Tri-Captains Modrovsky, Taraschuk and Eisele Will Lead Hornet Basketball Team
HONESDALE - Jon Gillow’s rookie year as head coach of Honesdale’s boys varsity basketball team was something of an emotional rollercoaster ride.
The Hornets struggled mightily during the early part of the 2022-23 season, losing their first six straight. However, they showed flashes of brilliance as the campaign wore on with quality wins over the likes of North Pocono, Scranton Prep and archrival Wallenpaupack Area.
At the end of the day, though, Honesdale’s overall record stood at 7–16. The Hornets did advance to the District 2 tournament, but were eliminated by Prep in the Class 4A quarterfinals.
And while the Red & Black suffered significant losses to graduation, Gillow is optimistic about Year 2 of his coaching tenure.
“I think we have a little ways to go, but this could definitely be a successful group,” he said. “I am extremely excited to see these kids put it all together. They’ve worked hard for me and they deserve it.”
Weather permitting, Honesdale will tip-off its regular season slate on Monday, Dec. 4 at Carbondale Area. There, the Hornets will play West Scranton in the opening round of the Finan Memorial Tournament.
Veteran Leaders
Any serious discussion of the 2023-24 Honesdale boys varsity squad must begin with the tri-captains.
The Hornets will be led this winter by Jack Eisele, Peter Modrovsky and Joey Taraschuk. All three are seniors and each brings a wealth of experience to the table.
“They are just awesome kids,” said Coach Gillow. “They’re great friends and have been forever. All three are super-respectful, hard working and intelligent.”
Eisele is fresh off an outstanding fall season as a member of the boys soccer team. He is a scrappy point guard who’s also a hard-nosed defender and a very vocal leader.
Eisele played a great deal of JV as a junior, but he did contribute five varsity points including one trey.
“Jack commands the floor like no one else,” Coach Gillow said. “He’s outspoken and not afraid to communicate on the court. Jack worked extremely hard during the off-season, not just on the basketball court but also in the weight room.”
Modrovsky is another multi-sport standout who has committed to play baseball at DeSales University. He’s an athletic power forward who saw significant varsity time last year.
Modrovsky tallied a total of 51 points as a junior on the strength of 12 field goals, five treys and a dozen free throws.
“Peter is a natural born leader,” Coach Gillow said. “People tend to follow him and his personality is a big reason why. Peter has a cool, calm and collected demeanor, and he never seems to get frustrated.”
Taraschuk is a versatile athlete who has also played soccer and run cross country. Last winter, he emerged as one of the Hornets’ most dynamic scoring threats at the off-guard spot.
Taraschuk finished third on the team in scoring with 137 points. Included in that total were an eye-popping 30 treys.
“Joey has a super-smooth jump shot,” said Coach Gillow said. “He worked hard all off-season, and is now ready to show the league what he is capable of.“
Ready to Roll
Honesdale will once again be competing in the Lackawanna League’s rugged Division II this season.
The Hornets posted a 6-7 divisional mark last year, good for a runner up finish behind North Pocono (9-4). Paupack was third at 5-8, followed by Delaware Valley (3-10) and Western Wayne (0-13).
Seniors Nate Greene, Cameron Hedgelon and Brayden Hall will also play key roles for the Red & Black.
Greene is a battle-tested veteran who will line up at center. He scored 108 varsity points last year. Hedgelon is a multi-sport standout who also excels on the baseball diamond. Hall is an explosive offensive player who can attack the basket and finish above the rim.
“As a group, I think two of our biggest strengths will be teamwork and unselfishness,” Coach Gillow said. “These kids all really care about each other and it shows.”
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Trio of captains set to lead Honesdale's boys basketball team
