PENNLIVE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK (FOR GAMES PLAYED JAN. 26 to JAN. 31):
Jenay Faulkner, sophomore, Greencastle-Antrim
No sophomore slump for the Blue Devils’ standout, who continues to amaze as G-A continues to pile up victories.
Faulkner, who is already garnering Division I attention, has been scorching for the better part of the second half of the season, scoring at a 20.2 clip with 30 3-pointers in the last nine games; Blue Devils are 8-1 over that stretch, including a 55-52 win over Big Spring on Jan. 23, which gave G-A its second Mid-Penn Colonial crown in a row.
Faulkner bucketed a career-high 30 points and dropped six 3’s in the clincher victory over the Bulldogs, and in two games last week she had 20 points and five treys in a win over Northern York and 13 points on Saturday in a victory over Gettysburg in the Dunks for Drew showcase event at Chambersburg, as G-A improved to 17-2 overall.
Faulkner, who can beat you from the perimeter and the low blocks, is averaging 17.7 points with 51 3’s for the Blue Devils, who hit the week 11-0 in the Colonial with just one division game remaining vs. Shippensburg.
Faulkner is already up to 675 career points for G-A, which will take on the Keystone winner in the Mid-Penn semifinals before shuffling off to the District 3-AAA playoffs.
HONORABLE MENTION
An 8-pack of midstate players who shined last week …
East Pennsboro’s Dani Kreiger averaged 17.3 points and drained six 3’s in three victories, including 20 points and three 3’s in a win over Middletown. … Cedar Crest’s Alyssa Austin continued her torrid season in the post with 14.7 points in three wins, including a season-high 26 points in a clutch OT nonleague win over Palmyra on Wednesday, as the Falcons pushed their winning streak to 13 games in a row come week’s end. … Cumberland Valley’s Kelly Jekot continues to sizzle; the Villanova recruit popped in 17.3 points and canned four 3’s in three wins, as the Eagles prep for their showdown on Monday against CD East. … Elco’s Taylor Bossert is in the caution: flammable zone; she scored at a 17.7 clip with 12 3’s in three games last week, including a career-high 23 points and five treys in a win over Hamburg on Saturday. Bossert has 24 3’s in the last eight games.
Lampeter-Strasburg’s Tori Schultz has been solid on the baseline for the Pioneers; she averaged 19.7 points in three games last week, including back-to-back 20-point nights, and 19 points and eight boards in L-S’s clutch win over Donegal on Friday. … Big Spring’s Nicole Thuemmel has been outstanding during the Bulldogs’ 3-game winning streak, averaging 15.7 points with eight 3’s, including 18 points and four treys in a win over Waynesboro last week. Thuemmel has 18 3’s in her last six games. … Shippensburg’s Mariah Martin is scoring at a 12.0 clip during the Greyhounds’ 3-game winning streak, including a season-high 19 points in a win over Carlisle last week. … Red Land’s Rileigh Devine is riding a serious hot streak, scoring at an 18.3 clip with 13 3’s in the Patriots’ last four games, all victories.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
Rylee Derr, Warwick (Dec. 5-13)
Brittany Robinson, CD East (Dec. 15-20)
Victoria Varner, Juniata (Dec. 22-27)
Cecily Carl, Mechanicsburg (Dec. 29-Jan. 3)
Alexis Hill, Lebanon (Jan. 5-11)
Erin Holt, Lancaster Catholic (Jan. 12-17)
Lexi Enck, Lititz Christian (Jan. 19-24)
