Just when it looked like the Spartans were going to go blazing by Lancaster Mennonite in a Section Two boys' volleyball match on Tuesday, March 28, the home team edged Garden Spot 26-24 in the third set, forcing a fourth set.

Garden Spot claimed the fourth set by the identical tight margin of 26-24 for a 3-1 Lancaster-Lebanon League triumph at Lancaster Mennonite. The Spartans claimed the first two sets 25-21 and 25-12.

Tanner Laukhuff drilled 28 kills and added eight digs to lead Garden Spot while fellow senior Keegan Redcay set up teammates to the count of 40 assists.

Junior Dylan Zeiset came through with four service aces.

SOFTBALL

The Spartans might be facing some challenges this year on the softball field, mainly due to a question of numbers.

"We have only eleven girls on the roster," said head coach Kimberly King. "It's going to be a rough year. It's the first time since I've been here that we haven't had a junior varsity."

The Spartans opened the year with a non-league game against Exeter on Tuesday, March 28 - a game that had been postponed from Monday due to rain.

The Eagles took advantage of some walks and stroked 11 hits in a 12-3 defeat of the Spartans.

"The score was 8-3 in the sixth inning," King pointed out. "The girls made some good plays in the field. They knew what they were supposed to do. For the first time playing a game on the field, it was a pretty good effort."

This year's squad has five juniors and five sophomores along with one freshman.

Returning junior Sydni King was on base twice with a base hit and also being hit by a pitch.

"She is playing shortstop for us this year," King said.

"We had four hits in the game," King continued. "Courtney Reichard, our sophomore catcher, had her first varsity hit.

"Rebecca Hoover, another sophomore, had a single and a double," King continued. "She drove in a run."

Leksi Bender, who spent the winter months contributing to the Garden Spot air rifle team, is playing her first year of varsity softball. She also drove in a run Tuesday.

BASEBALL

Caiden Murphy ripped two base hits, including a double, and drove in three runs for the Spartans on Wednesday, March 22, at Conestoga Valley. Murphy's production out of the cleanup spot along with RBIs by Colin Smith and Ryan Speers were not enough. The Buckskins scored the winning run in the home half of the ninth inning for a 6-5 victory.

Junior Caleb Zimmerman went 2-for-4 plus a walk and scored two runs, batting out of the leadoff spot.

The Spartans battled back with three late runs after a four-run fifth inning by CV had given the home team a 5-2 edge after five.

Buckskins senior Brendan Bossert earned the victory in relief.

Zimmerman got the start for Garden Spot and went four frames before being relieved by freshman Connor Manning. The Buckskins finally touched Manning in extras, scoring an unearned run for the game-winner. He allowed four hits and one walk in 4.2 innings, striking out three.

TENNIS

On Wednesday, March 22, the Spartans hosted Elizabethtown in an L-L League match. Andrew Herman and Jude Kauffman put up a tough battle in the second doubles match, coming up short 8-2. In the number four singles, Kauffman fell to Ethan Daralja in straight sets 6-3, 6-2. Brandon Herman also fought to earn a team point for Garden Spot in the 7-0 loss. He came up empty 6-1, 6-2 in the second singles.

The Spartans fell to Manheim Central in a league match Tuesday, March 28 in New Holland. The Barons swept the singles matches in 6-0, 6-0 straight sets as they posted a 7-0 win.

GIRLS' LACROSSE

In a pair of matches that wrapped around the weekend, the girls' lacrosse team faced Penn Manor at home and Lampeter-Strasburg on the road - Friday March 24 and Monday March 27, respectively.

The Comets got five goals from Erin Shipley in a 22-3 victory on Friday.

Garden Spot's goals came from Gwen Varley, who tallied two, and Brielle Moyer while Emily Ferris recorded an assist.

The Garden Spot offense doubled its production at L-S on Monday, scoring four times in the first period alone.

But a powerful Pioneers offense paced by Rowan Kimmel's five goals and two assists, guided the Pioneers to a 22-6 win.

Varley had a hat trick plus an assist for the Spartans. Moyer scored twice while sophomore Freida Kauffman netted one goal.

BOYS' LACROSSE

The boys' lacrosse team came up short in a high-scoring non-league contest against Wyomissing on Wednesday, March 22. In the battle of Spartans versus Spartans, the visiting ancient army from Wyomissing swiftly slipped past the New Holland team 13-10.

Returning junior Ayden Naranjo scored five of Spot's goals. Trailing 4-2 to start the second quarter, Garden Spot outscored Wyomissing 5-3 to make it a 7-7 game at intermission.

Wyomissing outscoring Spot 3-0 in the third period proved to be the difference.

Jared Patton and Joseph Bernek each finished with two goals and one assist. Senior Ben Keeport scored one.

Goalie Cole Leaman made 11 saves for Garden Spot.

SWIMMING

The PIAA Class 2A and Class 3A Swimming & Diving Championships took place at Bucknell University, beginning on Thursday, March 14. For Garden Spot, a non-swim school represented by individual athletes, the boys' side was represented by Zach Delgado at Class 2A while Kayla Parry and Mia Parry represented the girls at Class 3A.

"Zach was coming off two phenomenal swims at the L-L League championships and District Three Championships in which he dropped significant time," said Darin Parry, the Spartans' swim coach.

Delgado finished 26th in the 100-yard freestyle event. He came in seeded 27th.

"I was very proud of his effort," Parry said. "Zach is hungry to return to states next year."

Kayla Parry placed 21st in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:11.40. She claimed 24th in the 100 fly at 59.08 seconds.

"It's a great accomplishment to make it to states," said the coach. "Kayla has a bright future ahead of her in swimming and in life."

Mia Parry was 14th (2:08.99) overall in the 200 IM.

"Her prelim swim qualified her to swim in the B finals," Parry explained. "She finished 21st in the 100 backstroke. She had a slight time increase [58.55] but I was very happy with her swim."