Sports

8- ADVERTISER - Penn Manor Edition - May 12, 2021 SPORTS Conestoga Valley • Donegal • Elizabethtown Garden Spot • Hempfield Lampeter-Strasburg • Manheim Central Penn Manor • Pequea Valley • Solanco MORE SPORTS PICTURES and other high school sports news at

Comets Win First-Ever Singles and Doubles Titles

BY MONA STEINHAUER

The tennis team earned a pair of titles last week, both believed to be firsts for the boys’ tennis program. Curtis Rabatin not only made his way through the Flight One singles bracket, defeating teammate Stefo Billis 6-2, 6-1 for the individual title but then partnered with Maxwell Davis for the Flight One AAA doubles gold as well. The duo got by Hempfield’s top team and Manheim Central’s Andrew Rajaratnam and Tyler Snavely, the fourth seed, both with 8-3 scores and then handled Ephrata’s Wilson brothers 8-1 in the finals.

“Our strategy was to come out aggressive and hitting hard because the Wilson brothers are good at finesse, placement and consistency,” noted head coach Amanda Pryzbylkowski. “We had to take control early. Maxwell and Curtis were ready and focused and kept up the intensity to win fairly quickly.”

Billis, the top seed, defeated Davis 6-3, 6-3 and then Cedar Crest’s Charlie Robbins 6-3, 6-4 to get to the finals. Rabatin, seeded third, beat Central’s Andrew Rajaratnam 6-3, 6-3 and then handled No. 2 seed Chase Wilson of Ephrata, 6-3, 6-1 to get to Billis and the finals where he secured the gold with a 6-2, 6-1 result. “With all the last minute changes of times and locations, the guys stayed focused and engaged,” said Pryzbylkowski. “As a coach, it was tough to have two guys playing in the finals. I wanted both of them to play their best. This was the first time all season that one of them beat the other two times consecutively! The points were amazing to watch and they were both hitting well.”

SOFTBALL

In a battle for the top spot in Section One, the Comets faced two other teams, Warwick and Manheim Township, jockeying for the same position. On a wind-swept home field Friday, April 30, a game that see-sawed back-and-forth and featured a combined 28 hits, came down to a six-run top of the sixth inning as Warwick erased a 6-4 deficit and finished with an 11-7 victory.

“The wind played a factor but it did not determine the outcome,” said head coach Dave Stokes. “We didn’t get the big hit when we needed it. We left 13 runners on base.”

The Comets, outhitting the Warriors 16-12, left runners on in every inning, including bases loaded in the first after Warwick jumped out to a 2-0 advantage. Manor tied it up in the second only to see Warwick push ahead with two in the fourth. The hosts grabbed their first lead in the bottom half, making it 5-4.

A solo homer by No. 9 hitter Kylie Goss in the fifth gave the Comets their final lead as Warwick’s sixth inning rally proved too much to overcome.

Sophia Rineer and Tori Hook each collected three hits with Riggs, Madison Trout, Isabella Peters and Goss adding two each.

Last Monday the Comets improved to 10-3 with an 8-5 win over Manheim Township.

“We scored five of our runs in the fifth with two outs,” noted Stokes. “Tori and Emily each had key two run doubles.”

Wednesday the Comets made short work of McCaskey, winning 17-2 in four innings on the strength of home runs, one by Patterson and grand slams by Bella Peters and Kaelin Gable.

VOLLEYBALL

Behind eight kills each from Riley Walton and Greyson Schatz, Penn Manor’s volleyball team earned its third league win of the season with a convincing 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 259) final over winless Manheim Township Friday, April 30.

“We’ve had a lot of close matches,” said head coach Dustin Hornberger. “What we need to break out is some defense to allow the offense to run in transition. Late in the season, defense wins matches, especially in the playoffs. Right now we control our own destiny,” he added “We want that fourth spot in Section One so we can compete in the postseason.”

Walton added four aces to his stat line while Max Bushong (13 digs), Wyatt Rohrer (23 assists) and Luke Thomas (1block) also contributed.

Last Tuesday the Comets swept the series against Cedar Crest with a solid 3-0 (25-16, 25-23, 25-15) win. Schatz (5 kills), Bushong (4 digs) and Rohrer (11 assists) were the stat leaders, pushing Manor to 4-5 in Section One.

BOYS’ LACROSSE

With six goals in the first quarter, the Comets set the tone early and cruised to a lopsided 163 win over Warwick Thursday, April 29 at Comet Field. Manor held the Warriors to single goals in the second, third and fourth quarters.

Clayton Hollinger racked up seven goals and one assist. Cole Specialetti, Jack Barley and Erik Hinkle, who led with three assists, each scored twice. Dylan Keene, Isiac Nafziger (2a) and Benedict Flinchbaugh (2a) added one goal each while Nick Hollinger needed just seven saves to improve Manor’s overall record to 9-3

One night later, in the Backyard Bash at Lampeter-Strasburg, Manor’s win streak stopped at three as L-S pulled out a 16-14 victory. The Pioneers led 10-4 in the first half and, despite a second half rally by the Comets, held on for the win.

Hollinger and Keene combined for nine goals with Jack Barley adding two.

Playing their third game in as many days, the Comets picked up an 8-1 non-league win over Conrad Weiser Saturday, May 1. Manor outscored the visitors 7-0 over the middle frames to take control.

Hollinger (2a) and Nafziger each notched hat tricks with Spezialetti and Barley adding one goal each.

BASEBALL

After two straight wins over Ephrata and Solanco, the baseball dropped three straight: a 15-1 tally against Warwick on an overly windy day in Lititz April 30, a 3-0 shutout against section leader Manheim Township, and a 7-6 heartbreaker to McCaskey last Wednesday night.

Despite the loss to Warwick, the Comets were the first to score. Isaac Braegelman singled with one out and scored on Max Jesberger’s two out base hit. But the visitors managed just one more hit that day, a leadoff single by Dalton Green in the fifth inning.

In a game that featured five total hits, Township scored all three of their runs in the fifth inning with two outs. Brad Frey connected for both of the Comets hits.

Holding a 6-2 lead after 4.5 innings, the Comets gave up five runs in the bottom of the fifth and suffered a one run loss to McCaskey.

GIRLS’ LACROSSE

With the end of the season a week away, the Comets were looking to move up in the standings. Losses to Warwick (14-5 on April 30) and Conrad Weiser (10-9 on May 1) however, dropped their overall record to 5-8.

The Warriors exploded for a 10-1 first half lead and the Comets could not recover. Keegan Dings netted two goals. Kendall Ulmer, Maddie Weber and Erin Shipley each scored once.

One day later it was the Comets with the early lead, building a 5-2 advantage at Conrad Weiser. The hosts, however, turned the tables after the break, rallying to tie the game and then securing the 10-9 victory in overtime.

“At halftime we had three key players that were unable to continue due to injury,” said head coach Anneli Starry. “Unfortunately, this is what happens when you are scheduled for four games in one week due to quarantines. We are heading into our second week of four games. Covid is affecting a lot of our season and other teams as well. It is just something we need to work through.

“CW tied the game in the last 30 seconds of regulation and in overtime, they were awarded a free penalty shot to win,” she explained.

Dings and Ulmer each recorded hat tricks while Caity McGough, Weber and Shipley chipped in with one goal each.

Last Tuesday at Comet Field, the visiting Buckskins jumped out to an 11-1 first half lead en route to a 15-2 win. Brooklynn Ayala recorded 13 saves while freshman Jarliah Ferko and sophomore reserve Liv Cox scored their first goals of the season.

submitted photo

Maxwell Davis and Curtis Rabatin are all smiles after winning the LancasterLebanon League doubles tournament Monday, May 3. Rabatin was also the Class 3A singles champ.

photo by Mona Steinhauer

In Friday’s home loss against Warwick, Manor’s Bria Booth fires a throw to first base.

photo by Mona Steinhauer

Comet first baseman Madison Trout fields a Warwick bunt and gets the out at first base in an April 30th loss to the Warriors.

photo by Mona Steinhauer

Penn Manor’s Sophia Rineer takes the throw from catcher Tori Hook as the Comets catch Warwick’s Katelyn Minney in a rundown Friday, April 30 at home.