The girls' team got out to a strong start, holding on to defeat Palmyra 12-8 on Thursday, May 25 in a district quarterfinals match at Hempfield.

Mia Brennan, who was recently named to the L-L League Class 3A second team all-star midfielders, scored four of the Knights' goals. Also scoring were three teammates who joined Brennan on the league all-stars. Natalie Bole and Isabelle Masengarb - both first-team all-star midis - scored one goal each as did first team all-star attacker Whitney Hershey.

Ava Gorvino and Aubrie Buckwalter each netted one goal also.

Both the boys' and girls' district semis included a Hempfield versus Manheim Township matchup.

In the girls' game, Township all-stars Bronwyn Hilbert and Olivia Young scored four goals each to lead the Streaks over Hempfield 15-4.

Masengarb and Hershey each scored two goals for Hempfield. Goalie Ella Ashton, who received honorable mention on the all-star selections, made 10 saves.

The Black Knights' season did not end with that semifinals loss. The top four teams in the district earned entry to the PIAA 3A state playoffs.

BOYS' LACROSSE

Four goals each by Jason Hilton and Julian Morales plus a hat trick by senior Zack Antesberger were not enough on Tuesday, May 30, as the Hempfield boys' lacrosse team fell short at Manheim Township.

In a District Three Class 3A semifinal game, the Blue Streaks topped the Black Knights 16-11 in a high-scoring battle between two schools that are Lancaster-Lebanon League archrivals.

Township (17-0) had entered the district tournament as the top seed. Hempfield won two games as the fifth-seeded entry but fell to 13-5 after the loss on Tuesday.

Hilton was recently named as a first-team all-star among the L-L League midfielders with Antesberger as a second team all-star.

In addition to those two teammates, senior Isaiah Martin was a long-stick midi first-team selection. Junior Stephen Pitts was named first team all-star as a defender.

The Blue Streaks scoring leaders were Bennett Parmer, who was a first team all-star attacker, Austin Garland, and Jake Laubach, each of whom notched a hat trick.

Coming off a first-round match in which they dominated from start to finish, the Hempfield Black Knights faced the Wilson Bulldogs on the road Thursday night, May 25.

After topping 12th seed Conestoga Valley two days earlier, Hempfield left the friendly confines and played Wilson at Bulldog Field in a district quarterfinal game.

The Knights shocked the crowd with three goals in the first quarter. The Bulldogs came alive in the second period, cutting the deficit to 5-4 by halftime.

Hempfield went on to win the game 9-7, thus advancing to the semifinals.

Reaching the semifinals earned Hempfield a spot in the state playoffs as the top four teams from District Three advance.

SOFTBALL

The Chambersburg Trojans managed to sneak across seven unearned runs in a 10-2 victory that ended the 2023 softball season for Hempfield on Thursday, May 25.

"We did it to ourselves," Hempfield head coach Chris Landis said. "We had six errors, so it was a collective defensive collapse. Bad time to have that. Chambersburg probably had seven unearned runs."

On offense, the Black Knights managed only five hits. Kali Peifer went 2-for-4 with a double.

The Knights' loss in the District Three Class 6A quarterfinal game at Chambersburg ended the season at 15-7.

"A lot of our team is still young," Landis added. "It was the first time a lot of these players have been in that situation."

Asked to summarize the 2023 season, Landis pointed out, "I think at one point we were fourth in our section. So, overall, it was a success because we did things the team hadn't done in a while - win the section and make the L-L playoffs. We were one win away from the league championship."

Though the Black Knights say good-bye to senior Mikayla Hughes, most of this young team will return with valuable experience.

Among the returning players would be pitching ace Carley Ernst.

"I thought we had a shot against them [Chambersburg]," Landis said. "The games they lost this year were against teams with very good pitchers. Carley is one of the most dynamic pitchers anybody has seen.

"Hopefully with her back and us reloading some talent from our eighth graders, we will have another great season next year," he concluded.

TRACK & FIELD

Aidan Hodge wrapped up a great career at Hempfield - both in cross country as well as track and field. The senior earned the state gold medal in the 800-meter race in the PIAA Class 3A championships at Shippensburg University, held Friday and Saturday, May 26-27.

Hodge ran the 800 at a time of 1:52.16. He also qualified for the PIAA's in the 1,600 where he finished 10th at a 4:12.40 clip.

Ella Wolfe, a junior, joined Hodge at Shippensburg, representing the Hempfield girls. She placed 10th in the girls' 3200 (10:40.41) and ran the 1,600 in 5:02.83, which was good for 19th place.

"Ella has been on the cross country team for three years and has been our front runner all three years," Curt Rogers, the Knights' head coach, said. "The last two seasons she has medaled at the L-L League meet, the district meet and qualified for the state meet the last two seasons.

"This was Ella's first season on the track team," Rogers added. "She was our number one distance runner, mainly concentrating on the 3200 but quickly began running the 1,600 also."

Rogers described Hodge' career as "hugely successful.

"He led the cross country team to a fourth consecutive undefeated Section One season," the coach pointed out. "He medaled at the league meet, district meet and states. In four years of cross country, he earned three medals at states.

"In track, Aidan made his mark beyond the L-L League, claiming victories in various invitationals, the district meet and ultimately the state meet. He is unarguably the most impactful distance runner in Hempfield history (and there have been many successful distance runners).

"Ella has one more year and if the trend from this year continues, she has the possibility to add more accolades to her record," Rogers added. "Two great teenagers, two great athletes and two great role models for younger teammates."