Forest City boys end playoff run

BY CONOR FOLEY

Times-Shamrock Writer

Forest City’s boys’ basketball team was overwhelmed by Old Forge’s offense attack in the District II Class A semifinals at Scranton High School on Tuesday night.

The Blue Devils defeated the Foresters, 56-30, to enter their fifth straight title game, this year against Susquehanna. 

The Blue Devils smothered the Foresters on defense, holding them to seven points on two field goals in the first quarter as they scored 19 point.

“We struggled on the boards and that led to 10 or 12 points that didn’t need to happen,” Forest City head coach Carl Imbt said.

Old Forge inflated its lead to 30-9 midway through the second quarter before a 8-0 stretch, led by back-to-back baskets from Zack Mendoza, got the Foresters back in the game.

But Old Forge’s Tony Goodall would end that run, hitting his first of two buzzer-beaters on the night to give Old Forge a 32-17 lead at halftime.

That would be the closest Forest City would get, as the Old Forge defense clamped down again and held the Foresters to a five-point third quarter.

Dylan Walsh scored a team-high 10 points for Forest City, going 6 for 7 from the free throw line.

Forest City finishes with a 5-18 record – one win better than last year’s campaign.

“We showed improvement (this season),” Imbt said. “We got better every single game. We’re taking steps to increase our win total year by year.”