Whenever the two teams meet, it turns into an exciting showdown between the Hempfield and the Manheim Township. Such was the case in their Section One clash on Tuesday night, February 1 on Township's court.

The importance of the game for Hempfield was keeping up with Penn Manor in the Section One standings. Both the Knights and the Comets came into Tuesday's games with 10-1 records.

The Streaks were a few points better on Tuesday night, dropping Hempfield to 10-2 as they managed to stave off a strong comeback. Township held on for a 58-53 victory while Penn Manor topped Cedar Crest to improve to 11-1.

"Unfortunately, they took the lead in Section One," head coach Kendra Merrifield stated. "First- and second-place teams in Section One do go to league playoffs."

The Knights' rally included five three-point baskets in the final five minutes of the contest. Sophia Ott, who finished with a team-high 24 points, made four. Ava Baer sized up another. This all happened after the Streaks had claimed an 11-point lead with 5:21 to play.

Ott racked up six total for the game. Lauren Moffatt scored eight points for Hempfield.

"They out-worked us most of the game," said Merrifield. "It was a rough night. We were not penetrating and getting inside well as we normally do."

MT's Ava Byrne led all scorers with 30 points.

As for the District Three standings, Merrifield added, "We were third but fell to seventh. The games that we have left affect our district rankings."

For Hempfield (13-4) it was their second consecutive loss. Coming off a Saturday non-league loss at Dallastown, this proved to be the first time the Knights lost two consecutive games all year.

Despite a tremendous night by Moffatt (18 points) the Wildcats posted a 47-38 victory. Ott and Autumn Cook each scored nine for Hempfield.

The Knights had a Friday night league game at Crest, winning 41-28. The Falcons managed only single digits in each of the four quarters. Both Ott and Moffatt scored 13. Cook chipped in with seven points.

WRESTLING

The Knights finished on top of the team standings at the L-L League Wrestling Championships at Manheim Township. The two-day tournament, held January 28-29, saw Hempfield compile 215 team points - 37 more than second place Northern Lebanon.

The individual champions included Hempfield's Reagan Lefevre and Caleb Mussmon. In addition, Seamus Mack, and Grant Hoover both finished second in their respective weight classes while Jorden Williams, Clay Gainer, Braden Edwards, and Dylan Bard each finished third. Zy McCain-Murray was fourth at 120.

Lefevre came in with a 25-3 record and scored a first-period pin at the 145-pound championships. He pinned Columbia's Owen Brady in just under one minute of the quarterfinals. In the semis, he pinned Kayden Clark of Northern Lebanon 1:18 into the match.

Lefevre took the gold with his 10-4 decision over Conestoga Valley's Keaton Fischer.

Mussmon's finale at 285 was a battle against Donegal's Nichola Brotzman. The two stars had a close finish with Mussmon winning the title bout 1-0.

In each of his pins - the second round, the quarterfinals, and the semis - Mussmon needed no more than 1:29 to put his opponent's shoulders to the mat.

Mack also registered three first-period pins on his way to the 126-pound title bout. Mack opened with a pin in only 21 seconds against Luke Scott of Solanco. He also downed Garden Spot's Diego Portales, the eventual seventh-place finisher.

In the finale, Mack was on the short end of a 3-1 decision that went in favor of Township's Josh Hillard.

Williams (106) won the third-place match with a 6-2 decision over Township's Louis Malave. In the consolation semis, he pinned Caden Rutt of Solanco in less than one minute.

His quest for the title was derailed with a 7-1 loss in the semis to Marco Tocci of Warwick. Williams had begun the championships with two straight pins.

Gainer, who wrestled at 138, had three falls before suffering an 11-2 major decision to Aliazer Alicea of Township.

In the consolation semis, Gainer eked out a 2-1 victory over Grady Stichler of Northern Lebanon. He took third with a 4:50 pin over Landon Eberly of Cocalico.

Edwards had a 15-5 major to start his tournament. Though he lost 10-8 to Octorara's Michael Trainor, Edwards came through in the wrestlebacks. He won the consolations on consecutive pins and took the consolation semis 5-3 before winning 5-2 over Warwick's Andrew McClune.

Bard had a fall after which he suffered a 10-0 major in the semis. He then set his sights on third place, winning the consolation semis on a 4-2 decision, and taking the third-place match 9-2.

McCain-Murray won on a technical fall before he was pinned by Owen Breidegan (N. Lebanon)

He then notched a pin and a 10-2 major in the consis before winning a 14-8 decision over Pequea's Liam McGinley in the consolation semis.

Breidegan defeated McCain-Murray once more, a 14-2 major for third.

From the consolations, J.J. Plaza (189) earned a technical fall but lost to Jonathan Lopez of Conestoga Valley 3-0.

BOYS' BASKETBALL

With first place in the Section One standings secured, the Knights dropped their Wednesday night contest at home to the second-place team - Manheim Township. The Streaks outscored the Knights by a 34-9 margin in the second half.

Miguel Pena led Hempfield in scoring. He netted three treys as part of his 13-points. Michael Hester nailed a pair of treys and finished with nine.

The Knights (16-3 overall) were coming off a nail-biter from the previous Saturday, January 29, at Lower Dauphin. Hempfield escaped with a 55-53 win despite a 23-6 run by the Falcons in the fourth.

Pena put up 16 points and Ben Troyer added 13. Parker Wolfe chipped in with nine.

Hempfield improved to 9-2 on Friday night, topping Cedar Crest 61-44 as Pena (12), Hester (11), Troyer (11) and Cole Overbaugh (10) reached double digits in scoring.

BOWLING

Sometimes you hear the footsteps of your competitor gaining on you.

Last Wednesday, Feb. 2, the Knights took care of that in Section One bowling by topping Township 7-0 at Dutch Lanes. Hempfield improved to 65-19 while Penn Manor (58-19) kept pace. The previous week, the Knights had bowled a crucial 5-2 victory over Manor.

Against Township, Xander Green led Hempfield by compiling 644 points. Derick Keller bowled a 637 in his three games. Mitchell Barnes had a high of 233 in his third game and hit the 600-point mark.

Nick Tomlinson had a solid day for Township, finishing with 672