Bethlehem Catholic's girls basketball team was crowned Lehigh Valley Conference champions on Saturday after defeating Central Catholic 65-33 at Freedom High School.

If girls basketball fans were expecting a repeat of the Hawks and the Vikettes earlier-season, double-overtime game in which Becahi came out on top, nothing could have been further from that contest.

Led by Becahi guards Janelle Robinson and Maggie Melhem, who scored 20 points apiece, the Hawks took an early 24-8 lead after the first quarter.

"We knew Central has a good team. They do their offense and run their plays to tire you down. It's the first time we didn't have a game where little mistakes could cost us the game," Robinson said.

The Hawks held the Vikettes to only eight points again in the second quarter, going into the locker room ahead 38-16.

"Our weakness is getting beat on cuts to the basket, so we worked on how to get through screens the right way," said Robinson.

Becahi's Kalista Walters scored 14 points, Danielle Griffin added eight points, Tessa Zamolyi had two points, and Jordynn Jones had one.

The Vikettes were held to just five points in the fourth quarter.

Despite eventually becoming district champs last season, the Hawks were knocked out of the LVC tournament in the semifinals against Parkland.

Regarding Becahi's championship, Robinson said, "It feels great. You don't know how long we've been waiting for this."

Bethlehem Catholic's road to a second district championship in two years will begin on Feb. 22, when the top-seeded Hawks will face Palisades or Saucon Valley at 2:30 p.m. at Catasauqua High School.