The Black Knights came back from a 2-1 deficit to even their L-L League boys' volleyball match at 2 sets apiece Tuesday night, April 4. In the fifth and tiebreaker set, however, Conestoga Valley eked out a 15-12 set, winning the match 3-2 at Hempfield.

"We did what we were supposed to do," Kenny Eiser, the Hempfield head coach said of that fourth set, which the Knights (2-1) won by a 25-18 margin. The Buckskins won two very close sets - 25-22 and 25-23 - to go ahead 2-1 after the Knights had won the opening set 25-18.

"Conestoga was playing very well," Eiser added. "They played insane defense all night long. They converted on their digs."

Aiden Beiler drilled 17 kills for the Knights. Michael Hester, Ethan Earhart, and Cole Jackson, who also racked up 53 assists, each registered three blocks.

"Can't say enough about Cole," Eiser commented. "He was thrust into the role of setter. He has been doing an amazing job. He was backup libero last year."

Libero Brady Rigard served two aces and racked up 33 digs.

The Knights were coming off a 3-0 win (25-17, 25-20, 25-19) at Penn Manor the previous Thursday. In the match Beiler had 11 kills and three aces. Earhart tallied two blocks while Jackson distributed 30 assists. Rigard finished with 14 digs.

Asked about the tough competition for the Section One title, Eiser said, "It's anybody's league at this point. It can be anybody who comes to play and finds a team on an off night."

BASEBALL

The Black Knights had already batted around with eight men having reached base in a nine-run first inning on Tuesday, April 3. The Knights went on to defeat McCaskey 14-3 in Section One baseball at J.K. Mechanical Field

Josh Toole, Brayden Hostetter, Drew Banchich, Stephen Katch, Marcus Rivera and Charles Sheerer each drove in runs in the home half of the first inning.

Aiden Rodenberger's two-run double plus a Red Tornado passed ball increased the lead in the bottom of the second inning.

Hunter Williams pitched the first three innings of this mercy-rule game. He only faced 10 McCaskey batters, striking out three.

Dawson Kuhn and Ryan Jackson provided one inning of relief pitching each.

The nine-run theme also worked for the Knights back on Friday, March 31 as lefty Logan Harelson pitched six shutout innings in a 9-0 defeat of Spring Grove.

Harleson also helped himself with a sacrifice fly RBI. Benchich and Rodenberger each stroked RBI singles while Fiore drove in another with a sacrifice fly.

The biggest blow was a two-run homer by Katch.

GIRLS' LACROSSE

The potent Hempfield scoring machine led by Isabelle Masengarb's five goals stayed unbeaten in league play with a 13-6 victory at Conestoga Valley on Tuesday, April 4.

In addition, Whitney Hershey poured in four goals. Natalie Bole also scored multiple goals, scoring twice. Lexi Mehaffey and Hattie Mack each netted one goal.

Helping nail down the victory with her stellar goalkeeping was Ella Ashton (5 saves).

Hempfield improved to 3-0 in league play and 5-1 overall. The one defeat happened on Monday as Twin Valley raided the Knights' net 17 times in a 17-9 win.

Hershey's five goals and Masengarb's four accounted for the Hempfield scoring. Bole dished out two assists and Masengarb one.

Putting up 17 goals was a brief theme for these matches. Hempfield was coming off a 17-9 triumph at New Oxford on Thursday, March 30 with Bole thrashing the non-league rival's net six times. Masengarb was also involved in six scores, assisting on three and scoring three of her own.

Hershey found the back of the net four times. Mia Brennan (1 g, 2 asst) was also involved in multiple scores. Mack, Aubrie Buckwalter and Ava Corvino each scored once while Ashton made four saves.

TENNIS

With a 5-0 defeat of Ephrata on the road Wednesday afternoon, April 5, the boys' tennis team improved to 6-0 on the year.

In what was a non-league match, the two doubles pairings - Sam Keener and Ryan Malesic (6-2, 6-2) along with Will Keppel and Tristan Coyne (6-1, 6-1) triumphed easily.

Andre Hurst came through in straight sets (6-0, 6-1) at number one singles. Eric Jordan blanked Todd Weist 6-0, 6-0 and Cooper Lehman won the third singles easily 6-0, 6-2.

Keppel and Coyne won their number two doubles match in Tuesday's Section One match against Warwick. The Knights topped the Warriors 6-1 with Malesic and Gavin Chamberlain coming up a bit short in the first doubles - an 8-5 win for Warwick.

Aaron Choi and Jack Magalski ran away with the third doubles 8-1.

Lehman and Jordan won their singles matches by 6-0, 6-1 straight sets. Hurst and Keener won third and fourth singles, respectively, both with 6-0, 6-0 scores.

The win was Hempfield's third straight in league play. The Knights were coming off another 6-1 victory over a Section One rival - Conestoga Valley.

On the road on Thursday, March 30, the Knights again swept the singles matches in straight sets thanks to Lehman, Jordan, Hurst and Keener. In doubles play, Lehman and Jordan were victorious 8-0 as was the twosome of Coyne and Ben Curtin, 8-4.

BOYS' LACROSSE

Hempfield topped Conestoga Valley 12-8 in L-L League boys' lacrosse action on Tuesday, April 4 at Landisville.

Toby Marco was impressive with his five goals and two assists while Jason Hilton collected four goals and booked an assist.

In the divide and conquer offense, Zack Antesberger tallied two goals while assisting on three. Logan Klinger also came up with two assists. Phillip Krauser rounded out the scoring with one goal.

The Knights improved to 4-0.

TRACK

In high school track meets, how your relay teams place can have a great impact on the outcome of the meet.

"Both the girls' and boys' teams won all three relays," head coach Curt Rogers pointed out, referring to the sweep of Penn Manor in the Section One meet Tuesday, April 4.

"Penn Manor had some really strong areas," he added. "The relays did make a difference for us."

The girls' team won by an 89-61 score while the Hempfield boys triumphed 86-64 at Penn Manor.

Molly Siebert, Ella Wolfe, Hannah Kilheffer and 1,600-meter winner Roz Scott teamed up for a victory in the 4x800 relay. Seibert also claimed the open 800 and Wolfe went on to win the 3,200.

"Molly and Ella are also good team members of the cross country team," Rogers pointed out.

Julia Sweigart anchored the 4x400 relay team with Iyrie Yoder, Izzy Heisey and Evelyn Sahd, who also won the 400.

"Izzy Heisey won the 100 and 200 in addition to being in 4x100 and 4x400 relays," Rogers noted. In fact, Heisey won the 100 with a personal record 13.1 and the 200 with a 27.3 PR.

In the 4x100, Mya Thompson and Brook Smith joined Heisey and Sweigart for a winning effort. Sweigart took the 300 hurdles as well.

The javelin went to Yoder with a personal best 57-3. Junior Alex Shuffelbottom won the shot put. A few second- or third-place finishes were personal bests, including Kaylee Thompson's 72-10 discus and Audra Koerner-Smith's 7-6 pole vault. Sydney Rhoads had a 4-10 high jump.

Seniors Joe Fahrney and Aidan Hodge led the 4x800 relay, teaming with Spencer Ashba and Sam Friedman.

"Two of our senior runners who are headed to Division I schools are Joe Fahrney and Aiden Hodge," Rogers said. "We have a strong distance group."

Carson Lieberman joined Hodge, Freedman, and Ashba for the 4x400. Fahrney claimed the1600 with league best 4:33.9 time. In the 4x100 Eddie Asadu, Gabe Benjamin, Tate Martin, and Xavier Peralta posted a win. Martin also took second in the 300 hurdles and the 110 hurdles.

Benjamin posted a personal best, 24.1, in the 200, taking second. Pete Wenzel (155-7) won the javelin and Dayvid Palepale the shot put - both with personal bests.

Asadu had a personal best long jump of 20-1 and Jordan Thode (117-11) PR in the discus. Tanner Dennis (5-8) added a PR in the high jump.

Brody Weachter a PR in the pole vault at 13-6.