Lansdale Catholic girls’ basketball had never been to a state title game winning their first PIAA championship in 2023 While their final trip to Hershey ended a three-pointer short of a shot at a second Lansdale Catholic’s seniors were a part of every step of the program’s rise A 48-45 loss to Neumann-Goretti in the PIAA Class 4A title game Saturday won’t minimize the impact LC’s seniors had in their time with the program the Crusaders now counted among the PCL and state’s contenders year to year “It is really tough to go out like this but we’re really grateful,” senior guard Nadia Yemola said “We put in so much hard work to get here during the year I can say I played here three out of my four years so I’m really happy for that.” Nadia Yemola was a four-year starter for Lansdale Catholic helping the Crusaders to three PIAA title games and the 2023 Class 4A title Gabby Casey may have been the transformational player Joe’s sophomore the leader on the 2023 title team but Sanyiah Littlejohn and Yemola have been foundational pieces for this four-year run by LC Both of them are four-year starters with three starts in Hershey to their credit while playing critical roles in LC’s PCL District 12 and PIAA title triple crown in 2023 Isabella Ciccocelli has also been with the program all four years and while Grace McDonough only spent two years at LC she was in many ways at the center of it all for the Crusaders The four seniors were thrown a curveball in October when Eric Gidney retired as head coach and Tom Lonergan was hired as his replacement a few weeks later While Lonergan had a long resume of success he and his staff came in late in the offseason and it wasn’t an easy adjustment on either side “We had to get familiar with the coaching staff and they had to get familiar with us,” Littlejohn said “We had to find a coach on short notice and for him to come in here and build up this program and get us all the way to states it’s really big and I appreciate him and his coaching staff for that.” Lonergan had nothing but gratitude for his four seniors along with junior Aubrey Mobley the team’s top reserve most of the year and part of two state finalist teams in her three years If the team’s veterans weren’t open to the new coaching staff the Crusaders had bought into their identity as a defensive juggernaut I was very appreciative of the seniors welcoming the coaching staff and myself and if you saw the team at the beginning of the season trying to get to know each other and how we finished the year it was day and night,” Lonergan said “We really came together well as a team and you have to give a lot of credit to the seniors for that.” LC had been trending upward prior to this group’s arrival the Crusaders still alive in the 4A quarterfinals when the 2019-20 season was halted during Covid-19 Sanyiah Littlejohn scored her 1,000th point in her final game with Lansdale Catholic the senior helping the Crusaders to three state finals in four years both finding their way right into the starting lineup as freshmen LC regained its stride and ended the season with its first appearance in Hershey they were champions and the school community had put full support behind the team “It’s good to feel the support from our family members even our coaches and our bench,” Littlejohn said “Feeling that support can help us win those games and it’s very important to have.” McDonough came the year after the state final LC coming up a game short of a return to the PIAA tournament last season but the 6-foot-2 forward made a quick impact as a third team all-state selection Despite playing for her third different coach in as many seasons McDonough was the anchor of LC's stringent defense and earned plenty of praise from Lonergan for how she handled the preseason changes Lonergan would like another season with this senior group but their impact this year is undeniable reach his first state final as the players and staff brought the best out of each other “It meant a ton to us,” Yemola said “We were all pretty nervous in the beginning but seeing our team develop on and off the court they knew exactly how to coach us and they got us here.” It’ll be an adjustment to not have No or those jerseys occupied by other players but Lonergan is excited about the potential in the group coming back Three of the four seniors will try to continue the winning standard they developed at Lansdale Catholic at the next level Yemola will play at Kutztown and Littlejohn – who scored her 1,000th career point in the fourth quarter to put her name on a banner in the LC gym – will continue her career at George Mason Their final game didn’t end how they wanted but one game won’t define what they did and what they meant to the Crusaders the last four years “I think this program just built leadership within me,” Littlejohn said I took on that leadership role and I was forced to be a leader my last year I’m going to be a freshman again but at least I have some of those skills to carry on with me.” 2025 at 9:45 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Former Fairmount Fire Chief Jay Daveler has died PA — Former Fairmount Fire Company chief and longtime area public servant Jay Daveler has died the fire department announced over the weekend Daveler first joined Fairmount in 1957 and became chief in 1967 serving in that role for 43 years until his retirement in 2010 "In addition to his leadership to the community of Lansdale Borough Chief Daveler was instrumental in the development of 5th fire district fire training school and radio communications," Fairmount Fire Companys hared in a statement "Jay also contributed to the fire service on a national level being published by Fire Chief Magazine in 1974 and 1976 for articles he wrote on the importance of ‘Pre-fire planning’ and the importance of ‘protection of exposures’ when fighting fires." Lansdale police also shared their condolences "Chief Daveler devoted more than 50 years to the Lansdale community serving with distinction and leaving a lasting legacy in fire service and public safety—both locally and nationally," they said "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and our brothers and sisters at Fairmount Fire Company." Service details have not yet been announced Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. LANSDALE – There are no secrets left for first-year Lansdale Catholic head coach Tom Lonergan or his Crusaders Lansdale Catholic has never beaten Cardinal O’Hara in its storied history which also included a PIAA title in 2023 for the Crusaders He would have loved to give his team that little tidbit after finally defeating the Lions on Tuesday night the cat was out of the bag prior to the game earlier this month) scored 21 points as the Lansdale Catholic girls basketball team defeated Cardinal O'Hara 51-45 on Tuesday (Josh Verlin/CoBL) “It’s really big,” said LC senior point guard Sanyiah Littlejohn of the win “This is our first time breaking history We kept an undefeated record on our home court LC might also be the best-kept secret in the Philadelphia Catholic League after controlling the tempo and the game in a 51-45 victory over Cardinal O’Hara which pushes the Crusaders to 7-2 in the PCL “At the top of the Catholic League anybody can beat anybody on a given night,” Lonergan said If anything this showed we are a part of that too It’s important we are there with the other four The game began though in quicksand with O’Hara’s defense collapsing any time 6-foot-2 James Madison commit Grace McDonough (9 points) touched the ball That led to just two baskets for LC in the first quarter and a 7-5 O’Hara lead “Our biggest thing was just being disciplined,” Littlejohn said Somebody needed to step up and it turned out to be a feisty soph Ali Kaltenbacher (9 points 8 rebounds) and senior point guard Littlejohn (21 points) Kaltenbacher scored six of her nine points in the second quarter and Littlejohn began exploding to the basket “We have seen that a lot,” said Lonergan of O’Hara’s defensive strategy “Grace had 22 on Sunday and Upper Dublin swarmed her Tonight they were trying to do it to Grace She got her share of points but it opened up the opportunity for other players to step up and Sanyiah certainly took advantage of that.” Although LC was stuck without secrets in a defensive battle the Crusaders still led 21-17 at halftime despite O’Hara’s Molly Rullo scoring 12 of her game-high 23 points in the first half “I think them being on Grace opened the floor up for other players to get open shots,” Littlejohn said Once everybody started hitting shots we picked up our game we didn’t hesitate to call the iso.” Littlejohn was a much more aggressive player in the third quarter scoring 10 of her team-high 21 points in the frame as LC took a 36-27 lead into the fourth Littlejohn was often isolated against a defender and just went to work fearlessly She finished with a dazzling drive through the lane and LC looked for the knockout punch “I think our biggest thing is playing four quarters,” Littlejohn said “Once we get that going we are capable of anything We just have to play together.”  Despite getting down by 12 points in the fourth quarter O’Hara did not go quietly into the night either In fact when Brigidanne Donohue hit a 3-pointer with 3:30 to go the score was 43-40 Very quickly LC sharpshooter Nadia Yemola hit her second trey of the quarter in response “Our team needed this,” Lonergan said I keep telling them we’ve got to get better We still haven’t played four quarters Tonight was one of our better four quarter games offensively If we can get to the point where we can have a four quarter game I like our chances against a lot of teams.” Rullo and the Lions never did waive the white flag and were still only down 49-43 with 20 seconds to left That’s when Littlejohn put her exclamation point on the game with a blocked shot of Rullo and a much-needed first-ever win against a rival.    “This is big,” Littlejohn said “I am sad we are coming to the end of our regular season I am wishing we can do great things.”  LC (51): McDonough 9; Esposito 3; Kaltenbacher 9; Littlejohn 21; Yemola 7; Mobley 2 interviews and music from around the world presents an engaging portrait of the global community meals and wrap-around services for up to 20 people at a time A shelter for people experiencing homelessness Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania says unhoused people must have an opportunity to store and access personal property during sweeps The free WHYY News Daily newsletter delivers the most important local stories to your inbox WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today. Neighbors say they first noticed the flag along Meng Road about two weeks ago and contacted Lower Frederick Township to see if anything could be done Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija wrote to Berkshire Hathaway Chairman and CEO Warren Buffet asking for expanded severance packages for SPS employees the small business has expanded as a hub for Black culture and community Emily Neil is a WHYY News reporter covering Bucks and Montgomery counties Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal local news and information and world-class entertainment to everyone in our community WHYY offers a voice to those not heard, a platform to share everyone’s stories, a foundation to empower early and lifelong learners and a trusted space for unbiased news. Learn more about Social Responsibility at WHYY (Ed. Note: This story is part of CoBL’s annual “Prepping for Preps” series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2024-25 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.) First-year Lansdale Catholic coach Torre Harrison hears the questions all the time. Why? Why did you take the job?  “I’ve been given that question since I got the job,” said Harrison, who was hired in the spring to try to resurrect a program that has struggled since moving from the Pioneer Athletic Conference to the Philadelphia Catholic League for the 2008-09 season. “It’s the challenge of it. I know what it is to build a program - to start at the bottom and go to the top.” Torre Harrison (above) is Lansdale Catholic's new boys basketball coach. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL) Harrison said that the Lansdale Catholic administration - with a new athletic director, principal and president - has given its “full support.”  “They are about change,” he said. “They are taking this seriously.”  Harrison, who lives in Cheltenham, has made the 25-minute drive on Route 309 to and from Lansdale more times than he can count. Thus far, he is happy with his team’s progress.  “We’re trying to foster a winning atmosphere because for so long it’s not been that,” said Harrison, a 1994 graduate of West Philadelphia High who was a three-year starter at guard for the Speedboys and played collegiately at Alvernia University and Newbury College. “We have to practice like winners before winning games.”  The Crusaders will be playing in a renovated gym this season on a court now dedicated to long-time coach Paul Jefferis on the school’s campus located on the east side of Lansdale that has been their home since 1960. Harrison is hoping that the cozy gym - complete with a stage on one end - can provide them a home court advantage.  “That’s the plan,” he said. “I want our gym to be one of the toughest places to play in the Catholic League.”  Harrison has his work cut out for him and knows the task ahead will not be accomplished overnight, especially not in the Catholic League - which he calls the best basketball league in Pennsylvania and one of the top 5 in the country.  The Crusaders won their first game of the 2020-2021 Catholic League season, a 44-43 victory at Conwell-Egan on February 12, 2021; since that day, Lansdale Catholic has not won a Catholic League game on the court. (They did win one game by forfeit.) Over their last 50 Catholic League games spanning the last four seasons, excluding that forfeit win, they are 1-49. They have not won a Catholic League game on their home court since a 54-53 defeat of Devon Prep on February 2, 2020. “I feel their pain,” said Harrison, who has coached with K-Low Elite and also spent two seasons as an assistant at Cheltenham High and before that 10 years as an assistant at Archbishop Carroll where he helped win a PIAA state championship in 2009. “You can see it in their eyes when they talk about it. It’s been rough for them, but they have a chance to say, ‘We were part of the change.’”  Leading the way will be senior Rowan Romero, a 6-foot-5 forward who led the team in scoring last season at 9.7 points per game.  “He’s been great with the transition,” Harrison said. “He’s been very receptive. He’s starting to really understand the expectations. We’re going to have to lean on him.”  Romero is looking forward to doing what he can to help the team win.  “I’m a team first player,” he said. “I will do what’s best for the team.” And his impression of his new coach so far?  “I really like the way he coaches,” he said. “My main goal is to win, and it’s been hard not winning many games. I already see the difference in the preseason. Some of the younger kids are really bringing the energy. The energy seems a whole lot different this year.”  Look for two juniors - who helped lead the Crusaders to the state playoffs on the football field this fall - to be key parts of the rotation. James Webb Jr., a wide receiver, is a 6-foot-2 guard who averaged 6.2 points per game as a sophomore. Yeboa Cobbold Jr., who was the Crusaders’ quarterback, is a 6-foot-2 wing.  “They will bring toughness and athleticism,” Harrison said.  The Crusaders will also be counting on senior guard Anthony Wack, who averaged 7.0 points per game last season.  “He’s a hard-nosed player and a really good defender,” Harrison said. “He’s shooting the ball well and doing a great job mentoring the young guards.”  Harrison also said that 6-foot-1 junior Matt Johnson will be in the rotation and relied upon for his perimeter shooting.  “He worked so hard during the summer,” Harrison said.  As has, according to Romero, the entire team.  “We’ve put in the work to get better,” he said. Freshman guard Melo Aylmer (above) will immediately be a big piece for the Crusaders. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL) “The goal is to get better every day,” Harrison said. “My motto is “one brick a day.” If they bring the focus and energy every night, we will live with the results.”  Harrison knows the task ahead will not be accomplished overnight, especially not in the Catholic League, where he said there are “no nights off.” He is pleased with his players’ efforts thus far, and is happy with his coaching staff, including lead assistant and long-time coach Bud Rose.  Harrison described the team’s style of play as “high octane” with it defending at a “high level.” “That’s all I know,” he said. “It’s the most fun way to play.”  He does not see his team having one player averaging 20 points per game but sees multiple players carrying the scoring load. Among them will be a talented trio of freshmen - 6-foot guard Melo Aylmer, 6-foot-3 wing Chase Stevens and 6-foot guard TJ Harrison (who is the coach’s son).  Expect Aylmer and Stevens to start, with Harrison playing both JV and varsity. The elder Harrison had this to say about his freshmen.  On Aylmer: “I think he’s ready. We as a staff feel he’s ready.”  On Stevens: “His development has been amazing the last few months. He’s been great. It’ll be hard to keep him out of the starting lineup. He just wants to do what the coaching staff asks.”  On TJ: “His development is going very well.”  Harrison is hoping that those three freshmen, along with the returning upperclassmen, can be part of the foundation that returns the Crusaders to their past that is sprinkled with winning and coaches and players who went on to success at the collegiate and professional levels after leaving Lansdale Catholic.  “”We’re trying to tie into that history,” Harrison said. “We want to bring it back.  He said there is a “pretty good buzz” among the students and community as the first game of the season - at Upper Moreland High on Tuesday, December 3 - approaches. He said he is selling the program to prospective players by telling them that they will have an opportunity to help start something great.  “Why don’t you come somewhere where you can build your own legacy?” he said. “You can be a part of the foundation at Lansdale Catholic that started it all. You can help make it cool to go to Lansdale Catholic.” North Catholic coach Molly Rottmann reacts during a 2023 game against Highlands. The lopsided defeat was deflating in the moment but Trojan head coach Molly Rottmann said her players would soon remember their season more for the big moments that got them to both the WPIAL and state final fours “I think only time will help when there’s a loss at the end of the season,” Rottmann said after completing her 27th season as the Trojans’ head coach “If you told me we’d be in the state final four with the age of our roster You see what Lansdale Catholic did with seniors North Catholic (25-5) may not have had the lead but was hanging with the District 12 reps as the Crusaders (23-5) scored the last 16 points of the half to take a 28-11 advantage into the break “There were two things happening,” Rottmann said of the end of the second period “We were giving them multiple looks at the basket I thought we got some good looks and couldn’t hit them.” who took most of the caroms that came to her area North Catholic had just 18 rebounds as a team Also causing difficulties for the Trojans was Sanyiah Littlejohn Any thoughts of a wild second-half comeback were put to rest early in the third quarter when Aubrey Mobley scored back-to-back buckets to make it 34-11 and stretch the run to 22-0 Sam Weir finally ended the run with a jumper who made two 3-point baskets in the first half finished with a team-high 10 points for North Catholic Sarah Loughry had five boards for the Trojans though the Crusaders also had 10 themselves Most of the fourth quarter was played under a running clock for the mercy rule once the Lansdale Catholic lead reached 30 points North Catholic was denied its first trip to the state finals since 2019 The Trojans last won the championship in 1995 and have seven PIAA championships overall Lansdale Catholic will face Neuman-Goretti in the championship game at Hershey’s Giant Center at noon next Saturday If Javascript is disabled browser, to place orders please visit the page where our photos are available to purchase 2025 at 11:38 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A new list of the top doctors in the greater Philadelphia area includes several from Montgomery County PA — A new list of the best doctors in all specialities in the greater Philadelphia region has been released The comprehensive database was published by Philadelphia Magazine this week Doctors on the list were curated by healthcare research company Castle Connolly Medical which convened a physician-led team of researchers They looked at professional qualifications Lansdale area doctors who made the cut included: "Our mission is to help people find the best health care by connecting patients with best-in-class health-care providers and to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information The list features obstetrics and gynecology and ophthalmology as searchable specialties See the full list here. The Saints had bested LC in their regular season matchup had been putting on absolute clinic in the PIAA playoffs outscoring their opponents 234-119 in the first four rounds With star players on both teams, the PIAA Class 4A girls basketball championship game had all the makings of an instant classic it looked like this might be another blowout win for the Crusaders But the Saints clawed their way back into the game despite the Crusaders’ strong play Neumann-Goretti’s Amya Scott made a steal and drove to the basket for the go-ahead score Neumann-Goretti’s 48-45 come-from-behind victory was its second since 2022 has led the team to six state championship game appearances it was the team’s third state championship appearance in four years The Crusaders won their first-ever state title in 2023 but fell just short of the PIAA playoffs last season the team excelled under new head coach Tom Lonergan who won his 800th career game in the first week of the season Top Performances from Neumann-Goretti:Amya Scott: She led the Saints with 17 points and had 8 steals Her steal and three-pointer with 18 seconds left was the game-winner.Carryn Easley: She tallied 10 points 5 rebounds and 5 assists and her 3-pointer with 3:33 left in the game put the Saints up 45-43.Reginna Baker: The sophomore had 11 points 2 blocks and 2 steals and gave the Saints their first lead of the game on a fastbreak layup in the third quarter (28-27) Top Performances from Lansdale Catholic: Grace McDonough: The James Madison commit finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds her third playoff game in a row with 10 or more boards Saniyah Littlejohn: The George Mason commit led all scorers with 21 points She finished her high school career as a member of the 1,000-point club reaching the milestone late in the fourth quarter.Allie Esposito: She scored all eight of her points in the first quarter giving the Crusaders a big lead.Quarter-by-Quarter details from Neumann-Goretti Lansdale Catholic's PIAA Class 4A championship game:Fourth Quarter: The final seconds that changed everythingWith both teams heating up in the third quarter the star players on both sides of the court came up big in the final eight minutes Amya Scott scored first after nabbing a steal But Sanyiah Littlejohn sank a 3-pointer to give the Crusaders their biggest lead since early in the second quarter Kamora Berry knocked down a pair of free throws and Littlejohn followed with a pair of successful free throws of her own Reginna Baker drove to the hoop for a layup and turned that into a three-point play after drawing a foul leaving the Saints trailing by four points PCL MVP Carryn Easley sank a three-pointer giving the Saints a 45-43 lead with 3 minutes to go With LC’s ball handler under immense pressure With the Saints’ defense continuing to be effective Baker intercepted the Crusaders’ inbound pass attempt with Ali Kaltenbacher grabbing the rebound for LC Grace McDonough and Sanyiah Littejohn accounted for all of LC’s scoring in the quarter with McDonough scoring four points and Littlejohn netting six points In the most competitive quarter of the game The Saints took their first lead of the game but it didn’t last long as the Crusaders took a 37-32 lead into the fourth The Saints recovered from a slow start and outscored LC 10-5 in the quarter to cut the lead Catholic League MVP Carryn Easley scored her first points of the game halfway through the period while Amya Scott continued to pace the Saints and had 11 points at halftime First Quarter: Lansdale Catholic jumps out to a dominant startLC’s Saniyah Littlejohn scored the first points of the game But it was all Crusaders for the rest of the quarter with Littlejohn leading all scorers with nine points The Crusaders took a 22-13 lead into the second quarter Lansdale Catholic is looking for win its second state title in three years Neumann-Goretti is looking to claim its second title in four years If you are the site owner (or you manage this site), please whitelist your IP or if you think this block is an error please open a support ticket and make sure to include the block details (displayed in the box below) so we can assist you in troubleshooting the issue With a name inspired by the First Amendment 1A explores important issues such as policy and what connects us across the fissures that divide the country 1A's goal is to act as a national mirror-taking time to help America look at itself and to ask what it wants to be Shaykh Anwar Muhammad opened The Black Reserve Bookstore in 2017 The Trump administration has issued a deadline to schools and universities to eliminate diversity initiatives or risk losing federal money National Book Award winner Imani Perry’s latest book takes readers on a journey tracing the connection between Black identity and the color blue “It was not as friendly as you would like to think,” she said “So knowing that I can see the diversity even in the street and the neighborhoods and the stores Arionna Brookins, owner of AMGlam Cosmetics “He just really embraced me and took me under his wing,” the Doylestown resident said She said her business is designed to build “a community of uplifting and empowering women … If you take care of yourself through skincare Brookins said she was proud to be one of the vendors at the Black History Month Bazaar It’s not really Black history,” she said and just to be a part of that through entrepreneurship to kind of help someone else who’s underneath me I could do that too.’ So kind of just being how Mr The Black Reserve Bookstore has become a place for learning and connection “And it’s honestly a good hangout spot to meet good other people He has this energy that attracts other good people … You’re always going to feel that at home On Sunday, from noon to 3 p.m., the bookstore is co-hosting a bookbag and school supply giveaway with the Ambler branch of the NAACP Shariah Harris started riding horses in Philadelphia at 8 years old Sunday’s Gun Violence Awareness Day event led attendees through song and prayer before encouraging them to sign letters to lawmakers in support of “common sense” gun laws 2025 at 4:27 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Officials broke ground on a new homeless shelter in Lansdale on Monday afternoon PA — Montgomery County broke ground on a new homeless shelter in Lansdale on Monday the latest in a flurry of moves to address the ongoing housing crisis in the region The new Lansdale shelter will be located on 1107 E Main Street and will house about 20 individuals "This initiative reflects Montgomery County’s commitment to addressing housing insecurity by offering immediate shelter and long-term solutions to support stability and self-sufficiency for residents in need," the county said in a statement "It also demonstrates the power of successful partnership between County and municipal partners when working together to serve our residents." The county is working with both the borough of Lansdale and Resources for Human Development on the project Features of the shelter will include individualized case management The county's January 2024 point in time count an annual effort to count all individuals in the county experiencing homelessness found 7 unsheltered and 31 sheltered people living in Lansdale Officials estimated about 27 people are homeless year-round in the borough alone Lansdale Mayor Gary Herbert said when the shelter was announced in December that the facts bore out a clear "gap." we are always striving to build a better place to live and play,” Herbert said “Doing so requires addressing gaps in our social safety net at all levels of government and partnering to meet the needs of everyone in our community." The county says they are working on similar partnerships and projects with officials in Norristown and they said additional shelters could be announced in the new year Individuals experiencing homelessness in Montgomery County can contact the Your Way Home Call Center at 610-278-3522 for resources and more information 2025 at 12:37 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The Longest Yarn is now open in Lansdale (Theresa Katalinas/Cynthia Hermann)LANSDALE PA — A new hands-on yarn and knitting business in Lansdale will give customers the chance to participate in a variety of classes April 26 at its brand new home on 325 Madison Street in the borough Owner Cynthia Hermann grew up with a love of teaching Her business combines both aspects of her experience “I grew up crocheting lace doilies and always loved the intricacy of lace work," Hermann shared very formulaic — and that structure really appeals to the logical Hermann said she spent some nine years studying business ideas and then working with Score an organization that provides mentoring and assistance to small businesses around the region Hermann's own work has been showcased at art shows in Lansdale and North Wales She wants to not only outfit knitters with supplies but help inculcate their passion by teaching herself Some of her planned classes and sessions include topics like sock-making She also encourages customers to bring in their stashes of extra yarn to her events She wants to help people "turn those odds and ends into a beautiful shawl or wrap." The Longest Yarn is open now at their home by the Lansdale Station Apartments That's because Wood is going for its fifth straight state title while Lansdale Catholic has made the finals for the third time in four years See what they can expect in Hershey this Saturday Playing for a state championship usually involves facing an unfamiliar opponent Lansdale Catholic and Neumann-Goretti play each other at least once a year as both teams are in the Philadelphia Catholic League and District 12 Like Neumann-Goretti and Lansdale Catholic Wood and South Fayette are also familiar with each other and aren’t located anywhere near each other But the two teams faced off in the Class 5A state championship just two years ago The Vikings broke the PIAA record for consecutive playoffs wins when they won their 23rd in a row in the quarterfinals (Ed. Note: This story is part of CoBL’s “Prepping for Preps” series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2024-25 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.) To say this offseason has been different for Lansdale Catholic would be an understatement A team with four returning starters and very clear motivation from a disappointing ending in 2023-24 somehow enters as a major question mark that happens with a coaching change a month and a half before the season starts LC’s got all the parts to get where it wants to get but it may take some time for all those parts to figure out how they best fit “Even adjusting to having an all-new coaching staff we’ve been doing pretty well,” senior forward Grace McDonough said Just in the few weeks we’ve had with open gyms and practices I think we’re all ready to start the season and hopefully start out strong.” Sanyiah Littlejohn (above) and the Crusaders have a new coach this season Tom Lonergan is back in the Philadelphia Catholic League The former Bishop McDevitt coach enters the season with 796 career wins and in a new location after his surprising removal from Gwynedd Mercy Academy this summer Lonergan ended up at LC in mid-October after the Crusaders had some surprising coaching news of their own who coached Lansdale Catholic for six years and led the program to its first state title in 2022-23 1 and Lonergan was named his replacement 11 days later While he’s won everywhere he’s been Lonergan said there were a few questions about what kind of style he was bringing to LC “We want to take advantage of their skills and what we’re looking for is the opportunity to run the floor,” Lonergan said “But we’re confident that if we’re not in that position the structure in our offense will get some looks People thought the style we were going to bring was that more structured style that question was raised when I was introduced My response was that you might think I’m structured but there were years where we were not and it all depends on who you’ve got.” “The biggest thing he’s stressed with us since he got here is getting out in transition,” senior point guard Sanyiah Littlejohn said “He saw we have the kind of team that can get a lot of chances to go down and score before the other team has a chance to set up.” He inherits a roster that’s got plenty of talent on it Littlejohn and Nadia Yemola are both four-year starters with a pair of state title game appearances to their name while McDonough is returning off a third team all-state selection in her first season with the Crusaders who committed to JMU from two dozen Division I offers The 6-foot-2 forward can shoot the ball in the high post and finish in the low post plus she’s a strong rebounder and rim defender is still working back from an offseason shoulder injury but is one of the more dynamic players in the PCL when healthy The 5-foot-10 guard excels in the open floor has improved as a scorer and can be a disruptor on defense Yemola rounds out the senior trio of starters the guard committed to Kutztown beyond this year The 5-foot-8 Yemola is a lethal outside shooter and is looking for a bounce-back year in her senior season he has a ton of experience and he’s won PCL championships,” Yemola said he studied a lot of our film from last year and we’ve already put in a lot of offenses and defenses We’re excited to apply it to games and see how it works for us.” Kutztown commit Nadia Yemola (above) is a fourth-year starter for Lansdale Catholic Allie Esposito is back after starting all of last season the 5-foot-10 sophomore able to play a frontcourt role or more of a perimeter game thanks to a versatile skill set to go with some height started a few games last season and brings a good mix of scoring and playmaking Mobley gives the Crusaders another player who can push the pace as Longeran encourages the team to find opportunities in transition this season LC’s starting five often played the whole game the first-year Crusaders coach saying he believes there are already six starting level players on the team with a couple other players who can contribute early and a few more who could become a factor down the line “The first thing we saw when we watched tape was we have a team that can get it off the glass and get down the floor quickly,” Longergan said “We’re not going to take away from that Things we do defensively are going to be different than what they did but this team with their height and their length I think will be effective in it.” Sophomore Ali Kaltenbacher is another new addition to Lansdale Catholic this year and a familiar face for Lonergan who is also a standout flag football receiver transferred from Gwynedd Mercy Academy prior to the school year Kaltenbacher gives the Crusaders a relentless rebounder and some pretty good hands as an interior player Junior Kyara Benjamin is a quick guard the coaches see finding an increased role spelling Littlejohn and Mobley while freshman Lily Clair brings some size and athleticism to the backcourt rotation at 5-foot-8 a 5-foot-6 guard with a nice outside shot and junior Isabella Allen are the others who will be in the mix for some minutes during the season “We’re going to use our bench more and develop  that seventh and eighth player off the bench,” McDonough said “He talked us about how he’s big on rotating people in and getting us subs when we need it.”  A year after winning a triple crown of the PCL title plus District 12 and PIAA 4A crowns LC never seemed to recapture that same energy last season The Crusaders finished sixth in the league a disappointing loss to newcomer Nazareth Academy proving costly when a buzzer-beating loss to Archbishop Carroll in the PCL quarterfinals ended LC’s season without a state playoff appearance It was a point of contention for the team all offseason McDonough and Yemola all saying after their commitments were made that they were putting their focus on the season Having a new coach come in and then having to learn a new system on offense and defense plus changes in terminology and philosophy made it a little more challenging but the Crusaders aren’t backing down from redeeming themselves “I think we’ve been able to come into practices really focused the new coaches are really big on that too,” Yemola said “We’re trying to show the transfers and the freshmen how it is here and setting the tone through that We’re trying to be really purposeful with everything we do and working toward a future while trying to win.” LC opens up at Conwell-Egan’s tipoff event with games against Council Rock South and Pennsbury on Nov 29 and 30 and a game against Imhotep Charter on Dec The Crusaders will travel to the She Got Game Classic in the D.C then head to Wildwood for games against Egg Harbor Township and Germantown Academy on Dec The nonleague slate rounds out with games against Abington on Jan PCL play opens with a big one as Nazareth Academy visits on Dec with the full slate of league games starting up in earnest LC plays Neumann-Goretti and Archbishop Wood back-to-back on the road Jan 14 and gets Cardinal O’Hara and Archbishop Carroll late on Jan last year we did not end on a good note and I know we could have done so much better and we had so much more potential,” McDonough said we’re getting rid of it and thinking of the future The latest news and information from the world's most respected news source BBC World Service delivers up-to-the-minute news Artist Roxanne Slemmer has led more than 200 people in envisioning the borough’s past and present Some of the personal stories of the more than 200 community volunteers who have worked on the mosaic have also found their way into the tapestry: a fluffy white dog while an owl placed in a tree by volunteer and project supporter stands in memory of her spouse who passed away “It’s the kind of mural that you can really stand and look at on several different occasions and see different things,” Patricia Rieker president of the Lansdale Historical Society Rieker said the visual timeline of Lansdale’s history is an important way to share the borough’s past with newcomers “Lansdale is a town that’s changing,” she said “We’re really transforming over the years and we have a population that’s joining us who doesn’t know much about the history of Lansdale And so for them to be able to see this on the mural and then be curious about it and ask questions about what the old homestead is and why is there an old train on the picture … it really helps to bring some of our newer residents into the whole picture of Lansdale.” Black families and communities have nurtured this neighborhood,” said one of the project's co-curators Lindsay Beuke, program coordinator for Discover Lansdale said that the sense of unity the mural provides is more important now than ever to the growing borough which boasts a population of close to 20,000 people and I think people so often maybe feel like they don’t have connections to their neighbors,” she said “And when you see something like this mural something that symbolizes your neighbor to the left I think that all you can do is smile and just feel pride in where you are and in your town.” Slemmer, a teaching artist from Collegeville, where she still lives, has dedicated herself to creating art and sharing its joys with others. After her degrees in art education and fine art at Kutztown University Slemmer sought work that expanded her artistic repertoire whether that was construction so she could learn how to use power tools for sculptures or working at a framing shop and making frames for her own paintings gave her permission to use the wall of a building he owned on Main Street to create a public artwork That space, called The Art Studio now also serves as the hub for Slemmer’s community art classes Slemmer said she has enjoyed working with children and adults from local organizations the Greater Norristown Art League and Explorations Homeschool Co-op She said she’s seen the impact making art can have on people of all ages and backgrounds “It’s the power of everything inside being able to come out and being on a canvas or some kind of substrate or a surface When you have just paint in front of you on a palette knife and no direction As encouraging as she’s been with her numerous volunteers Slemmer also has held the project itself to high standards When the first steam engine mosaic didn’t work out “You have to let go of a lot of baggage to start from a blank canvas or a blank page,” she said “That’s part of the healing process of art really that’s amazing …  And then everything they are kind of shows up right in front of them.” who volunteered as a member of Explorations Homeschool Co-op She said she was “blown away” by Slemmer’s ability to offer the students guidelines and instruction while still allowing them to explore their own creativity and I just think that that’s incredible understanding that she would need community help,” Beuke said Jane Golden walks Billy Penn through Philadelphia’s 40-year journey as a public art pioneer Beuke said Slemmer and other local artists and art organizations — including Eclipse Center for Creative Community, 365 Foundation and Headway Art Collective — are helping to revitalize the borough economically and culturally “I’m so thankful for people like Roxanne because she’s beautifying that kind of gateway to Lansdale,” she said Slemmer said the six-year journey has been an adventure in “serendipity.” Devon Tile & Design Studio and Colors of Glass in Audubon donated materials while Centanni and Slemmer’s longtime supporter Robin Laminhaute pitched in to help cover costs and promote the work Slemmer also received financial support from J&J Pharmaceuticals and Thrivent Financial and a core group of women volunteers have also contributed their time and energy to the project and it would show up exactly the way I needed it,” she said “That’s really when you know you’re doing what you came here to do that’s what I should be doing on the planet Slemmer carefully selected materials to ensure the mosaic will endure through freeze and thaw for decades — maybe even centuries — to come “I think what really sums it up is when you walk around the corner and there’s a child standing there and somebody’s taking a picture,” Slemmer said “Because they really just want the memory of that being there You can check out the mosaic mural at 135 E. Main St. in Lansdale. Slemmer hopes to hold a dedication ceremony in the spring. A set of portraits depicting real Philly heroes are surrounding the Rocky statue for RockyFest “Legacy in Bloom” in West Philadelphia is for future generations to celebrate civic engagement shoots color using off-the-shelf lawn care equipment A Lansdale Catholic High School graduate and former Princeton football player was among the injured in the terrorist attack in New Orleans Ryan Quigley was hospitalized in the attack that left 15 people including his friend and co-worker Tiger Bech Quigley’s condition was not immediately known Thursday morning He graduated from the Montgomery County school in 2016 and Princeton in 2020 Loved ones have begun to identify some of the 15 people killed early Wednesday when an armed man drove a speeding truck into a crowd celebrating New Year's Eve in New Orleans' French Quarter in what the FBI is investigating as a terrorist act Law enforcement and officials in New Orleans have not publicly identified any of the victims but family and friends said Wednesday that Martin "Tiger" Bech an 18-year-old who recently graduated high school and 27-year-old mother Nicole Perez were among those killed in the attack Bech and Quigley were on Bourbon Street together The men work together at a financial services firm in New York City “We are incredibly proud to count Ryan among our graduates and we are inspired by the ways in which his LC classmates are coming together to support his family during this difficult time," the school said in a statement About 30 people were injured in the attack including two officers who were shot and are now being treated in stable condition President Joe Biden offered his condolences to the victims Wednesday and pledged to stand with the city of New Orleans as it continues to mourn "To all the families of those who are killed to all the people of New Orleans are grieving today according to a statement from The Canterbury School Two Israeli citizens were also hurt, and a consulate representative is traveling to New Orleans, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on X. The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on X two Mexicans were injured but are reportedly in stable condition Here's what we know so far about the victims: Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, a recent graduate of Harrison Central High School was among those killed in the truck attack likely wanted to have some fun before starting a nursing program in January She described her 18-year-old daughter as an "outgoing very smart girl" who often helped care for her 1-year-old sister She was a people person," Melissa Dedeaux said "She was her mama and daddy's favorite," she added Dedeaux said though her daughter was not the type to get into trouble she snuck out with her cousin and a friend to go to New Orleans for New Year's Eve without permission Dedeaux urged others not to travel without letting someone know where they're going Nikyra Dedeaux's friend, 18-year-old Zion Parsons, told The Times-Picayune the teens were leaving Voodoo Chicken and Daquiris on Bourbon Street near Bienville Street when he heard a commotion Dedeaux darted into the street and into the path of the barreling truck Parsons told the outlet Dedeaux went by the nickname "Biscuit" and always had a positive attitude "You know those kinds of people where you can’t find a reason to dislike them She was one of those people," Parsons said spending three seasons at Princeton from 2016-18 "Love you always brother," Jack Bech, a Texas Christian University standout, wrote on X. "You inspired me (every day) now you get to be with me in every moment Martin Bech's death was first announced by Kim Broussard, the athletic director at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette, Louisiana, where he attended. Broussard told KLFY, a local news station in Louisiana that Bech died late Wednesday morning after he was placed on life support until his family could arrive described Bech as an uncommon intellect and athlete "He was just a guy of tremendous depth as well just an impressive guy," Cannon told Reuters "There was no more appropriate nickname of a Princeton player I coached," Princeton football coach Bob Surace said in an announcement "He was a 'Tiger' in every way - a ferocious competitor with endless energy Our last conversation was about how proud I was of the growth he showed during his time at Princeton and the success he was having after graduation Shirell Jackson told The Times-Picayune and ABC News that her cousin Reggie Hunter a warehouse manager and a father of two from Baton Rouge and another cousin were both hit by the truck that barreled down Bourbon Street early Wednesday who leaves behind a 12-year-old and 18-month-old son fashion and recently celebrated Christmas with his loved ones The tennis shoes have to match the hat," she said and his cousin suffered extensive internal injuries Jackson and other family members did not immediately respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY "Reggie was a great big brother, uncle, friend, and father," said a GoFundMe set up to raise money for his funeral expenses was confirmed by her employer Kimberly Usher to Reuters She said Perez had just gotten a promotion and was teaching her 4-year-old son to read before she was killed Perez would occasionally bring her son to work and play spelling games with him who owns the New Orleans-area deli where Perez worked She said Perez was a hard-working mother and dedicated employee so her and her son were about to start their new life," Usher said Usher set up a GoFundMe page to help with expenses A spokesperson for GoFundMe told USA TODAY the organization is in the process of verifying the fundraiser and we are without our friend and dedicated employee," the fundraiser said "I'm hoping to get some help for her burial expenses and to help her son with expenses he will need to transition into a new living situation." Contributing: Lici Beveridge, Mississippi Clarion-Ledger; Austin Curtright, USA TODAY NETWORK; Dave Osborn CHAMBERSBURG >> Aubrey Mobley has found herself in a different role of late for Lansdale Catholic the first player off the Crusaders’ bench all season has instead been a fixture in the starting lineup for the last three games as LC has driven here there and everywhere on its path through the PIAA 4A bracket she was mostly a spectator as LC won its first state championship but this year she’s a willing and active participant Mobley provided a lift on both ends Saturday as LC rolled North Catholic 54-16 in the 4A semifinals at Chambersburg Area High School Lansdale Catholic's Aubrey Mobley scored nine points and played airtight defense as the Crusaders advanced to the PIAA 4A title game it’s just kind of been energy,” Mobley said “Experiencing this my freshman year and watching from the sideline and knowing how much everyone else wanted it I wanted to be on the court then but you know I was a freshman so I wasn’t upset about it “But going through this whole season and seeing how much we’ve overcome together as a team knowing we didn’t make PCL but we could still do this that’s what pushed me to push everyone else.” the guard a little more assertive looking for her offense than she sometimes is while adding four assists It was her work on the defensive end however that really stood out Mobley playing aggressive and airtight defense on North Catholic’s terrific senior point guard Sarah Loughry who had a triple-double in the Trojanettes quarterfinal win went scoreless on Saturday as Mobley and Sanyiah Littlejohn led another outstanding LC defensive effort in the state tournament After defeating Lancaster Catholic 52-48 in the first round of states LC has allowed a total of 70 points in the last three games they’d say they’d played great defense but we don’t believe that,” LC coach Tom Lonergan said they know where we’re at and they know what the opportunity is Sanyiah and Nadia (Yemola) had an opportunity to experience this Aubrey as well and the more and more we got deeper into the tournament the more and more they were just focused.” the George Mason recruit slashing her way through North Catholic’s defense to the tune of 24 points while also helping out plenty on the defensive end one of the first things Lonergan told the team was that by the end of the year they’d be one of the best defensive teams in the state LC can throw a multitude of looks at opponents and to North Catholic’s credit the Trojanettes did well handling some of LC’s traps and extended zones the Crusaders adjusted and leaned on their athletes length and aggression to fluster North Catholic man-to-man our defense was on fire too so I knew I could depend on my help so I could be more aggressive,” Mobley said we knew she wasn’t going to pull up every time and their other shooters were very good so she was going to try and drive it and attack me a little bit from AAU and that fast pace but also from having to guard Sanyiah at practice.” Stopping Loughry was paramount but so was keeping Brady Wehner and Sam Weir – North Catholic’s two standout underclassmen – quiet on the perimeter Lonergan made sure to point out the efforts Yemola put in defensively too the senior sniper bound for Kutztown helping hold Wehmer to just three points North Catholic’s first nine points all came on three-pointers and when Anna Lazzara scored with 6:30 left in the second frame The WPIAL third-place finisher would only make two more baskets and score five more points the rest of the way as LC turned up the defense LC closed the first half on a 16-0 run then added the first six of the third quarter to turn what had been a close game into a 20-point advantage Littlejohn shot 11-of-14 and didn’t take a jumper the guard continually working her way to the rim to keep the pressure on “They hit threes on us early in the game so we wanted to cut that out and we knew they were going to play aggressive man so that would open the floor for a lot of isolations,” Littlejohn said “That’s when I took the floor space they gave me and went downhill on them.” the JMU recruit grabbing 15 rebounds for LC to go along with her eight points with Littlejohn adding seven boards and three assists for the Crusaders Yemola added seven points to go with her terrific defense After their loss to Cardinal O’Hara in the PCL quarterfinals the Crusaders had a long layoff before they got back to work Lonergan gave the team four days off then once they got back into the gym that’s when he felt like everything started to come together Lonergan continued to laud the players for being open and receptive to changing what they knew and adapting to his style of play the players also a lot more comfortable in what they’re doing with Mobley saying she felt confident looking for her shot more on Saturday than she might have been earlier in the season “It’s trusting my coaching staff and trusting my teammates to know what I can do and me knowing what they can do,” Mobley said “I’ve noticed the last couple games the defenses have been sagging off me and that’s because I don’t primarily shoot so they’re going to help on Nadia “If people are going to leave me open Saturday was the latest in what’s been a long string of road trips for LC in the state tournament the Crusaders already logging a little bit more than 1,100 miles on the road this month they came out to Chambersburg on Friday night and stayed over and the group is making the most of their extra time together Lansdale Catholic will face Neumann-Goretti in an all-PCL state final next Saturday in Hershey the Saints downing Audenried 61-52 in the other semifinal “We’re familiar with this run but we’re not satisfied yet,” Littlejohn said “We didn’t come all this way just to lose next weekend We’re not satisfied until we get that one.” LANSDALE — You never forget the game-winning shots instantly remembered that as a 10-year-old he hit a game-winning free throw during a summer league game at the Lawncrest Recreation Center on Rising Sun Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia Moore now has a more significant game-winner to add to his list The springy 6-foot-3 guard made an off-balance 14-footer with 0.5 seconds left to lift Conwell-Egan to a 49-47 win over Lansdale Catholic before a standing-room-only crowd on Friday night in the Philadelphia Catholic League opener for both teams Myles Moore (above) hit the game-winner for Conwell-Egan After the Crusaders fought back from down by as many as 13 points to tie the game at 47 with 34 seconds left on a tough shot in the lane by freshman point guard Melo Alymer Senior point guard Antwone George dribbled between the circles and then got the ball to Moore on the right wing jumped off his right foot at the foul line got the shot off just over the fingertips of an outstretched defender He said he didn’t want the game to go into overtime “He kept his composure,” said Sean Tait who is in first season at Conwell-Egan after successful stops at Father Judge and Archbishop Wood “I didn’t know if he was going to get it off in enough time who spent his freshman season at West Catholic is one of several young players on a revamped roster that has the Eagles off to an 8-2 start with their two losses to Imhotep Charter and Springside Chestnut Hill Academy one junior in Justin Bobb and three sophomores in Moore injured his knee and is likely out for the season Bobb had all 9 of his points in the first half “We’re very young,” Moore said “To come in and get the win means a lot We came in and did what we had to do.” Tait said that winning at Lansdale Catholic is never easy “It’s a tight gym,” he said They have energy with a new coach and a new program and new players To get a road win with all these sophomores - because we are very young - is giant.” The Eagles jumped to a 20-10 lead after the first quarter against a newlook Lansdale Catholic team with two freshmen starters in Alymer and wing Chase Stevens that entered the game with a 7-2 record and were fresh off winning the championship at the Ridley Holiday Tournament the Crusaders went a combined 7-67 during the last four seasons Enter new coach Torre Harrison and a new attitude within the program “We want to compete,” Harrison said.  “That’s what we’ve been preaching since day one We want things to look different than what it was before … The first thing I said in my interview for the job was that I want this to be one of the toughest places to play in the Catholic League We have to give the fans something to want to be here for The Crusaders pulled to within 25-18 at halftime when Alymer made a three-pointer 9 seconds before halftime It was their first made three-pointer of the half “I think we were a little tight because it’s the first Catholic League game,” Harrison said It’s another environment and a new season so I think we were a little tight early and then we settled down in the second half.” The Crusaders scored the first six points of the second half to pull within 28-24 but the Eagles extended their lead to 39-32 by the end of the third quarter Moore’s old-fashioned three-point play extended the Conwell-Egan lead to 45-39 with 3:19 to play Moore said that he is continuing to adjust to his new role at his new school “We have mixed personalities on the team and it took a while to get cool with each other who were led by Alymer’s 12 points and 10 each from Stevens and Yeboa Cobbold Jr. are looking for their first Catholic League win since the 2020-2021 season and they almost earned it Friday night largely behind the play of Alymer He hit several big shots in the second half and played with a calmness not often seen in a freshman “He’s been playing well,” Harrison said He’s a guy who just continues to learn and he’s growing up You grew up tonight.’ I think these early games here are going to pay dividends Tait was impressed: “He’s a talent He’s going to be a handful for the next three years in the league.” Conwell-Egan and its young core of players got off to the start they were hoping for in the Catholic League - largely due to Moore’s heroics.  who said he has been playing basketball since he was 8 grew up with five older sisters and lives in Northeast Philadelphia - a precisely 19-minute drive from his house to the Conwell-Egan campus in Fairless Hills in Lower Bucks County He has plenty of time to think on the way to and from school each day he will have another game-winning shot to think about