H.S. BASKETBALL: Mahanoy Area’s Bro and Connolly lead the way to District 11 playoffs

Felicia Bro and Ella Connolly have been integral pieces for Mahanoy Area as the Golden Bears head into the second half of the regular season with an outstanding league effort.

The duo led the Golden Bears (10-3; 7-1) to a 56-16 win over Nativity on Monday to earn a District 11 playoff spot in a crowded Class 3A field.

“This win qualified us for the district playoffs. Now we have a tough road ahead this week and it’s not getting any easier,” Mahanoy Area coach Tom Scheeler said . “We like to pressure teams as much as we can and that gets us into our running game.”

Bro and Connolly are joined in the starting lineup this season by Naomi Kowalick, Juliana Wonsock and Lilly Carl. Kieran Haughney, Emma Manley, Calli Zubris and Brooklyn Christian have also filled key rotational roles.

“I’m comfortable in my role and I also like playing point guard, because I can get my teammates opportunities,” Bro said. “We work on our press every day. It’s a good way to get steals and set up our offense.”

“I think it helps us a lot, running the whole floor. Felicia is great with looking underneath for me and passing the ball, and it helps us a lot and we can score a lot more,” Connolly said. “Me and Felicia have been playing for a while over the years. We’ve built a good connection and realizing how much we compliment each other on the court.”

The connection between Bro and Connolly was felt with an enormous presence against Nativity on Monday. Bro recorded four of the team’s 21 total steals, to help set up Connolly’s 23 points.

“They find each other,” he said. “Felicia has turned into a pretty good point guard, and Ella gets down the floor fast, so we look for her a lot.”

Mahanoy Area’s Felicia Bro (21) approaches the basket as Mahanoy Area hosts Nativity BVM, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)

Bro recorded her 1,000th career point in a 65-47 win over Panther Valley on Dec. 3, and was named the Republican Herald Athlete of the Week on Dec. 8.

“It really means a lot to me, because it has been a goal of mine for a long time,” Bro said. “I put in a lot of work over the years and to do this with my teammates really made it special.”

Bro and Connolly are both hoping to lead Mahanoy Area to a District 11 Championship. The Golden Bears last captured the district crown in 2021, concluding a six-year stretch in which they won five district titles.

The Golden Bears have won back-to-back games, with Connolly reaching the 20-point mark in both.

“Mahanoy Area has a great tradition of very talented girls basketball players, so it’s really important to play hard every game – to play to that standard,” Bro said.

“We have a tough schedule coming up and our defense has been as tough as it could be,” Scheeler said.

Lourdes remains the only team ahead of Mahanoy Area in the Schuylkill League Division II rankings at 12-1 overall and 8-0 in league play.

The Golden Bears now get set for a road matchup at Lincoln Leadership on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.