Sports

Conestoga Valley • Donegal • Elizabethtown Garden Spot • Hempfield Lampeter-Strasburg • Manheim Central Penn Manor • Pequea Valley • Solanco

Pioneers Open Section Play With Two Wins

BY MONA STEINHAUER

Freshman Ty Burton dropped in a game-high 28 points and L-S led from start to finish in their season-opening 59-40 win over Garden Spot Friday, January 8.

“It’s always good to get that first section win,” said head coach Ed Berryman.

Burton scored the opening bucket of the game and racked up 11 points in the second quarter as the Pioneers built a 35-12 advantage by halftime.

Garden Spot picked it up after the break and the Pioneers settled in, playing 11 players in a game that featured a combined 33 free throws. The Spartans drained five of their six three pointers in the second half to keep within striking distance. They outscored the hosts 28-24 but it was too little, too late.

“This was only our fifth day back,” said Berryman. “Garden Spot played with a sense of urgency in the second half and you can’t match that intensity at practice. We found out what we need to work on.”

Luka Vranich came off the bench with 11 points and Isaiah Parido netted nine, including six in Lampeter’s 14-6 first quarter advantage.

“We only have one senior starter and not a lot of size,” added Berryman. “But we’re scrappy and fast and we can shoot the ball. I think Luka stepped up and Isaiah set a goal to be our leading rebounder so he’s working on that.”

On the road Wednesday, Jan. 13, the Pioneers survived a pesky Baron squad, pulling out a 59-56 win. Tied at

Photo by Mona Steinhauer

Ty Burton lays the ball up for two of his game-high 28 points in Lampeter-Strasburg’s 59-40, Section Three win over visiting Garden Spot on January 8.

18-18 at the break, L-S used a 19-12 run through the third quarter to gain the breathing room they needed as the hosts mounted a comeback, outscoring the Pioneers 21-17 in the final eight minutes.

“They have everyone back so we knew it would be tough,” said Berryman. “We were happy to pull out the win.”

Burton fueled the third quarter run with seven of his game-high 16.

And the charity stripe kept L-S from pulling away. The Pioneers were 7-of14, including a pair of one-and-ones, in the fourth and were 11-of-20 for the game.

Parido hit double figures with 14, including seven in the first quarter and Berkley Wagner came off the bench with 10, hitting a big trey with 3:23 left that pushed the lead to 52-47.

“Isaiah and Berkley both hit big threes in the fourth quarter,” said Berryman. “Every time they made a run, we answered the call.”

The Barons cut the lead to three with 15.5 left and had a good look at a three-ball that would have tied the game.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

On the road Friday, Jan. 8, the lady Pioneers exploded for 20 first quarter points, tacked on another 16 in the second quarter and cruised to a 57-39 Section Three win over Garden Spot.

L-S placed three players in double figures to spark the attack. Emma Drouillard and sophomore Maggie Swarr, who knocked down three of four three-ball attempts, led the way with 14 points each and Hailey Leaman added 13.

“This is the best balance we’ve had in a while,” pointed out head coach Tony Fink. “We finished with nine threes for the game and six came in the first half. I thought we tired some in the second half and our scoring cooled off. We’re happy with the result,” he added, “but we need to clean up the defense with some big games (Central and Solanco) coming up.”

That Central game rolled around Wednesday night (Jan. 13) and saw LS improve to 2-0 with a convincing 4629 final. L-S used a 17-point second quarter to extend a 5-1 first quarter lead and then pulled away with a 17point burst in the fourth after the Barons closed the gap to six.

Drouillard, with back-to-back threes in the fourth quarter, and Katie Ranck, with nine points in the fourth, tied for game-high honors with 15. Daveler (6), Leaman and Hostetter (4 each) and Swarr (2) cleaned up the scoring.

SWIMMING

On an afternoon where L-S met little resistance, the Pioneer swimmers buckled down and took care of business, sweeping visiting Lancaster Catholic. The defending Section Two champ Lady Pioneers posted a 133-19 final against a short-handed Crusader squad while the boys’ team also dominated, 104-41.

“Our out of the water training and last week’s training in the pool proved to work as we picked up two wins,” said head coach Kylie Turner. “The girls have their eyes set on back-to-back championships in Section Two this year.”

Freshman Zara Paisley was the only double winner of the day, securing the top time in both the 100 breaststroke and 100 free. She also anchored the winning 400 free relay and the 200medley relay with Elizabeth Horner, Bre Fluhr and Kara Scranton opening the action.

The girls also won the 200 free relay led by sophomore Krista Lambert (28.41) who squeaked out a victory in the 50 free, edging Catholic’s Maxine Rann (27.76). Ashley Prouse, Sidney Brinkman and Abby Welchans rounded out the win.

Other winners on the day included Horner in the 200 free, Scranton in the 500 free, Welchans in the 100 backstroke and Ellie Parido in the 100 fly.

The boys’ squad was almost as impressive, sweeping the relays and winning 10 individual events. Andrew Reidenbaugh, a junior, not only anchored the 200 medley (Nathan Eberly, Kyle Spaulding, Ryan Smecker) and the 400 free (Smecker, Eberly and Spaulding) but pulled out a close win in the 50 free, nipping Nicholas DiBattistta by .04 seconds, and dominating the 100 free.

Smecker also earned two wins on the day, securing top times in the 100 back and 100 fly.

“We had multiple top times, specifically those close races with Kyle in the 200 IM and Ryan in the 100 fly,” noted Turner. “Close races bring excitement and fast times which all my swimmers enjoy.”

WRESTLING

L-S opened Section Two action with a disappointing 55-12 loss to Donegal, Tuesday, Jan. 12.

“We had eight starters out of the lineup,” noted head coach Brad Heeter. “The guys had their hearts set on a team section title this season, but circumstances will make that goal a challenge. Anything is still possible. We need to stay focused on accomplishing individual goals and hope to stay healthy.”

L-S forfeited the first six bouts of the night, quickly falling behind 36-0. An overtime decision at 106 and a tight 20 loss at 113 pushed the visitors lead to 42-0.

Lampeter’s first points of the night were forfeit points at 126. Arik Harnish followed that with a fall over Taj Younger to account for the home team scoring.

Photo by Mona Steinhauer

The Pioneers’ Nick DelGrande scores in front of Garden Spot’s Brendan Weaver during Lampeter-Strasburg’s 59-40, Section Three win at home on January 8.