PHOTO GALLERY | Fast start helps Old Forge end United boys 'monumental' season in 2A semifinal

SPRING MILLS, Pa. – The United High School boys basketball team’s historic season concluded Tuesday night in the PIAA Class 2A semifinal round, as Old Forge scored the game’s first 11 points and relied on the two-pronged scoring production by guard Cameron Parker and 6-foot-6 inside presence Logan Fanning.

Parker (36 points) and Fanning (22) combined for all but six of the Blue Devils’ points in a 64-48 victory over the previously undefeated Lions at Penns Valley Junior-Senior High School.

PHOTO GALLERY | United boys historic run ends in 64-48 state semifinal loss to Old Forge

“Right now, it doesn’t feel very good,” United coach Matt Rodkey said after his District 6-2A and Heritage Conference champions concluded a 30-1 season one game shy of the state final, “but we told the kids they’re going to look back on this and they’re going to think of a lot of positives. The feeling they have right now isn’t the one they wanted.

“It’s going to be something that a week, a month, a year down the road, when they look back (they will realize),” he added. “The same for me, I couldn’t have asked for more.

“I’m so blessed with the kids we have, the coaches and everybody buying into our system.

“Our community, the following, my family – I’m so blessed and honored to be their coach. It hurts right now, but this was a pretty monumental, historic team.”

Dmitri Worthington, Camren Krushnowaski

United’s Dmitri Worthington (right) works his way around Old Forge’s Camren Krushnowaski during a PIAA Class 2A semifinal playoff game at Penns Valley Area High School in Spring Mills, PA., Tuesday, March 17, 2026.

After going winless in five previous state playoff tournament appearances, United won in each of the first three rounds of this season’s 2A bracket.

Rodkey’s team won its first 30 games – a program-best mark.

District 2 champion Old Forge (22-6) will face District 7 champion Sewickley Academy, a 64-39 winner over District 10 Mercyhurst Prep in Tuesday’s other semifinal. The title game will be at 2 p.m. Friday inside the Giant Center in Hershey.

“Credit to United,” Old Forge coach J.J. Thomas said. “They’re a tremendous team.

“They gave us everything they had and we were able to respond. We needed to come out to a fast start against them. Fortunately, we did.”

In addition to his 22 points, Fanning controlled the paint with 15 rebounds and six blocked shots. Parker was effective either driving to the basket, going 11-of-11 on the free-throw line or shooting long-range, with three 3-pointers.

Matt Rodkey

“Two of the best players to come out of Old Forge,” Thomas said.

The Blue Devils tallied the first 11 points of the game, a run capped by Parker’s reverse layup with 3:52 on the first-quarter clock.

United sophomore Brendan James ended the shutout with a basket 20 seconds later to make it 11-2.

The Blue Devils’ Fanning completed a three-point play to stretch the advantage to 20-4 before United senior Connor Darr closed the quarter with a 3-pointer.

“They’re tough,” Rodkey said. “They got to us early. We had to pull Ryan Felix out a little bit in the first quarter (due to two early fouls) and that didn’t help. They made just about everything they put up.”

In the second quarter, Old Forge took a 19-point lead (34-15) when Parker made a 3-pointer at 2:12.

The Lions closed the opening half with baskets by junior Brody Burkett and senior Carter Payne.

The Lions cut the deficit to 12 points after posting a 14-11 third-quarter scoring advantage. United pulled as close as eight points (56-48) after senior Dmitri Worthington made a 3-pointer with 3:05 remaining in the game.

“We just tried to keep pushing the pace,” Rodkey said. “We thought we were getting to them. At one point, we actually thought we had them tired enough that we could really push it up more. We made a couple in a row.”

Old Forge’s Parker went 9-of-9 on the free-throw line in the fourth quarter and scored 13 points in the final eight minutes.

United’s Payne had a team-high 17 points and pulled down six rebounds.

Senior Worthington scored 13 points, with three 3-pointers. Felix, a junior, posted 10 rebounds and seven points.

“Our kids are resilient,” Rodkey said.

“They battled back. I’m so proud of them.

“They never gave up. They never quit.

“Hat’s off to Old Forge – they’re a heck of a team.”

Old Forge had extra motivation, playing for injured leader Ryan DeMarco, who was lost for the postseason during a 51-39 quarterfinal win over District 3 runner-up Delone Catholic.

“He broke his tibia and fibula,” Thomas said after Tuesday’s win. “He had surgery 60 hours ago. He jumps in the car for a 21/2-hour drive and comes here to support his guys. He’s definitely one of the reasons why we played like we did today.”

Rodkey thanked a strong senior class and looked to his underclassmen building on a strong foundation.

“My nephew, Brady Robertson, today is his birthday,” said Rodkey, a sixth-year Lions coach. “He’s been in our program the whole time, Jake Burkett as well. They’re both great young men and good students.

“Connor Darr, we’re going to miss him a lot. He does the dirty work. He battled Fanning all night. Dmitri Worthington always plays tight against the other team’s point guard. What a great 3-point shooter he is, and a good student-athlete.

“What can you say about Carter Payne? He’s such a humble young man who works so hard,” Rodkey said of the 1,000-pointer scorer. “Always the first guy there and the last guy to leave. He’s got a great future ahead of him as well. I’m just honored to be able to coach those guys.”

Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.