Central Dauphin defeats Middletown in Mid-Penn semifinal

Kayanah Taylor's 19 points lead Rams to victory over previously unbeaten Raiders

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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The Commonwealth Division champion Central Dauphin Rams defeated the Colonial Division champion Middletown Blue Raiders 46-36 in the Mid-Penn tournament semifinal. Kayanah Taylor scored a game-high 19 points for the Rams, who used a 12-2 run in the third quarter to pull away. Middletown, previously unbeaten at 22-0, was led by Jayla Koser's 11 points but could not overcome Central Dauphin's defense and balanced scoring attack.

Why it matters

This matchup featured two of the top high school girls basketball teams in the region, with Central Dauphin and Middletown both having dominant regular seasons. The win keeps Central Dauphin's momentum going as they advance to the Mid-Penn championship game, while Middletown will now shift focus to the upcoming District 3 5A playoffs.

The details

Central Dauphin overcame a slow start, with Middletown's defense forcing the Rams to rush their offense early on. But the Rams settled in during the second half, using a key 12-2 run sparked by a 3-pointer from Sam Sembrot to take control of the game. Kayanah Taylor led the Rams with 19 points, while Olivia Green added a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Middletown was paced by Jayla Koser's 11 points, but the Raiders were held well below their season scoring average.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, February 11, 2026.
  • Central Dauphin and Middletown will meet in the Mid-Penn championship game on Thursday, February 13, 2026 at 5:30 p.m.

The players

Kayanah Taylor

A standout guard for Central Dauphin who scored a game-high 19 points to lead the Rams to victory.

Olivia Green

A forward for Central Dauphin who recorded a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Jayla Koser

The leading scorer for Middletown with 11 points, but the Raiders were held well below their season scoring average.

Emma Cleland

Middletown's newest 1,000-point scorer, who was held in check by Central Dauphin's defense.

Randy Gambelunghe

The head coach of the Central Dauphin Rams, who praised his team's improved decision-making and ability to take advantage of mismatches in the second half.

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What they’re saying

“We obviously had a few mismatches, so a couple times we took advantage of those mismatches. Also, the decision making was bad in the first half. I think second half we started to think a little more and started to wait for some good shots. Even though we still took some bad ones, it was better. That was a great game for us. I think that's a game that's going to go way to preparing us for what's next.”

— Randy Gambelunghe, Head Coach, Central Dauphin Rams (pennlive.com)

What’s next

Central Dauphin will face Mechanicsburg in the Mid-Penn championship game on Thursday, February 13, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. Middletown will now shift focus to the upcoming District 3 5A playoffs.

The takeaway

This semifinal matchup between two of the top teams in the region lived up to the hype, with Central Dauphin's second-half adjustments and balanced scoring attack proving to be the difference against the previously unbeaten Middletown squad. The Rams' victory sets up an intriguing championship game as they look to cap off a strong season.