Nick Tolomeo's feature on the Deer Lakes basketball team:

"During the day Jon McKay is a history teacher, but after school in the Deer Lakes gym McKay is only worried about the present and future.

As a former assistant and current first-year head coach, nobody needs to remind McKay about the struggles of the Deer Lakes boys basketball team the past two seasons.

The Lancers went 3-25 combined in section play during those two seasons, finishing last in Class AAA Section 1 both years.

Those results are having no bearing on Deer Lakes this season, its first in Class AA since the 2007-08 season.

Deer Lakes is 12-5 overall and 6-1 in Class AA Section 1 after its victory Tuesday night against Apollo-Ridge. Eight seniors comprise the nucleus of the team and they also do not need to be reminded of those recent struggles."

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“Our toughest game will be our rematch with Burrell,” said Lancers’ head coach Dana Petruska. “We played them at their place on the January 14th and we didn’t play our best game.” Burrell won 47-32. Although Lancers’ guard Becca Babincak shot for 18 points, Burrell’s Sydney Bordonaro and Natalie Myers shot for 20 and 15 (respectively).

The positive thing for Deer Lakes is that Burrell is not in the Lancers’ heads. “I don’t think there’s anything really psychological about it,” said Petruska. “I start four seniors. If they’re doubting themselves, that’s news to me. I just know how hard they’ve worked and how much they  believe in their team.

So, the past loss has not caused any apprehension for the Lancers. The team will also back up their attitude by playing a tough game of basketball.

“They’re physical, not afraid to scrap, not afraid to get dirty, and not afraid to get on the floor. They’re not afraid to  box out, or take the charge.”

Petruska then described sophomore twins Nicole and Danielle Kearns. Danielle, a guard/forward is about four inches in taller than her sister. Nicole is the Lancers’ point guard.

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In four of Deer Lakes’ first nine games this season, sophomore forward Zach Luniewski scored multiple goals. At that point, Deer Lakes was 4-4-1, including a 3-1 record when Luniewski scored at least two goals.

But in games 10-14, Luniewski only lit the lamp one time, and the Lancers went 1-4 during that span.

On Monday against Bishop McCort, Luniewski broke out with two goals and three assists in an 11-3 win.

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Nicholas Tolomeo's feature on the Deer Lakes girls' basketball team:

"Opposing coaches in Class AA Section 1 will likely be relieved when the Deer Lakes trio of Rebecca Babincak and Nichole and Danielle Kearns graduates after this season.

That threesome has formed the nucleus of a Deer Lakes program that has won back-to-back section titles and has a chance to do it again this season.

Deer Lakes is 11-2 overall and 4-1 in section play this year, in second place in the section behind Burrell (9-1, 5-0). Dating back to their sophomore season, Babincak and the Kearns twins are a combined 30-3 in section play."

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