The Spartans regained momentum in the fourth quarter of their home game with Kennard-Dale in boys' basketball action. But the only epiphany for the Spartans in the January 6 non-league game was that opportunities need to be taken advantage of in the crunch.

"They turned the ball over a few times in the fourth quarter, but we came away empty," Nate Musselman, the Garden Spot head coach, explained. "We made many empty trips in the final minutes and they made a few key free throws to ice the game."

Kennard-Dale held on for a 57-46 win. They inched ahead in the third quarter, increasing a slim four-point halftime lead to 43-32.

Jace Conrad led the Spartans (3-8) in scoring. He put up 11 points including a pair of three-point baskets. Zachary Uplinger, who also dropped a pair of treys, and Bruce Weaver, who was a perfect 4-for-4 in free throws, both finished with eight points. Michael Heisley scored seven for the Spartans.

"It was a back-and-forth game," Musselman added. "They made some shots down the stretch."

Garden Spot bounced back with a victory over Lancaster-Lebanon League foe Warwick on Tuesday. They poured in 27 points in the fourth quarter, pulling off a 58-56 win at New Holland.

The offensive output late in the game only balanced things out, rewarding the Spartans' great defensive play.

"Defense was the key," Musselman said. "But we did make 13 three-pointers, which I think is a league high this year.

"However, when you look at the scorebook, we gave up 20 in the first quarter and only 12 the next three," the coach continued. "Our defense kept us in the game."

Uplinger was on target six times from three-point range, finishing with a game-leading 20 points. Jeff St. Jean scored 11 points with nine coming off his three treys. Weaver scored eight. Heisley (6 pts) also nailed a pair of treys.

Trevor Evans scored 18 to lead the Warriors, who fell to 8-4 (3-1 league).

"We had a couple of seniors really rise up to the challenge," Musselman said, referring to Uplinger, Heisley and Dylan Nolt.

The close margin of victory was a reversal of the Garden Spot boys' fortune.

"Besides the Kennard-Dale game and the Manheim Central game, every one of our games has been six points or less for this young group," Musselman said, "We're hoping the kids are believing in what we're teaching them and believing in each other."

GIRLS' BASKETBALL

Garden Spot came up short at Warwick in a girls' L-L League game on Tuesday, January 10. The Warriors outscored the Spartans 23-14 in the first half and held on for a 45-25 victory.

Natalie Wenger scored 18 for the Warriors while Bella Smithson added 12.

Morgan Pavelik led Garden Spot with seven points. Meredith Horst and Gwen Varley each tallied six points.

The Spartans, who fell to 1-13 (0-4 league) were coming off a non-league contest at Manheim Township on Saturday, January 7. The Blue Streaks took command in the second quarter of the game and won 77-37.

Township led by a slim 16-14 margin after the first quarter. Ava Byrne led the Streaks with 21 points.

Pavelik had the hot hand for Garden Spot, pouring in 17 points. Varley nailed three treys and compiled 11 points while Nikki Zeiset came away with six points.

AIR RIFLE

The Spartans won back-to-back matches, defeating Governor Mifflin and Ephrata in L-L League air rifle competition. They scored 493 points in both victories.

In the January 10 match at Ephrata, Magdalene Martin hit a perfect 100 with Matt Sauder providing plenty of support at 99 points. Evan Brace, Jack Werner, and Leksi Bender each shot 98's.

The Mountaineers' Bill Brudereck and Catherine Wolf also finished with 98's.

In the Mifflin match on Thursday, January 5 at New Holland, Bender was the Spartan marksman hitting the century mark while Sauder and Martin both finished with 99. Werner's 98 points and 97 from sophomore Trevor Jones helped the Spartans edge the Mustangs 493-492

Mifflin teammates - Jim Gossert, Joe Kawalski and Anya Zadlo - shot 99's on the day.

WRESTLING

Garden Spot got out to a 24-9 lead in the Section Two match with Donegal on Wednesday, January 11. The Indians came back with a couple of close decisions plus a Garden Spot forfeit to win the match 36-24.

Jayden Redcay and Donegal's Sergio Garcia went head-to-head at the 172-pound class. Garcia came away with a 7-4 win.

Blake Weaver defeated the older Garcia brother, registering a pin over Scott Garcia at 189. Tyler Hurst's pin put the Spartans' up 12-3.

With a Donegal pin and a pair of Donegal forfeits, the Spartans built a 24-9 lead.

Diego Portales came out on the short end of a 4-2 decision at 127 and the Indians' Mark Overlander, at 133, won with a 7-2 decision.

The 139-pound bout went to double overtime until Landon Keller defeated Josiah Smucker 6-4 to cut the Spartans' lead to 24-18.

The Spot forfeit at 145 evened the score. Two pins by the Indians made it 36-24 for the final.

On the strength of seven pins, Garden Spot dominated Reading 57-3 in a non-league wrestling match on Thursday, January 5. The Spartans opened with three straight pins and were also aided by a Reading forfeit at the 172-pound weight class.

Portales and Allen opened the match with pins in their respective weight classes of 127 and 133. Smucker notched a pin 55 seconds into the 139-pound bout, making it 18-0 Garden Spot.

Sean Kelch regained the momentum following a 10-3 decision for the Red Knights at 152. Kelch needed 1:06 to pin Rooney Delarosa in the 160 bout. Sandwiched between Kelch's pin and Blake Weaver's (189) was a Reading forfeit.

Tyler Hurst (215) and Mason Musser (285) kept things rolling, each registering a fall to extend Spot's lead to 48-3.

Myra Bair's pin at 107 came one second prior to the end of the match - at the 5:59 mark. Matt Casey earned a 6-4 decision over Nathan Weiss (121) to wrap things up.

BOWLING

Manheim Central's Jesse Hurst compiled a 628 series to lead the Barons to a 7-0 victory over Spot on Wednesday, January 11 in L-L League bowling competition.

Gavin Courtney rolled a 222 in his first game and 244 in his second game.

The Spartans fell to 19-23 on the year.