D2 TENNIS: Montrose faces Scranton Prep in Class 2A showdown that highlights team championships

On Monday, the District 2 playoffs present a matchup denied to high school tennis fans by a new alignment in the Lackawanna League.

Top-seeded and undefeated Montrose (16-0) plays No. 4 Scranton Prep (13-2), the defending PIAA Class 2A champion, in one of two semifinal clashes at Kirby Park. In the other, Wyoming Seminary (14-1), the Wyoming Valley Conference champion, plays No. 6 Wallenpaupack (11-5). The Class 2A semifinals start at 12:30 p.m. The final is at 3 p.m.

In Class 3A, eight-time defending champion Abington Heights (16-2) plays No. 4 West Scranton (10-6) in one semifinal. Second-seeded Honesdale (13-5) plays No. 6 North Pocono (6-8) in the other semifinal of an all-Lackawanna League bracket. Matches start at 11 a.m. The final is at 2:30 p.m.

Only the champions qualify for the PIAA Team Tournament.

Scranton Prep competed in Division I and Montrose in Division II, so the two teams did not play head-to-head in 2026. Both boast starting lineups that would match up favorably against any team in the state.

Montrose’s Cara Evans, the defending PIAA Class 2A champion, will face Scranton Prep’s Lily Lengyel at No. 1 singles. The two have waged memorable battles throughout their careers.

In 2024, as sophomores, Evans defeated Lengyel, 6-3, 6-0.

Last fall, in the regular season, Lengyel won the first set, 6-4, before Evans rallied to a 6-1 win in the second set and a 10-4 win in a third-set tiebreaker.

When the two players faced off in the District 2 team championships, Evans took the first set, 7-5, but trailed, 3-1, in the second when Scranton Prep clinched the overall match, ending their encounter.

The two standouts met again in the District 2 singles final. Evans earned a 6-1, 6-0 victory and stormed to the state gold medal. Lengyel led her team to the PIAA crown.

While the individual match will be the main focus, the other four will also attract significant attention.

Cara Evans’ sister, Anna Evans, has lost only one game this season at No. 2 singles. She will take on Adithi Velaga. Erin Tillotson is undefeated at No. 3 singles and will face Scranton Prep’s Hannah LaCoe.

The doubles matches should be equally competitive. Montrose’s team of Kimberly Schell and Olivia Schell plays Sage Michel and Donatella DeNaples at No. 1. Eislee Giannone and Anna Tillotson, Montrose’s No. 2 doubles team, play Scranton Prep’s Grace James and Mia Bovani.

In the other semifinal, Wyoming Seminary faces Wallenpaupack, the No. 6 seed, and a Class 3A team finalist last season.

Wyoming Seminary’s only loss this season came against Lackawanna League Division I champion Abington Heights, 5-0. Wallenpaupack lost both matches to Abington Heights 3-2.

Lizzie Weaver, Katie Zhang and CeCe Pons play singles for Wyoming Seminary. The doubles teams are Kate Minella-Kim Li and Anita Ma-Grace Switzer.

Olivia Kogan, Addy Ezzo and Alexis Lopes-Torres play singles for Wallenpaupack. The Lady Buckhorns’ doubles teams are Alexandra Spritzler-Jenna Petroski and Kiana Madrigal-Maya Hirzallah.

Abington Heights swept two matches against Scranton Prep in the Lackawanna League regular season. The Lady Comets also defeated Wyoming Seminary.

Addie Stark, Kate Arp, and Amishi Amit lead the team in singles, Sammy Rosenstein-Margot Rubner and Rebecca Rothwell-Maria Donnelly are the Lady Comets’ doubles teams.

West Scranton is in the semifinals for the fourth time in the last eight seasons. Chiara Pugliese, Marissa Shafer and Alyssa Heffron are the Lady Invaders’ singles starters. Their doubles teams are Brylynne Armstrong-Neveah Deeley and Noelle Carvalho-Zooey Bryson.

In the other semifinal, North Pocono is coming off an upset of Tunkhannock. Anna Clementoni, Cameron Forgione and Bryn Palmer are the Lady Trojans’ singles players. Isabella Forgione-Kayli McHugh and Kayleigh Hiza-Julia Shandra are the doubles teams.

Honesdale’s Alexis Mazzotta returned from injury at No. 1 singles. Irene Smith and Evelyn Bond are also singles players for the Lady Hornets. Tarynn Murray-Sophia Bond and Elise Foley-Surie MacDonald are the doubles teams.

Abington Heights 5, Delaware Valley 0

West Scranton 4, Wilkes-Barre Area 1

North Pocono 3, Tunkhannock 1

4-West Scranton (10-6) vs. 1-Abington Heights (16-2)

6-North Pocono (6-8) vs. 2-Honesdale (13-5)

Semifinal winners, 2:30 p.m.

Holy Redeemer 3, Riverside 0

Wyoming Area 3, Crestwood 1

Montrose 3, Holy Redeemer 1

Scranton Prep 5, Dallas 0

Wallenpaupack 3, Berwick 0

Wyoming Seminary 3, Wyoming Area 0

at Kirby Park, 12:30 p.m.

4-Scranton Prep (13-2) vs. 1-Montrose (16-0)

6-Wallenpaupack (11-5) vs. 2-Wyoming Seminary (14-1)

Semifinal winners, 3 p.m.