Coming off a wild high-scoring boys' soccer game against Section Four rival Annville-Cleona - a Wednesday game in which the Braves lost 3-2 - the Pequea squad traveled to Lancaster Catholic on Thursday, October 6 for another section showdown.

The scoring in this match worked in cycles for the Braves. In the opening minutes, Jackson Neff put Pequea on the scoreboard, scoring off a Nick Ammon assist. Tony Martinez-Ortiz doubled the lead in the 26th minute as Neff assisted. Ammon then scored nine minutes into the second half, taking the assist from Peyton Leitch.

The Braves held on for a 3-1 victory with Bryce Goodroad making seven saves. Pequea improved to 5-9-0 (3-6-0 league). The Crusaders had beaten the Braves 3-0 earlier in the season.

"It was a good bit of redemption to be able to go over there and come away with a win," said head coach Peter Bennett. "Also, we were frustrated with the Annville game.

"It was a good measuring stick," Bennett added. "We're a young group so we showed maturation by going in and winning like that."

Asked about the significance of Neff scoring in the second minute of the match, Bennett said, "It raised the level for the rest of the guys. We were able to go the other 78 minutes.

"Catholic is very quick and fast," continued the coach. "They use their wingers. For us it was staying tight and not leaving too much space for the balls to be played into. We tried blocking their passing channels."

The Braves did have a heartbreaking Section Four setback on Monday, October 10. Lancaster Country Day's Kane Kirby scored with 13 minutes left in regulation. It spoiled a great effort by Goodroad, who made five saves in the match.

FOOTBALL

Coming into their Lancaster-Lebanon League game at Pequea Valley on Friday, October 7, the Hamburg Hawks had scored 35 or more points in each of their previous six games. In fact, three of their wins had the Hawks scoring over 40 points.

The Braves were coming off their first victory of the year - a 16-0 defeat of Annville-Cleona to end the month of September.

Hamburg could not run away with Friday's game, however, squeaking out a 27-20 win at Kinzers and improving to 6-1 (3-1 league). They led by a 13-0 score at halftime as the Braves outscored the scoring juggernaut on the opposite side by a 20-14 score in the second half.

"We hung in there and played against a very good team," said head coach Mike Choi. "They came in as one of the top scoring offenses in the state and certainly in our league. They have a couple of linemen who are very big and very good - offensively and defensively. Their quarterback is tall and super athletic."

Xander Menapace completed 14-of-24 passes for Hamburg, compiling 169 yards and going over 1,000 yards on the season.

Despite the 169 yards, the Braves' pass defense did contain Menapace. However, he did pick up 172 rushing yards on 21 carries.

"We tried to take away his passing opportunities and make him run the ball," Choi said. "We made them earn everything offensively.

"We didn't know how well he could run," Choi added. "We learned the hard way that he's a great athlete. When things broke down and they needed crucial yards, he would run for the first down."

Dontae Petersheim and Orlando Stoltzfus led the Braves' offense, rushing for 79 and 75 yards, respectively. They each scored one rushing touchdown as did quarterback Peyton Temple, who also completed four passes for 37 yards.

"Petersheim and Stoltzfus had really great games," Choi said. "They are powerful, fast backs. To be able to run one side or the other with either of these guys who are equally good, it really makes it difficult on defenses to key in on any one player. Those guys have really come around."

Stoltzfus scored on a 20-yard dash to put Pequea on the board in the third quarter. Cayden Carter lunged across the goal line for the two-point conversion, making it a five-point game at 13-8.

Menapace, who had run for TD and thrown an 18-yard scoring pass in the first half, made it a two-score game on his one-yard sneak later in the third, making it 20-8. He added another rushing touchdown to extend the lead to 27-8.

Petersheim and Temple each scored on four-yard rushing TD's in the fourth to cut the deficit to 27-20.

Offensive linemen Bryce Logan, Evan Stoltzfus, Logan McGraine, Zach Hollenbaugh, Luis Cooper, Alex Wilkinson and Jeremiah Garber led the way for the PV ball carriers.

"We've had a combination of these seven guys," Choi explained. "Even when everyone is healthy, we rotate people in. They've worked really hard as a group since the beginning of the season.

"Our offense sustained some drives against them," added the coach. "Even if we didn't score, we took some minutes off the clock."

The Braves fell to 1-6 on the year (1-3 league) and continue to improve as this year's team sets the standard for a developing program.

GOLF

Matt Lapp had qualified for the PIAA District Three Class 2A Golf Championships thanks to his solid performance on September 26, at the L-L League Championships played at Fairview in Lebanon.

On October 7 and 8 at Honey Run Golf Course in York, the Pequea senior finished second to Lancaster Country Day's Winston Thai in the Class 2A standings.

"His two-day efforts earned him a silver medal and a berth in the PIAA 2A state tournament," Braves head coach Clair Beiler noted.

"Matt posted a stellar 76 for the first round on Friday to share the lead," Beiler said. "The weather was less than ideal Saturday morning with morning temperatures in the 40's and a brisk wind. Matt struggled early in the round and after eight holes was 10 over par.

"But he played the last 10 holes in a 1-over-par for a solid round of 83," concluded the coach.

GIRLS' SOCCER

Pequea Valley lost two league matches over the past week, falling to 4-3-1 (8-6-1 overall).

Kaendyl Keen led a late Pequea comeback bid against Lancaster Catholic on Thursday, October 6. The Braves fell short in a 2-1 final. Keen scored with six minutes left in the match - part of a 17-shot attack.

Carissa Mulder made two saves for the Braves in goal.

Pequea also fell to Solanco on the road by a 6-1 score on Monday, October 10. Josie Jansen scored four times for Solanco.

Brooke Grham's goal six minutes into the second half cut the lead to 4-1. Janssen then made it a hat trick one minute later before capping the scoring in the 68th minute.