Lampeter-Strasburg's boys' basketball team doesn't have just one superstar - they have five. And when you put them together, they're pretty tough to beat. In the District Three Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey on March 3 their collective efforts brought home the school's second District Crown (the first came 20 years ago) with a decisive 66-57 victory over Shippensburg, who, ironically, knocked L-S out of the tournament a year ago.

Shippensburg was bigger and probably a little stronger, but they weren't as quick and they didn't have the stamina L-S did. And yes, both teams advanced to the finals after surviving a triple OT semifinals contest.

"Their home court is smaller," said head coach Ed Berryman. "I thought they seemed a little tired on that big floor at the Giant Center."

But still, the Greyhounds came out strong, going in front 12-5 before back-to-back threes by Berkeley Wagner and Isaiah Parido cut the lead to 12-11. Wagner (17 points) opened the second quarter with another three (LS finished with nine on the night, seven in the first half) and L-S never lost the lead after that.

Wagner misses a shot two minutes into the second quarter but hustles back to pick off a pass on the baseline, dishes a pass to Ty Burton who finds Ben Wert for the layup and an 18-16 lead.

"Berkeley plays so hard," Berryman said. "He is our quarterback and coach on the floor."

Parido (11 points) adds back-to-back threes that pushes the lead to 26-18 and blocks a shot at the buzzer, preserving a 29-20 lead at the break.

"That was probably the best defense Isaiah has played all year," noted Berryman. "He was tipping balls all over the place."

And let's not forget Luka Vranich who continued to lead the team in rebounding, grabbing eight in addition to dishing out a team-high three assists.

Shipp made a run in the third quarter, outscoring L-S 18-14 and cutting the lead to five, 43-38, with an emphatic dunk by University of Minnesota football commit, Anthony Smith (19 points), just before the buzzer. "Luke Hines did a nice job putting a body on Smith," Berryman said. "He's a big kid and we were all trying to help out."

But the Pioneers were unfazed and put together not one but two big plays in the final frame to remain perfect on the year. Up 52-46, Burton was fouled on a step-back trey and converted for a four-point play and a ten-point cushion. And on their next series Parido and Ben Wert (10 points) executed a give and go with a couple of fakes that resulted in an easy Wert bucket and Lampeter's largest lead of the night, 58-47.

"They are just an unselfish bunch," said Berryman. "They make that extra pass to share the ball and get the uncontested shot. That's partly why we are so successful, as a team, from three-point range."

And on the floor in general. They share the ball. They pick each other up and they are all capable of and have come up with big plays.

And now they focus on the next opponent, Penn Hills, in the PIAA opener.

"There are no easy games," said Berryman. "Every game is a challenge, and we take them one at a time. We don't talk about being undefeated. We talk about the next game and respecting our opponent."

Unfortunately, that next game ended Lampeter's magical and historic run as the seventh seed in District 7 stopped the Pioneers in their tracks, 62-39, at home last Tuesday.

L-S led 9-4 and 13-6 early but the Indians' George Mitchell canned back-to-back treys and teammate Noah Barren opened the second frame with another. Penn Hills never trailed after that.

"They had some length, and they were quick," said Berryman. "And I think those six blocks shots caused us to hesitate a bit. And unbelievably, we never got in a groove with our shooting and that hasn't happened all year.

"But this one game doesn't take away everything that came before," he added. "We had an amazing run. They need to remember all that we accomplished."

And in time, that will be more important than this last game.

A bucket by Vranich cut the lead to 29-26 in the third, but that was as close as L-S would get. The Indians went on a 12-3 run, led 42-32 at the break and outscored the hometown favorites 20-7 down the stretch.

Burton (16) and Wert (10) led the offense with double digits. Wagner (8) and Vranich (5) rounded out the scoring and capped Lampeter's magical journey at 27-1.

SWIMMING

The Pioneers turned in some solid performances at the District Three Swimming championships held at Cumberland Valley High School, March 4-5. They earned eight medals, one school record and a handful of personal records.

Zara Paisley once again was Lampeter-Strasburg's highest finisher, grabbing a bronze medal on Friday in the 50 free with a 24.81. She also helped secure a pair of relay fifth place finishes teaming with Krista Lambert, Kara Scranton and Ashley Prouse in both the 200 free (1:44.26) and then on Saturday in the 400 free (3:52.69). That 200 free was a PR and a new school record, breaking the 2010 record held by current head coach Kylie Turner, Emily Anderson, Taylor Wimer and Taylor Griener.

Also on Saturday, seeded fourth, Paisley slipped to fifth in the 100 free with a 54.27 while Kylie Gerhardt moved up three places in the 100 backstroke, securing sixth place with a 1:02.39 PR.

For the boys', Ryan Smecker, Christian Rota, Kyle Spaulding and Andrew Reidenbaugh clocked a 1:36.62 in the 200 free relay (6th place) and added a fifth-place effort in the 400 free with a 3:33.79.

Smecker also grabbed a seventh-place medal in the 100 backstroke with a 58.67 PR.

GIRLS' BASKETBALL

Fighting to move up in the consolation bracket for a better seed for states, the lady Pioneers traveled to West York Friday, March 4. This one was close for three quarters and then the hosts pulled away for a 41-36 victory, earning the seventh seed in the PIAA bracket.

Each of the first three quarters was determined by a single point. L-S (15-11 overall) went into the final quarter with a 31-30 lead. They led 36-34 on Ella Horst's jumper with 2:33 remaining but didn't score after that.

"We missed four layups to build on that lead," said head coach Tony Fink. "That was the difference.

"I love these girls and they always compete and give themselves a chance. They have accomplished a lot after a 1-4 start."

Horst notched a game-high 14 points and Maggie Visniski, who went 5-for-6 from the foul line, added 11. Kiersten Hostetter (5), Jenna Daveler (4) and Katie Ranck (2) rounded out the scoring. For photos of the game visit townlively.com

The Pioneers (15-12) traveled way out west to face South Fayette (23-4) in the opening round of the PIAA tournament and closed out the season with a 63-38 loss. The hosts jumped out to a 21-9 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. Hostetter scored six of her 12 points in the second quarter when L-S outscored SF 14-13.

The hosts took charge in the second half, outscoring L-S 29-15 to advance.

Ranck (8), Visniski (6), Daveler (6), Horst (3) and Maggie Swarr (3) capped the Pioneer scoring.

INDOOR TRACK

At the PIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships held at Penn State on Feb. 27 Maddie Weichler, Elly Bruner, Maddie Malcolm and Hannah Gawne ran a near record time of 1:51.03 in the 4x200 relay, Colin Whitaker ran a personal best and school record 4:21 mile, and Teagan Weaver landed a 40-9 triple jump and medaled with a personal best 21-10.5 long jump.