for 2022-23.

Francis was a driving force down the stretch for Bucktail and helped lead them to a district playoff appearance. Francis led Bucktail in rebounding.

Probert’s strong defense and consistent play on the offensive end was key in her honorable mention selection.
Northwest’s Charleigh Miner was named conference MVP, as she led the Lady Rangers to a conference championship victory over South Williamsport. Piper Minier of South Williamsport was named Defensive MVP.

Mid Penn Conference girls first team consisted of South’s Lacey Kriebel, Muncy’s Avery Bigelow, Larissa Evans of Millville, Benton’s outstanding forward Gracey Baker and Northwest’s Megan Hermanofski.

Second team selections were Aleigha Rieppel of South Williamsport, Sullivan County’s Stella Harney, Nolah Moyer and Addison Eyer of Muncy and Montgomery’s Falin Reynolds.

Selections were nominated and voted on by Mid Penn Conference coaches.