However, one quarter into its return to action, it was able to start building back upward.

Junior Camdyn Weaver logged a game-high 24 points, scoring ten of those in a second quarter that propelled her team to a convincing victory. The Wildcat defense held Midd-West (2-12) to just 12 points through the second and third quarters, as they closed out a five-game losing streak behind at 52-32 win.

“We started picking it up a little bit in the second quarter, and then, in the third, we really created the separation,” said Central Mountain girls basketball head coach Scott Baker when discussing the win.

“It was nice to get contributions from a number of different people. Our freshmen stepped up, and some of our bench players stepped up. So, that was encouraging. We didn’t shoot real great, but I thought we moved the ball well.”

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Central Mountain's Camdyn Weaver (20) drives to the basket for a layup during a girls basketball game against Midd-West on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 52-32.

It was a game that combated recent trends for the team. Rather than start fast and fizzle out down the stretch, Central Mountain picked up steam as the game ran on.

Taking a three-point lead into the second quarter, it would triple that eight minutes later behind a standout quarter from Weaver, heading into halftime with its lead up to 24-15. It’d then go on to double that through the third, outscoring Midd-West 13-4 in a stanza where four Wildcats scored and one – Payton Williams – contributed three baskets.

Alongside Weaver’s 24 points, Williams – a freshman – also scored in the double figures with 12. Junior Alaina Carnahan added six, leading the team in three-point makes with two. And freshman Lane Walker also finished with six points, four which came within the team’s slow start in the first.

“Four of her points there were really important because that’s when we were really struggling to find anything,” said Baker on Walker. “It was a good contribution from her.”

It’s been a grueling span for the program, one which saw it drop ten of 11 prior to Wednesday while losing its leading scorer – Reagan Weaver – to injury. But performances like this have Baker optimistic for the future, as his young cast looks to keep finding its footing and putting the pieces in place.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Central Mountain's Payton Williams (23) drives to the basket for a layup during a girls basketball game against Midd-West on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 52-32.

“You can’t continue to do the same thing with different people, so we had to make a few changes,” said Baker. “It took us some time to figure things out and maybe even stop feeling sorry for ourselves to a degree, but I’ve started to see some better movement with the ball and things like that over the last couple of games.”

Central Mountain (3-11) will look to carry those positives forward into a tough closing stretch. After closing the week out at Selinsgrove on Friday, the Wildcats are set to face seven squads through the final two weeks of the season, including four next week.

“We’re going to be really, really busy,” said Baker. “We’re just hoping to win some games here at the end and most importantly, see the young girls continue to develop a little bit at a time and figure out how to play with each other.”

Friday’s game at Selinsgrove is set for 6 p.m.

Central Mountain 52, Midd-West 32

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Central Mountain's Lane Walker (4) takes a contested shot during a girls basketball game against Midd-West on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 52-32.

MIDD-WEST (32)

Julia Boop 3 1-2 7; Melissa Sheaffer 1 0-2 2; Izzy Walter 5 5-9 15; Maddie Bansall 2 0-0 4; Emma Wagner 1 2-4 4. Totals 12 8-17 32.

CENTRAL MOUNTAIN (52)

Lane Walker 3 0-1 6; Alaina Carnahan 2 0-0 6; Lucy Walker 1 0-0 2; Camdyn Weaver 10 3-5 24; Payton Williams 5 2-2 12; Mia Krout 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 4-8 52.

Midd-West 7 8 4 13 – 32

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Central Mountain head coach Scott Baker talks to his team during a timeout during a girls basketball game against Midd-West on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 52-32.

C. Mountain 10 14 13 15 – 52

Three-pointers: Midd-West 0; Central Mountain 3 (Carnahan 2, Weaver).

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Central Mountain's Lucy Walker (12) passes the ball during a girls basketball game against Midd-West on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 52-32.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Central Mountain's Alaina Carnahan (5) looks for a pass during a girls basketball game against Midd-West on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 52-32.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Central Mountain's Payton Williams (23) looks to pass the ball during a girls basketball game against Midd-West on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 52-32.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Central Mountain's Camdyn Weaver (20) battles multiple Midd-West defenders for a rebound during a girls basketball game on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 52-32.