Williams Valley head coach Shane Zellers talks things over with his squad during a timeout (Photo by Leroy Boyer).

MAHANOY CITY — For the first time in school history, the Williams Valley girls’ basketball team is headed to the Schuylkill League playoffs.

The Vikings clinched a spot Thursday with a 38-37 Schuylkill League Division II victory over Mahanoy Area at the Joe Alansky Gymnasium. The victory improved Williams Valley to 15-2 overall and 9-1 in Division II, one game behind division-leading Marian in the loss column.

Quin Smeltz scored a game-high 14 points for Williams Valley, which built a 33-25 lead after three quarters. Mallory Miller and Ireland Kasper each added nine points.

Mahanoy Area made it interesting in the fourth, cutting the deficit to one on 3-pointers by Kayci McGowan and Felicia Bro. Bro scored 13 points to lead the Bears, while Ella Connolly added 10.

WILLIAMS VALLEY (38) — Kobularik 0 0-0 0, Miller 4 0-0 9, Q. Smeltz 6 0-0 14, S. Smeltz 3 0-0 6, Kasper 3 0-0 9. Totals 16 0-0 38.

MAHANOY AREA (37) — McGowan 2 0-0 5, Haughney 0 0-0 0, Bro 5 1-2 13, Carl 1 0-0 3, Kowalick 3 0-0 6, Connolly 4 2-4 10. Totals 15 3-6 37.

WV (15-2, 9-1)    10 … 12 … 11 … 5 — 38

MA (8-7, 5-6)        8 … 9 … 8 … 12 — 37

3-point FGs: McGowan, Bro 2, Carl

JV Score: No game

Officials: Melusky, Ji. Misstishin

Pine Grove 42, Tamaqua 40

PINE GROVE — Ayla Schneck-Haines scored the go-ahead bucket with 31 seconds left as the Cardinals topped the Blue Raiders in a Division I thriller.

The victory qualified Pine Grove (11-7, 5-5) for the District 11 Class 3A playoffs.

“Our team is really coming around. They’ve shown a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm,” Pine Grove rookie head coach Allison Rizzo said to Times-News writer Sam Matta. “These girls are starting to believe in themselves, believe in the system.”

Schneck-Haines finished with a team-high 11 points, scoring seven of her points in the third quarter as Pine Grove took a 37-28 lead with 2:38 left in the period.

Tamaqua answered with a 12-0 run to take the lead. Kendle Miller’s 3-pointer to open the fourth put the Raiders on top 38-37 and Lauren Ligenza tallied two of her game-high 12 points to make it 40-37 with 6:02 remaining.

Tamaqua, however, didn’t score again. Callee Leffler tied it with a 3-pointer with 3:30 remaining and the teams traded missed shots until Schneck-Haines delivered the game-winner.

TAMAQUA (40) — Robb 2 4-6 8, M. Black 3 0-0 6, Scott 3 0-0 6, Plasha 1 0-0 2, Ligenza 5 2-4 12, Miller 2 0-0 5, L. Black 0 1-2 1. Totals 16 7-12 40.

PINE GROVE (42) — Seltzer 2 1-2 5, Leffler 3 0-4 8, M. Umbenhauer 0 1-2 1, Zimmerman 1 0-2 2, Leininger 4 1-1 9, Schneck-Haines 5 0-0 11, Fidler 0 0-0 0, Sampson 3 0-0 6. Totals 18 3-11 42.

Tam (15-4, 7-4)  6 … 12 … 17 … 5 — 40

PG (11-7, 5-5)     12 … 12 … 13 … 5 — 42

3-point FGs: Miller, Leffler 2, Schneck-Haines

JV Score: Pine Grove 52-44

Officials: Zimmerman, Jacoby

North Schuylkill 66, Pottsville 38

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — Mya Conti connected on four 3-pointers and scored a game-high 26 points as the Spartans remained unbeaten in Division I play with a victory over Crimson Tide at the Cesari-Hope Gymnasium.

Hannah Kane had 12 of her 14 points in the first half as North Schuylkill built a 32-19 halftime lead. Conti then scored 13 in the third quarter to help the Spartans pull away.

Jes Siminitus scored 20 points to lead Pottsville, while Keirra Jones hit three 3-pointers and added 11.

POTTSVILLE (38) — Goodman 0 1-2 1, Brennan 0 0-0 0, Davis 1 0-0 2, Huda 0 0-0 0, Ciavarella 0 0-0 0, Fegley 2 0-0 4, Barnhart 0 0-0 0, Siminitus 9 1-3 20, Jones 3 2-4 11. Totals 15 4-9 38.

NORTH SCHUYLKILL (66) — Conti 11 0-0 26, Monahan 2 3-4 7, Capone 1 1-2 3, Ja. Stitzer 4 1-2 9, Kane 4 5-6 14, Selgrade 2 1-2 5, Balicki 1 0-0 2, Klingerman 0 0-0 0, Digris 0 0-0 0, Halko 0 0-0 0, Kowalonek 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 11-16 66.

Potts (4-13, 3-8)                 9 … 10 … 14 … 5 — 38

NS (13-4, 11-0)                    15 … 17 … 23 … 11 — 66

3-point FGs: Siminitus, Jones 3, Conti 4, Kane

JV Score: North Schuylkill 52-17

Officials: Scheeler, Shober

Schuylkill Haven 52, Minersville 20

MINERSVILLE — Mckenna Runkle led a balanced attack with 11 points as the Hurricanes rolled past the Miners in a Division I game at the Thomas Fitzpatrick Gymnasium.

Audrey Hutchinson and Ava Terefencko each added eight points as Haven built a 16-5 lead after one period and cruised from there. Hutchinson and Kylie Siket each had six steals.

Jenna Cullen paced the Miners with seven points.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN (52) — McDonald 1 0-0 3, Benedict 0 0-0 0, Hutchinson 3 2-2 8, Siket 2 2-2 7, Schaeffer 2 0-2 5, Haag 0 0-0 0, Terefencko 3 0-2 8, Ulsh 1 2-2 4, Runkle 5 1-2 11, Goehring 0 0-0 0, Houvig 0 0-0 0, Porter 2 2-4 6, Strenkoski 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 9-16 52.

MINERSVILLE (20) — Troutman 2 1-2 7, Rizzardi 0 0-0 0, Brennan 1 2-2 4, Horoschak 0 0-2 0, Cullen 0 7-10 7, Castle 0 0-0 0, Boom 1 0-2 2, Miklesavage 0 0-0 0, McGrath 0 0-0 0, Ilsley 0 0-0 0. Totals 4 10-18 20.

SH (13-4, 9-2)                       16 … 8 … 14 … 14 — 52

Min (1-15, 0-10)                   5 … 2 … 9 … 4 — 20

3-point FGs: McDonald, Siket, Schaeffer, Terefencko 2, Troutman 2

JV Score: No game

Officials: Reed, Je. Misstishin

Tri-Valley 50, Nativity 27

POTTSVILLE — Avery Miller scored 34 points and pulled down 13 rebounds as the Dawgs downed the Golden Girls in a Division II game atop Lawton’s Hill.

Miller scored 12 of her points in a 16-6, third-quarter run that broke the game open. Faith Artz added 12 points and eight rebounds for Tri-Valley.

Finley McNamara led Nativity with 13 points.

TRI-VALLEY (50) — Avery Miller 13 8-9 34, Dietrich 2 0-0 4, Stiely 0 0-2 0, Blackwell 0 0-0 0, Artz 6 0-1 12, Brown 0 0-2 0. Totals 21 8-14 50.

NATIVITY (27) — Amara Miller 0 0-0 0, McNamara 5 3-5 13, Fox 1 0-0 2, Stewart 2 1-6 5, Evans 0 3-6 3, Kindler 2 0-0 4. Totals 10 7-17 27.

TV (3-10, 3-6)                         11 … 11 … 16 … 12 — 50

Nat (1-15, 0-11)                   6 … 7 … 6 … 8 — 27

3-point FGs: None

JV Score: No game

Officials: Wise

Shenandoah Valley 50, Weatherly 13

WEATHERLY — Aubrey Monaghan paced a balanced attack with 12 points as the Blue Devils defeated the Wreckers in a Division II contest.

Gianna Donovan added 11 points and Brianna Tufts tallied 10 for Shenandoah Valley.

Kelly Reiner scored a team-high nine points for Weatherly.

SHENANDOAH VALLEY (50) — Brit. Tufts 2 0-0 5, Bria. Tufts 4 2-4 10, Donovan 4 1-3 11, Argueta 1 0-0 2, Sarquero 0 0-0 0, Monaghan 5 1-2 12, Labosky 3 0-0 6, Castro 2 0-0 4. Totals 21 4-9 50.

WEATHERLY (13) — Marasco 0 0-0 0, Russell 0 0-2 0, Rhodes 0 0-0 0, Reiner 3 1-2 9, Weston 0 1-2 1, Synder 1 1-2 3. Totals 4 3-8 13.

SV (6-12, 4-6)      15 … 12 … 15 … 8 — 50

Wea (1-11, 1-8) 6 … 6 … 1 … 0 — 13

3-point FGs: Brit. Tufts, Donovan 2, Monaghan, Reiner 2

JV Score: No game