Since their four-point win over Ephrata, the Comets have lost four straight. Two have been by six or fewer points, two more by 11. In back-to-back outings, Manor suffered a 57-46 loss to Lebanon Friday, Jan 21. Then at noon on Saturday, they dropped a hard-fought six-point loss to Middletown at Doe Run Elementary School in Manheim where the Comets played the first game of the L-L League vs Mid-Penn Showdown. At home last Tuesday, the Comets slipped to 2-12 overall with a 57-46 loss to Hempfield.

Despite a game-high 22 points from Kamrin Carroll, a 17-11 first quarter deficit proved to be the difference in the 11-point loss to Lebanon on Friday.

Manor finished with two more field goals, but the Cedars were hot from long-range, doubling the Comets 8-4 in made three pointers.

Ethan Benne added 10 points. Dhamir Wesley and Cameron Scholl combined for 14.

On Saturday, the Comets fought from behind from start to finish against the second ranked team in District Three 4A. Down by as many as six, a bucket by Randy Short (13 points) cut Middltown's lead to 17-15. It was the closest the Comets would get.

Middletown led 26-19 at the break and were up as many as 12 in the third. Benne knocked down a deep trey at the buzzer to cut it to 42-33.

The Comets hit the boards in the fourth, did not turn the ball over and outscored the Blue Raiders 19-16 but it wasn't enough. Short, who went 7-for-10 from the free throw line, hit both ends of a one-and-one with 1:21 left, cutting the lead to 53-50. Then the Comets were forced to foul, and Middletown knocked down 5-of-7 foul shots down the stretch to seal Manor' fate.

Benne led the way with 17 points. Carroll followed with 11.

Hempfield held a 28-24 lead at the half and then gained momentum when Miguel Pena knocked down three treys and finished with 13 points in the third quarter and outscored the Comets 17-10.

Benne paced the Comets with 16 points, including 7-of-6 free throws. Carroll added 10.

BOWLING

The battle for the top spot in the Section One standings took place last Monday at Leisure Lanes where Hempfield and Penn Manor, tied for the lead, competed for the second time. And for the second time this season, the Knights rose to the occasion, winning 5-2.

With a 269 from Charlie Hull, the Comets got off to a strong start, taking the first set 1223-1090. That was all the motivation Hempfield needed as they charged back to win the next two sets and the final pin total (3372-3300) for sole possession of the top spot. The Knights move to 49-14. Manor falls in at 46-19.

"I was disappointed we lost but we bowled tough," said head coach Chris Vital. "That 3300 is our highest match of the year."

Josh Stock paced the Comets with a 716 series that included nine straight strikes in the final set where he finished with a team-high 278.

"Josh had a big day," said Vitale. "Overall, we just couldn't get going in the third set. Hempfield adjusted better than we did. We're just lacking a bit of consistency."

Derek Warfel followed with a 711 and kept the Comets close in the second game with a 266. Hull settled for a 642, Eva Brubaker added a 630 and Zach Carroll finished at 601.

The last place team in Section One gave Penn Manor some stiff competition Thursday, Jan. 20 at Leisure Lanes. McCaskey took the first game by five pins but couldn't quite keep the pace after that, falling 5-2.

Warfel, with three games over 200, including a 277, was the top bowler of the day, settling for a 718 series. Brubaker also rolled three 200 plus games and finished with a 638. Hull, with a 235 in game one, added a 619.

Stock (222), Carroll (232) and Corrinne Smith (201) all contributed with 200 plus games.

WRESTLING

In a field of ten teams, the Comets participated in the Exeter Blue/White Duals Saturday, January 22. They went 0-5 on the day while Conestoga Valley rose to the top with a 5-0 mark.

Manor opened with losses to Downingtown West and Hill School before later dropping a heartbreaker, 35-32 against CD East. They capped the day with losses to Daniel Boone and Archbishop Ryan.

"If you take away our forfeits, we won 8 of the 13 matches head-to-head," said head coach Brandon Vernalli.

The Comets fell behind 29-6 against CD East but rallied down the stretch, winning five of the last six to close the gap.

Travis Clawson went 5-0 and Teagen Rogers and Ty Grassel finished with four wins each.

"We had some younger guys like Mason Garfinkel and Mikey Hoskins earn two wins each," added Vernalli. "This team shows heart. They're hardworking and never quit on one another."

Riley Evans earned three falls, including one in 33 seconds.

Evans (106) with a decision, Clawson (113) with a major and Gabriel Midile (120) with a 2:47 fall accounted for 13 of Manor's 16 points in a 47-16 loss to Cocalico last Wednesday. Rogers capped the scoring with a decision at 172.

GIRLS' BASKETBALL

The Comets got a career-high 36 points from Lily Sugra and Penn Manor ran away from Section Two leader Lebanon, 62-41 Friday, Jan. 21.

Down 11-9 in the first quarter, Sugra scored all 21 of Penn Manor's second quarter tallies and the Comets pulled ahead 30-21 at the break.

Morgan Miller chipped in with 11 points as the Comets outscored the Cedars (10-5 overall) 18-10 in the third to extend the advantage.

The win is Manor's fourth straight.

That streak stalled on Saturday, Jan. 22 when the Comets let a 10-point advantage slip away. The result was a 55-51 loss to West York, the fifth ranked team in District Three 5A.

Sugra bagged nine points and the Comets nailed three triples in a 20-10 first quarter lead. The hosts returned the favor in the third quarter, using a 17-6 run to take a 36-35 lead into the fourth. Free throws played a pivotal roll down the stretch. West York canned 9-of-14 freebies (they were 16-of-26 for the game) and outscored the Comets 19-16 to pull away.

Sugra posted a game-high 20 points, and Miller added 14.

Their biggest game in the stretch was a convincing 44-28 win at Hempfield last Wednesday that moved the Comets into a tie for first place. Manor took care of the ball, handled Hempfield's pressure and hit three straight triples in the third to pull away.

Sugra hit a game-high 14 points and Izzy Kligge went 4-for-4 from the line in the final minute to seal Hempfield's fate.

SWIMMING

In the pool last Tuesday, the Comets went up against a deeper Manheim Township squad and suffered a pair off losses. The undefeated Blue Streaks topped Manor (1-7) 135-25 while the girls (1-7) suffered a 141-36 result.

Avery Groff's first place finish in the 500 free was Manor's only win.