Reyan, Huyck named Players of the Year

BY COREY GESFORD

Correspondent

On Sunday the Scranton Time Tribune released the results of voting by the Lackawanna League Division IV coaches of the Boys and Girls All Division teams. The teams were a mixture of those culminating their high school basketball careers and some who may have better days to come.

Elk Lake senior Rierdan Reyan and Susquehanna sophomore Taylor Huyck were named Player of the Year for their respective boys and girls divisions.

Reyan, a proflific scorer, averaged 19 points per game in league play and scored 454 over the season while leading Elk Lake to the District II semifinal game and one point away from the championship. He was also named MVP of the County Christmas Tournament where he led Elk Lake to the championship.

Reyan credited his teammates and coaches for his successful senior season. “They (coaches) always pushed me to be the best that I could be,” said Reyan. “My teammates did a great job of getting me the ball.”

Coming off a stellar junior season, Reyan attended the Point Guard College camp this past summer and he also played AAU basketball in the off-season with 21 Hoops.

“PGC was a camp just at the next level in terms of thinking about the game,” Reyan said. “Between that and coming in a lot of mornings before school to work on things really helped this year.

The honor of being named Player of the Year isn’t lost on Reyan either, and he understands the significance of it.

“Just to be mentioned among the players that have earned it, is special,” reflected Reyan. “It’s just a great honor to be listed among them.”

The fact that Reyan was the leader of a young team coming into his senior year and was wearing his opponent’s bullseye was one of the things that impressed his coach Rich Emmons.

“As a junior he had guys like Ben Woolcock who took some of the pressure off and set him up for a lot of his scoring,” said Emmons. “As a senior he was the focal point of everyone’s defensive plan, and he still managed to do what we needed him to do.”

Much of that was due to Reyan’s experience at home and his competitiveness and an attitude prove to his opponent and teammates that his Elk Lake team was the better team.

“He’s a gamer,” said Emmons. “He never felt inferior to the competition and didn’t want his teammates to think that way either.”

“He comes from a unique situation being raised on a dairy farm, where he’s actively working, and then comes in early to work out or stay later to work on different parts of his game,” commented Emmons.

Huyck averaged 15 points a game and nearly two three-point field goals during the season and helped lead Susquehanna to the first Lackawanna League Division IV title in the program’s history and a repeat as District II Class A champion. That team success and support from teammates and coaches was pivotal in Huyck’s success.

“Everyone supported me, and we played together as a team,” said Huyck. “It means a lot to be recognized for my work and the work of my teammates.”

Huyck spent much of her offseason between her freshman and sophomore year working on her game. She played AAU basketball with the prestigious JB Hoops teams out of Scranton, and spent much time in the weight room and going through personal workouts.

“It’s great, that she’s getting this recognition,” said Susquehanna Coach Errol Mannick. “She’s a super hard worker and has put a lot of time and work into her game by herself for years now.”

Mannick added that he expects Huyck to improve because of her work ethic and desire to get better. “She does a good job of improving her game and adding things to the skills she already has,” said Mannick.

Having two more years of high school eligibility, Huyck doesn’t want this to be the pinnacle of her career.

“It’s an honor, but it also makes me want to work harder and keep getting better,” added Huyck.

Joining Reyan on the Boys First team were Susquehanna’s Mason Deakin and Bryce Baldwin; Montrose senior Jacob Peck, and Mountain View senior Kyle Streich.

Earning Honorable Mention for Division IV were Montrose’s Brennan Gilhool; Blue Ridge’s Sam Cosmello; Lackawanna Trail’s Shawn Jones; and Forest City’s Dakota Kneher-Cook and Noah Yates.

On the girls side Huyck was joined on the first team by sophomore teammate Mackenzie Steele; Forest City senior MacKenzie Hartman; and Mountain View’s senior Erika Freely and junior, Sydney Newhart.

Earning Honorable Mention nods were Montrose’s Annalise Ely, Radvile Vaiciulyte, and Harper Andre; Lexi Kwiatowski from Lackawanna Trail; and Elk Lake’s Eliza Bosscher.