Pequea Valley's Damon Mancino registered a pin with two seconds remaining in the opening period of his heavyweight match against his Lancaster Catholic opponent, Seamus Bohan. In the home match against their Lancaster-Lebanon League foe, the Braves came up short 47-18 with Mancino's victory coming at the end of the match.

Adam Reber, who was up at the 120-pound weight class, and teammate Zach Hollenbaugh (189) each claimed six uncontested points on forfeits by the Crusaders.

The Braves battled in the weight classes that were not forfeits but Catholic claimed 30 team points on the Braves' five forfeits.

The Braves fell to 0-2 on the year while the Crusaders improved to 1-1.

GIRLS' BASKETBALL

The Braves came up a few points short in their first game back after the holidays. Pequea Valley's girls' basketball team played host to Garden Spot on Monday, January 3. A change in momentum helped the Spartans come away with a 41-38 victory, outscoring the Braves 16-10 in the fourth quarter.

Garden Spot managed to inch closer in the second stanza, trailing the Braves by only two points going into the locker rooms at halftime - 23-21. The Braves extended the lead to 28-25 before the final period.

The loss dropped the Braves to 4-5 on the year.

Deena Stoltzfus finished the night as the game's top scorer. The Pequea senior scored 14 points.

Freshman Katie Stoltzfus also hit double figures. Her 10 points included a pair of three-point field goals. Rebecca Cox added eight points, including a 2-for-2 night from the foul line.

Taylor Soehner led Garden Spot (5-4) with 12 points.

BOYS' BASKEBALL

In what started off appearing to be a high-scoring game, the Braves lost a non-league contest at Linville Hill Christian on Monday, January 3.

Linville managed to hold Pequea to only eight points in a crucial third quarter while pouring in 22 points to pull away from what had been a 35-31 halftime lead for the home team.

Senior Nevin Stoltzfus, who hit a pair of threes, poured in 14 points to lead Pequea Valley in scoring. Cam Beiler scored 12 points while six of Jackson Neff's eight points came from three-point range.

The Braves were back on the road two nights later, facing L-L League foe Lancaster Mennonite.

The Blazers' stingy defense kept the Braves off the scoreboard in the first quarter, making it difficult for the visitors to climb out of an early 22-0 hole. Mennonite went on to win 73-39, dropping the Braves' record to 2-7 (1-2 league).

Nathan Blank scored 10 for Pequea Valley, including a pair of three-point jumpers. Dylan Knott scored six while Nevin Stoltzfus and Sam Arena each tallied five.

Camden Hurst and Myles Halvorson each scored 14 points to lead Lancaster Mennonite.