If Muncy coach Craig Weaver Sr. ever opted ending practice when Rosie Zalonis misses a free throw, his players might grow angry. Because, chances are, they would be there a long time.

Weaver estimated Zalonis made between 20-25 straight free throws at last Thursday’s practice. Not a whole lot changed once the games started. And, if there had been more time last Saturday at Milton, maybe Zalonis could have topped herself.

Zalonis came up clutch time after time at the line, sinking seven consecutive fourth quarter foul shots while helping the Indians close out a hard-fought 34-27 Muncy Rotary Tournament championship win. The junior point guard made six of those shots during the final two minutes as Muncy (2-0) completed a comeback after trailing by six late in the second quarter.

“She’s the best foul shooter on the team,” Weaver said. “She showed it (Saturday).”

That is nothing new either. As a freshman, Zalonis displayed serves of steel, draining two straight free throws in the closing seconds which helped Muncy edge Northeast Bradford and capture its first district championship since 2001. She excelled there again last year as Muncy repeated and started strong at the Rotary Tournament.

So, after Muncy took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter and extended it to five a few minutes later, the plan became simple. Keep the ball in Zalonis’s hands as much as possible. Let Milton foul and then let Zalonis cook at the line.

That she did, finishing with 15 points. Muncy brilliantly ran its fourth quarter offense and Emma McCormick was in on the action, too, as she and Zalonis went 8 for 8 in those last two minutes.

“It was designed to get the ball in Rosie’s hands and let them foul,” Weaver said. “The other day in practice she was running 20-25 in a row. In the fourth quarter she ran quite a bit off, too.”

Zalonis was a valuable reserve two years ago before moving into the starting lineup and helping Muncy win consecutive district titles for the first time. She now has replaced cousin Addi Eyer as point guard after Eyer graduated and is looking comfortable in that role.

Zalonis protected the ball well in both wins, played ferocious defense, as did all her teammates, and dealt five assists. It was just a start, but it also was quite a good one.

“It’s been fun. I had Addi to look off of. She was kind of my role model and she got me ready for this year,” Zalonis said. “Coach has been really pushing me to do my best and make good passes. I feel like it’s going well but you can always do better.”

ONE-BY-ONE

Loyalsock gave coach Curtis Jacobson his 200th and 201st victories last weekend, defeating Montoursville and Towanda. Jacobson reached 200 wins in the first game of his 10th season and has averaged 22 wins per season since becoming coach in 2016.

During that time, Loyalsock has reached states every season, captured last year’s Class AAA state championship, advanced to two Final 4’s, captured four district championships and reached seven straight finals.

Each year the team has big goals, but it has attained both those goals and all those wins by often displaying Zen-like focus on the task at hand. That is the way Jacobson hopes it stays, too.

“We don’t take anything for granted. We stress every single time we step in the gym; every game we play, let’s go 1-0. Let’s win this game and move on to the next one,” Jacobson said after the 200th win. “We’ve always had goals of winning 20 games, but you can’t win 20 unless you win the first one. It’s one at a time and having faith and trust in each other and building those things. It’s a credit to a lot of people. You have to stay hungry and keep going.”

PUTBACKS

New-look Jersey Shore took third at the Selinsgrove Tournament, defeating the host Seals, 36-25 in the consolation game. Freshman Marlee Lehman scored 12 points … South Williamsport gave new coach Jaquan Masteller a win in his debut, dominating the final three quarters in a 52-34 win against Wellsboro. The Mounties erased a seven-point second quarter deficit and displayed tremendous balance with six players scoring at least eight points. Carly Quimby had a team-high 10 … Kendall Wagner scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as Bucktail took third at the Austin Tournament, defeating Galeton, 44-8 … Kayleigh Sheleman produced a 15-point, 13-rebound double-double in Montoursville’s season-opening 39-21 win against Warrior Run. Marleigh Bainbridge scored 11 points and Emily George totaled eight points, six rebounds and four steals.

DR. MASSE’S TOP 5 RANKINGS

1. Loyalsock (2-0): The Lancers head to Danville tonight before entering the kind of four-game stretch which has helped it become a perennial contender. Starting next week, the defending state champions play Delone Catholic, Crestwood, defending District 4 Class AAAA champion Central Columbia and North Pocono, all teams who could make deep March runs. Loyalsock often plays one of the state’s more demanding schedules and, win or lose those games, history has shown that they will help Loyalsock grow as the season progresses.

2. Hughesville (1-1): Hughesville entered Mondays’ game at Lewisburg which ended after press time on a high, thumping 2025 Class AAA state qualifier Schuylkill Haven, 69-34 two days earlier. The Spartans produced 22 assists on 27 field goals in that win with five players totaling three or more. Five players also grabbed at least five rebounds and three more scored in double figures. That balance, combined with strong defense, has Hughesville looking dangerous if continues building.

“I thought our shot selection was great. We’re not forcing anything and we’re getting good looks,” Hughesville coach Dustin King said. “As long as they keep playing unselfish basketball, the sky is the limit for them.”

3. Lewisburg (1-0): Lewisburg is without all-stars Maddy Moyers and Teagan Osunde with Moyers likely out of the year and Osunde due back later this season. Five freshmen played in the season opener at Danville, so it says a lot that Lewisburg rallied from a 12-point second half deficit and won, 40-37. It was a gusty win as well as a super experience for those freshmen who thrived under adversity. Four players scored at least seven points, including freshman India Walker who had nine. Fellow freshman Kennedy North added eight and Addy Shedleski pulled down 11 rebounds, adding three steals.

4. Muncy (2-0): Offense can come and go but Muncy knows its defense can be a constant. That stifling defense has helped it win consecutive district championships and was the driving force in it reclaiming the Rotary Tournament crown. Muncy surrendered just 37 points in two games. It held Milton to eight second half points, forced key turnovers and harassed into a 4 for 21 shooting performance those last two quarters.

5. Canton (2-0): Canton reached states for the first time since 2002 a year ago and picked up where it left off, winning the Kyle Ostrom Tournament championship with victories against Sullivan County and North Penn-Liberty. It won the tournament for the first time in more than a decade and Stella Rockwell had a big game in the final, scoring a career-high 16 points against the host Mounties. Cailyn Van Noy was tournament MVP and Alexis McRoberts and Daveian Crowley combined for 13 rebounds. Going back to last year, Canton has won nine of its last 10 regular-season games.

Players of the Week

Haley Litzelman, North Penn-Liberty and Kenna Thomas, Williamson: Litzelman dazzled at the Kyle Ostrom Tournament, totaling 41 points, 27 rebounds and eight assists. More impressive, she did it all in one day with the Mounties playing twice Saturday in the round robin tournament and defeating Sullivan County in their opener. Thomas reached a milestone in dominant fashion last Friday at Galeton. The senior forward grabbed her 500th career rebound, while generating a career-high 25 points and 18 rebounds as Williamson won in convincing fashion.

Game of the Week

South Williamsport at Muncy: These rivals have combined to win the last three District 4 Class AA championships and collide again Wednesday. Momentum has swung like a pendulum in this series. South controlled things for a few years, but Muncy has won four straight, including sweeping last year’s series on the way to winning the Mid-Penn West title. On paper, these two look like the favorites in the West Division, so this should be a good one, especially with both playing well last week.