ORWIGSBURG — A Blue Mountain 10-point second quarter scoring run paved the way for a 61-36 Division I home win over North Schuylkill on Wednesday at the Eagles Nest.
The Eagles (12-7, 8-4) have now clinched a Schuylkill League playoff spot while North Schuylkill (11-7, 6-6) remains on the outside of the playoff picture which begins next week.
“Coach Agosti is doing a great job and we knew they’d be prepared and nothing would be easy,” Blue Mountain coach Dustin Werdt said. “Luckily we matched that tonight.”
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Blue Mountain senior Tyeirre Meade (3) dribbles toward the basket as North Schuylkill senior Julian Nelson (22) guards as Blue Mountain hosts North Schuylkill boys basketball, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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North Schuylkill sophomore Xavier McNally (23) shoots the ball as Blue Mountain hosts North Schuylkill boys basketball, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Blue Mountain sophomore Cohen Kirby (10) shoots a free throw as Blue Mountain hosts North Schuylkill boys basketball, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Blue Mountain junior Beck Henninger (24) shoots the ball as Blue Mountain hosts North Schuylkill boys basketball, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Blue Mountain senior Tyeirre Meade (3) dribbles toward the basket as North Schuylkill senior Julian Nelson (22) guards as Blue Mountain hosts North Schuylkill boys basketball, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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SEE FULL PHOTO GALLERY: Blue Mountain boys basketball beats North Schuylkill
A Cam Kacilowicz three gave North Schuylkill an early 8-3 lead before Blue Mountain quickly changed the tide and outscored the Spartans 27-11 following the opening minutes for the 30-19 halftime lead.
Tyeirre Meade led the Eagles with 26 points and Cohen Kirby had 14 points. The duo combined for 19 points under the basket in the second half.
“When you have a kid that’s 6’8” you have to be good around the basket and we did what we needed to do,” Kirby said. “It’s helping us bond and play like a team and we need that going to leagues.”
Julian Nelson banked in a layup and Kacilowicz nailed a three to put the Spartans ahead 8-3 with two minutes left in the first quarter.
Meade rolled in a pair of layups and scooped a steal which he passed off to Evan Setlock for the 13-9 lead at the end of the first.
“We knew it was going to be a physical game and nothing would be easy and luckily we matched that,” Werdt said. “I thought they were outhustling us early and then the second quarter on we matched it.”
Evan Damiter rolled in a layup for the 15-11 deficit just over a minute into the second quarter before Kacilowicz hit a three for the 16-14 deficit. Jude Maziekas also went for a layup and the 18-16 difference.
Meade and Kirby closed out the first strong as each banked in layups for the 30-19 halftime lead.
“The team with less turnovers usually wins the game,” Kirby said. “When we can go full court it sparks momentum for the team and does a lot for us.”
The Eagles started the second half on the right foot when Kirby picked up a steal which he handed off to Setlock for a layup. Kirby then had a layup himself for the 35-19 lead.
“We knew we had to keep them low on scoring and it would help us win the game and we did that and physicality also helped us win the game,” Kirby said.
Setlock had another steal and speeded around the Spartans defense for six points in the third to give Blue Mountain a 47-26 lead heading to the fourth quarter.
Meade closed out the game for the Eagles when he got to the basket for nine points, one of them for a 57-33 lead with three minutes left in the game.
“Just getting the pace we wanted and making them uncomfortable worked tonight,” Werdt said. “As long as we can clean up things on the defensive end and keep attacking the basket on offense we’ll be good.”
Setlock added eight points for the Eagles and Cohen Werner poured in seven points for the 61-36 Division I home win.
Kirby led the Eagles with eight rebounds and Meade had another five. Kacilowicz led North Schuylkill with 17 points and McNally added eight points. The Spartans also forced 14 turnovers on the Eagles.
Blue Mountain travels to Pine Grove Friday at 7 p.m. and North Schuylkill hosts Minersville Friday at 7:30 p.m.
NORTH SCHUYLKILL (36) — Cairo 0 0-0 0, Damiter 1 0-0 2, Maziekas 1 0-0 2, Wall 0 0-0 0, Mengel 0 1-2 1, Kacilowicz 6 1-1 17, Kronkowski 0 0-0 0, Marcinowski 0 0-0 0, Bani 0 0-0 0, Nelson 2 0-0 5, McNally 3 2-7 8, Cabral 0 1-2 1, Gallagher 0 0-0 0, Osenbach 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 5-12 36.
BLUE MOUNTAIN (61) —Meade 9 8-13 26, Setlock 4 0-0 8, Kirby 5 4-6 14, Miller 0 0-0 0, Pritiskutch 0 0-0 0, Disante 0 0-0 0, Werner 3 1-1 7, Henninger 1 2-2 5, McDonough 0 0-0 0, Wargo 0 0-0 0, Schuster 0 0-0 0, Gaddy 0 1-2 1. Totals 22 16-24 61.
NS (11-7, 6-6) 9 10 7 10 — 36
BM (12-7, 8-4) 13 17 17 14 — 61
3-FG: Nelson, Kacilowicz 4, Henninger
