Marian's Addy Fritz (Photo by Eli Doyle)

Tamaqua’s Cinderella-like run to the Schuylkill League girls’ basketball semifinals last year raised a lot of eyebrows.

The Blue Raiders’ coaching brethren in Division I certainly haven’t forgotten.

Erika Davis’ squad earned the top spot in the inaugural T102 Sports Now Schuylkill League Girls’ Basketball Preseason Division I Coaches’ Poll.

Tamaqua garnered two first-place votes and 48 points in voting done by seven of the division’s eight coaches, three votes ahead of defending league champion Blue Mountain and division newcomer Schuylkill Haven, which tied for second at 45 points.

Marian, which won the Division III crown a year ago, was the overwhelming choice in Division II with six first-place votes and 55 points.

Tamaqua edged Panther Valley 39-31 in a special tiebreaker to earn the Division I wild card a year ago, then stunned Division II champion Minersville 48-22 in the league quarterfinals. The Blue Raiders then took Division I co-champion North Schuylkill to the limit in the semifinals before falling 42-37.

Point guard Kolbe Robb and forwards Lauren Ligenza, Leah Black and Kendle Miller all return for the Blue Raiders, who finished 17-9 a year ago.

Makayla Keck returns to lead Blue Mountain, which stifled North Schuylkill 30-19 to capture the league championship. Schuylkill Haven moves up from the small-school division to the big-school division in the league’s new realignment. The Hurricanes lost only one player from last year’s club that finished 20-6.

League runner-up North Schuylkill is fourth in the Division I poll with 34 points, followed by Pottsville (30), Pine Grove (25), Minersville (13) and Panther Valley (12).

Tamaqua and Schuylkill Haven both received two first-place votes, while Blue Mountain, North Schuylkill and Pine Grove each garnered one.

Marian went 22-6 last season, reaching the Schuylkill League and District 11 Class AA semifinals and qualifying for the PIAA Tournament. Guards Addy Fritz and Deanna Pugh return for Damian Fritz’s club.

Williams Valley earned the other first-place vote in the Division II poll and is second with 47 points. Lourdes is third at 41, followed by Mahanoy Area (39), Shenandoah Valley (24), Nativity (17), Tri-Valley (16) and Weatherly (13). Only seven schools voted in the Division II poll.

T102 Sports Now Schuylkill League Girls’ Basketball

Preseason Coaches’ Poll

(First-place votes in parentheses)

DIVISION I

1. Tamaqua (2) …………..… 48

2. Blue Mountain (1) ……… 45

    Schuylkill Haven (2) …… 45

4. North Schuylkill (1) ….… 34

5. Pottsville ……………….… 30

6. Pine Grove (1) .………….. 25

7. Minersville ……..………… 13

8. Panther Valley …………… 12

DIVISION II

1. Marian (6) ………………. 55

2. Williams Valley (1) ….. 47

3. Lourdes ……..………….. 41

4. Mahanoy Area ……….. 39

5. Shenandoah Valley .… 24

6. Nativity …………………. 17

7. Tri-Valley ……….….…… 16

8. Weatherly ………..……. 13