But starting two years ago, a group of hungry Spartans came along and cared little about past history. Their focus was upon making it.

And now they have. Again.

A group of relentless players etched their names deep into community lore two years ago at Montoursville, winning the program’s first district championship. Saturday in the same gym, at nearly the same time, Hughesville did it again. Spread the word, Hughesville, your Spartans are now two-time champions.

Maddie Smith scored 16 points, Kylie Temple added 13 and drained a late clutch 3-pointer which pointed the way to victory as Hughesville defeated Loyalsock, 45-38 and seized the District 4 Class AAA championship. Anna Easton, Vivian Draper and Casey Schultz played sensational defense against Bucknell-bound Alaina Dadzie, Hughesville (24-3) erased a six-point second quarter deficit and completed a three-game sweep of the defending state champions while avenging last year’s gut-wrenching finals loss.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville district championship team.

“It’s such a nice experience, especially since we’ve been here against the same team three years in a row,” Temple said after excelling in all facets. “We got first sophomore year, second junior year but to come back and get first again is such a nice experience, especially with this group of girls that I’ve been playing with my entire life.”

“They practice so hard and all week long and have done it all year,” Hughesville coach Dustin King said. “They did a great job of preparing to do their jobs, and what a job they did tonight.”

Hughesville snapped Loyalsock’s 10-game playoff winning streak as different players took turns making huge shots and/or plays at critical times. The Spartans closed the second quarter on a 12-2 run, taking a four-point halftime lead before extending it to 11 in the third. They then held off a furious Loyalsock rally and did not allow a field goal over the final 2 ½ minutes after the Lancers had closed within two.

Following Temple’s three and a free throw, as well as two Smith foul shots and another defensive stand, the party began brewing. Smith dribbled the ball around the right wing and near the raucous Hughesville student section as the final seconds ticked away. After letting out a yell and spiking the ball, Smith ran toward her jubilant teammates, and all gathered to celebrate a moment they will not forget.

“There’s so much adrenaline, so much joy. It just feels so great,” guard Kendall Hamm said after shining off the bench with seven points and stellar defense. “Kudos to everybody. People on the bench helped our energy, the student section, our parents … they all prepared us all for Loyalsock.”

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville district championship team.

Loyalsock trailed, 39-36 when Temple inserted what felt like a dagger-like blow to its repeat title hopes. Hughesville skillfully ran its offense and whipped the ball around against a tenacious Loyalsock defense. Allyssa King spotted Temple open in the right corner and the senior took it from there, confidently letting it fly.

The shot hit nothing but net and produced a thunderous reaction throughout the gym as Hughesville led, 42-36. In a game filled with big shots, this was the biggest and it gave Temple a senior moment she will always remember. And while it did not officially clinch the championship, it certainly provided a 1.21 jiga-watt shot of momentum.

“Hitting that just set off such emotion from our team,” Temple said. “I ran back and Allyssa is screaming at me from midcourt It was such a great momentum builder to finish the game out.”

Both teams advance to next Friday’s state tournament. Loyalsock (18-8) will host District 2 runner-up Holy Redeemer and Hughesville will play District 3’s Columbia, tentatively scheduled for Williamsport.

The work continues for each team, but as far as districts, this was the game Hughesville wanted and the opponent it desired. The Spartans swept two hard-fought games from Loyalsock during the regular season, but understood Saturdays was the most important. When a second chance came Hughesville would not let it get away, holding off the same kind of rally Loyalsock made a year ago when it took the title.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Kylie Temple (3), Maddie Smith (10), and Allyssa King (32) celebrate the final seconds of the game in their win over Loyalsock for the district championship at Montoursville Saturday.

That time, Loyalsock erased an 11-point third quarter deficit, but Hughesville refused to let history repeat itself after Maddie Wertz connected with Dadzie to make it 37-35. Instead, the Spartans flipped the script and became two-time champions, overcoming a daunting field which included strong teams it had to beat for a third time each time.

“It’s a lot of work and determination all season. It just feels great to be back here three times in a row and to get it back,” Easton said after blocking three shots, grabbing seven rebounds and dealing four assists. “We felt good about today. Everyone was positive; we felt ready. We were willing to put it all out there on the floor.”

They certainly did. So did Loyalsock. Together, the rivals made their third championship installment as thrilling as the previous two, featuring several twists and turns as well as several heroes.

Dadzie still produced her 18th double-double (12 points, 14 rebounds) despite the swarming Hughesville defense and Harden sparked the comeback, going for 14 points and seven rebounds. Conversely, Draper made three Hughesville steals and Allyssa King hit crucial shots in both the second and fourth quarters.

This was another chapter in what has become a scintillating rivalry. Loyalsock’s focus now becomes turning the page. The Lancers made a run to the state Final 4 following a championship loss against Hughesville two years ago and will now focus upon trying to turn a negative into a positive.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Maddie Smith (10) and Kylie Temple (3) celebrate their 45-38 win over Loyalsock for the district championship at Montoursville Saturday.

“Every round is a challenge, but you’re in it. You have a chance. Every team that’s in the bracket has a chance, so don’t take that chance for granted,” Loyalsock Curtis Jacobson said after coaching in his eighth straight district championship. “The path is never easy. It’s going to be a challenge like every other year. Everyone is good, so it’s about being determined on trying to find a way to be one point better than Redeemer on Friday night.”

Hughesville is taking a similar approach since all 32 teams are in the same spot now, regardless of how districts concluded. Still, this was a game to savor over the weekend as Hughesville put on a defensive clinic at times, not allowing a field goal for a remarkable 13 minutes, 50-seconds stretch between the middle quarters.

After Harden found Wertz early in the second quarter, Loyalsock led, 18-12. It was on an 18-7 run at that point, but Hughesville rallied from a 15-point deficit the first time these rivals met. It remained unfazed and quickly put the clamps on similar to how it did so during the first two contests. The Spartans surrendered just six points over the next 15 minutes and built an 11-point lead by the time Harden ended the field goal drought.

It was a super team effort with players talking as fast as they moved. It was ignited, too, by Easton, Draper and Schultz who did fabulous work limiting Dadzie’s touches. Dadzie scored eight first quarter points as Loyalsock built a 16-12 advantage, but Hughesville’s trio of post players let her shoot just six more times from there. Easton blocked three shots, Draper made her three steals and Schultz continued her strong freshman season with two blocks, including a potential Loyalsock layup.

Equally important, all hit the boards hard, as did Hughesville’s guards. That limited Loyalsock to several one-shot possessions and played as vital role as did the initial defensive stops.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville fans cheer on the girls basketball team as they play Loyalsock in the district championship at Montoursville Saturday.

“Usually, we try and double and it tends to work. That was really key,” Easton said. “She’s always going to get her points. She’s a phenomenal player and I hope she does great at Bucknell. You just try and slow her down; just play our games, do our jobs and don’t try to do anything more than we’re capable of.”

“Any time you play someone that good the only thing to try and do is keep the ball out of her hands because if she gets it, she’s probably going to score,” Dustin King said. “What a team job they did. We had great back-side help and all the bigs did a great job down her. All three of them had moments where they came up big defending her and that’s all you can ask.”

As the defense closed, the offense opened. A Hamm 3-pointer provided the jolt Hughesville needed and Draper soon scored off a putback. Smith followed with a drive for the lead and King gave the Spartans a big lift entering halftime with a 3-pointer which made it, 24-20.

Hughesville picked up where it left off in the third quarter with Smith finding Temple for a 3-point play before an Easton steal led to a Smith layup and pushed the advantage to, 33-22. Like a year ago, Loyalsock was down but not out.

Harden ignited a strong push and the Lancers roared back. The senior point guard drilled a 3-pointer and Hughesville called timeout after it cut the deficit to 35-33. After a Draper deflection led to a Smith steal and layup, Loyalsock again pulled within two when Wertz found Dadzie inside.

Again, Hughesville responded like champions as King hit a jumper. Harden followed with a free throw, but Temple’s 3-pointer doused the Lancers’ comeback flames. Still, the comeback could spark Loyalsock. That’s what happened when Loyalsock played Hughesville late last month and responded by winning its next five games following an exciting rally.

“We talk about mental toughness and adversity, and you measure a kid and measure a team through their adverse moments, not their best moments,” Jacobson said. “It’s really easy to be happy and like each other when things go well but the second adversity strikes that’s when you measure character. I thought we showed character tonight. We’re not thrilled with the result, but we showed character and determination.

“What’s important is you have to do that the whole game and play like your down and stay hungry and stay aggressive.”

Hughesville did that all evening and Hamm hit a key floater early in the fourth quarter which pushed the lead to nine. It was never about one or two Spartans doing something well, but all excelling as one.

A selfless, resilient team leaned on each other when times grew tough and fought off Loyalsock’s best challenges. Monday, Hughesville will start working toward a new goal, but Saturday enhanced this team’s legacy.

Whatever they do, wherever they go, the 2026 Spartans will be bonded as champions.

“Everyone having a part is important,” Hamm said. “It doesn’t how much time you had on the floor or if you played in the game, you had an impact.”

“It’ll be a nice point of connection for all of us, especially over the next couple of years and seeing the younger girls grow,” Temple said. “Our program is in good hands, and I know all the players leaving our program this year or next or whenever it may be, are going to remember this moment.

“It will be such a good one.”

LOYALSOCK (38)

Alaina Dadzie 4 4-6 12, Jaeakairah Harden 5 3-6 14, Madison Perry 1 4-7 6, Maddie Wertz 3 0-1 6, Addie Bastian 0 0-0 0, Addi Barowy 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 11-19 38.

HUGHESVILLE (45)

Maddie Smith 6 3-4 16, Vivian Draper 2 0-2 4, Allyssa King 2 0-0 5, Anna Easton 0 0-0 0, Kylie Temple 5 2-3 13, Kendall Hamm 3 0-0 7, Casey Schultz 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 5-9 45.

Loyalsock 16 4 4 14–38

Hughesville 12 12 9 12–45

3-pointers: Loyalsock 1 (Harden); Hughesville 4 (Smith, King, Temple, Hamm).

Records: Hughesville 24-3. Loyalsock 18-8.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Vivian Draper (34), left, and Maddie Smith (10) right, put pressure on Loyalsock's Addi Barowy (24) in the fourth quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Annna Easton (33) bats away an attempted shot by Loyalsock's Addi Barowy (24) in the third quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Maddie Smith (10) shoots over Loyalsock's Alaina Dadzie (30) in the fourth quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Alaina Dadzie (30) shoots around Hughesville's Kylie Temple (3) in the third quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Jaekairah Harden (22) drives the ball down court ahead of Hughesville's Kylie Temple (3) and Kendall Hamm (12) in the third quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Vivian Draper (34) breaks up a pass to Loyalsock's Alaina Dadzie (30) in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock fans cheer on the girls basketball team as they take on Hughesville in the district championship Saturday.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Maddie Smith (10) drives the ball down court on a fast break in the first quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Vivian Draper (34) shoots over Loyalsock's Jillian Kennedy (10) in the first quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Anna Easton (33) shoots over Loyalsock's Addi Barowy (24) in the first quarter.