Despite falling behind 8-0 after four minutes of play last Saturday, January 11, the Comets, hosting Solanco, clawed their way back. Kamrin Carroll knocked down what proved to be the game winning shot with 26 seconds left and Penn Manor escaped with a 48-46 non-league win as the pandemic-delayed season got underway.

"We executed a nice set on that last offensive possession and Kamrin read the defense and finished at the rim," said head coach Larry Bellew. "A big key down the stretch was getting a couple stops to take a two-possession lead."

Tyler Burger sparked Solanco's early lead, knocking down six of the team's eight points but the Comets closed the quarter with five straight buckets including a buzzer beater by Reed Lawrence.

It was nip-and-tuck after that. Randy Shorts' three-point play gave the Comets their biggest lead at 15-11 but Solanco tied it up at 15-15 on a free throw by Burger, who finished with a game-high 17 points. The score was tied four more times in the quarter and was knotted at 24-24 at the break.

Neither team gained much ground in the third quarter though the Comets, with an 8-2 run, grabbed the largest lead of the game, 36-31, with 1:54 left in the frame.

The back-and-forth continued through the final eight minutes. Solanco's largest lead was one, on three different occasions, and the Comets held a 46-43 edge on Jack Shipley's baseline jumper with 1:50 left. A Solanco trey tied the game with 50 seconds remaining. Carroll's game-winner was a jumper in the paint but with 25 seconds left, Solanco had time. Their three-point attempt with 6.8 was off the mark. A foul sent the Comets to the line, but they couldn't cash in, leaving the final at 48-46.

"We have five new starters this year," Bellew noted. "And we only have four guys back from last season, so we didn't know what to expect. Every player was either playing a new, significant role or playing in their first varsity game. In the end, I was pleased with their resilience to fight through some rough stretches to find a way to get a win."

Erb (11 points, all in the first half) and Shipley, also with 11, backed Carroll with double-digit efforts.

With ten different players contributing to the final point total, Hempfield handed Penn Manor a 71-40 Section One loss Monday night in Millersville. Hempfield used an 8-2 run to start the second quarter and extend their 13-8 first quarter lead. They went into halftime with a 38-20 advantage and went on to outscore the Comets 33-20 in the second half, improving to 3-0 overall.

"If there is a team with better balance and depth, I would like to see it," said Bellew. "We just struggled, and we don't have the firepower to recover from an 18-point halftime deficit. I was disappointed that we lost our composure when the game went sideways. We lost our trust in each other and didn't work together."

Carroll led the home team with 11 points and Erb followed with eight. Ethan Benne added six on a pair of triples and Shipley netted five. Hunter Sipel (3), Randy Short (3), Reed Lawrence (2) and Axel Velasquez (2) also contributed.

GIRLS' BASKETBALL

Sydney Shepos dropped in ten of her game-high 16 points in the third quarter and the visiting Comets opened their season with a 52-39 non-league win over defending Section Three champ Solanco on Saturday, January 9.

The Comets shook off a 4-0 deficit with 13 straight points, including six by Morgan Miller, and never looked back.

"I have high expectations for this group," said head coach Megan Collins. "We need to make sure we work together as a unit. Izzy Kligge and Kamia Goodley will be good additions to our four returning starters."

Lily Sugra, who also hit double figures with 10, went 4-for-5 from the free throw line in the second quarter and Kligge dropped in four as well to spark a 12-8 second quarter advantage and a 25-12 lead at the break after forcing 22 turnovers.

Things got interesting in the third quarter when Solanco regained its mojo and looked to make a run. A three-ball cut the lead to 25-17 but it wasn't enough. Shepos countered with a pair of triples and the Comets earned a 15-11 quarter lead.

Manor took its largest lead of the night, 43-23, when Kamia Goodley netted a triple on Manor's first possession of the fourth quarter.

Monday night the Comets battled at Hempfield, the defending Section One champ. The Knights controlled the boards, knocked down key jumpers and took advantage of turnovers to secure their second Section One victory, 49-27.

"Nothing worked to our advantage," said Collins. "We missed a lot of opportunities (layups) and tried to out jump instead of box out on defense. Our performance was no indication of our capabilities."

The Comets took a 7-4 lead into the second quarter but an 11-2 Hempfield run gave the hosts momentum. The Knights controlled the third quarter as well, staking a 33-15 lead heading into the final frame. The Comets, behind 10 points from Morgan Miller, looked to make a run in the fourth but still fell short. Miller settled for 13 points on the night. Shepos and Sugra combined for 11.

WRESTLING

The Comet matmen traveled to Quarryville last Tuesday, Jan. 12, expecting a typically tight outing against the Solanco Mules. But this year the hosts had the upper hand, earning a 54-15 victory on the strength of seven falls.

"We forfeit one weight and start three first year wrestlers," explained head coach Brandon Vernalli. "We don't have the numbers we typically have."

Dylan Coleman's 5-0 decision over Blaine Plastino (160) knotted the score at 3-3 and Colt Barley's :49 second fall over Jaden Summers (189) was Manor's only fall of the night and tied the score at 6-6.

Solanco took control after that, posting three straight first period falls and extending the lead to 24-9. They forfeited the 113 bout and went on to score three more falls.

The Comets opened the 2021 season with a 36-33 thriller over Warwick, Saturday, Jan. 9. Tied at 12-12 and again at 18-18, Warwick forged ahead with back-to-back falls but then forfeited three of the last four bouts to surrender the victory.

Travis Clawson (106) put the Comets on the board with a 5-3 OT decision while Leo Medvedkin's (126) 5-4 squeaker at 126 and Harrison Brown's 1:59 fall at 132 tied things up at 12-12 and set the stage for four forfeit wins and the final 24 points of the match.

"I brought up three freshman (Clawson, Gabe Midile and Kyle Furnier) and I expect big things from them this year and in their career," said Vernalli.

SWIMMING

Penn Manor's swimmers won all but one event and came home with a 95-45 win over McCaskey last Tuesday, Jan. 12. Pan Kunyu (100 free and 100 backstroke), Wes Kendis (50 free and 100 fly) and Everett Barry (100 breaststroke and 200 IM) each won two events and contributed to three relay wins as well, complimenting Jayden Almodovar, Jack Garvey, and Noah Reen.

The Comets' Colton Garber also picked up a win in the 500 free.

The girls' team dropped a tightly contested 84-73 result.

Caroline May won the 100 free and Bella Fulmer was tops in the 500 free. They also teamed with Catherine Repkoe and Emma Landis to earn the top time in the 400 free relay.

"Honestly, we were just happy to be in the water," said head coach Eric Urban. "There was a lot of fight in the water. This was a great starting point for a shortened season."