In a Wednesday afternoon L-L League lacrosse clash, the Black Knights topped the Comets 13-2. Hempfield evened its record at 1-1, winning its first league match, while Penn Manor fell to 1-1 (0-1 league).

Kayla Brooks, Regan Gillisse and Catherine Mollitor each put up a hat trick for Hempfield. Brooks also dished out two assists on the day as did Brynn Axe, who netted one goal for herself.

Junior Kenna Price found the net twice for Hempfield. Haylee Eide celebrated on one of her scoring opportunities. Gillisse and Mackenzie Warfel each finished with one assist.

Eryn Murphy grabbed one save in the victory.

TENNIS

The Hempfield boys' tennis team came up just short in its 3-2 loss to Exeter on Tuesday afternoon. The Black Knights claimed the number one doubles and the number three singles while Alexander Cooke gave a great effort in his number one singles loss to the Eagles' Teddy Snyder.

Cooke lost the opening set 7-6 and the second by a 6-2 margin. In the third singles set, Eric Jordan overcame a loss in the first set to win the next one 6-3 and the tiebreaker 10-7.

Eli Worley teamed with Trent Meyers for a 6-2, 6-3 win at first doubles. Jonah Comeaux and Gavin Chamberlain suffered a 6-4, 6-1 loss at No. 2.

The loss dropped Hempfield to 0-3 on the year. The previous day Hempfield hosted Elizabethtown in a Lancaster-Lebanon League match. The Bears won three very close matches in their 6-1 victory.

Chamberlain and Worley earned the single team point for the Knights - an 8-3 win at number three doubles.

At No. 2 doubles the Bears eked out an 8-6 win over Meyers and Carson Weigle.

At No. 2 singles, Weigle opened with a 6-1 victory but lost two close sets to Steve Dupler - 7-5 and 10-8. Meyers was also a first set winner in his singles match, defeating Hayden Musser 6-3. But Musser came back for a 6-1 win and a marathon 13-11 tiebreaker win at number four singles.

Hempfield fell to 0-2 in Lancaster-Lebanon League play.

BOYS' VOLLEYBALL

The boys' volleyball team dominated Section One rival Manheim Township in their opening match of the season.

The Knights had a virtually flawless match, topping Township 25-8, 25-4 and 25-6 in the 3-0 sweep.

"That's one match we have to build on," head coach Mike Vogel said. "We played very well. Every year it's the same goal - keep getting better every week.

"After a lost season [due to COVID shutdown], the kids were chomping at the bit to get started," he added. "As a coach, I was pleased to start without mistakes in our first match of the season."

Ryan Givens had a match-high 13 kills. Fellow senior Grant Lorelli registered two blocks.

"Lorelli and Givens are the only ones on this year's team with any varsity experience from two years ago," Vogel explained. "Going from JV to varsity is a big jump.

"Givens didn't have any hitting errors all night," added the coach. "Some of the other players were the same way. Everybody played extremely well. I played all 13 kids I have on varsity. They all executed.

"That's what we talked about before the match - go out there and execute," continued the coach.

Caden Bonner and Ian Nissley each served up two aces. Mason Orth led the team with 12 digs.

BASEBALL

It was a game for a King and Knights.

No, this isn't about the Hempfield chess team. Rather, it's a reference to the Black Knights' baseball team earning a 1-0 season opening victory.

Tim King started for Hempfield and earned the victory. He also started the third-inning rally that plated the game's only run. King doubled to right field. Marcus Rivera came in to run for King. A walk to Christian LaBarbera was followed by Austin Dunlap's infield single and run batted in as the throw to the plate was not in time to tag out Rivera.

Cameron Berger came on to pitch in the fifth inning. He struck out five and allowed one walk as he notched his first save of the season. King earned the win with four innings - two strikeouts, one walk.

SOFTBALL

The Penn Manor Comets edged Hempfield 6-5 in a Wednesday afternoon Section One softball game at Manor Middle School. Emily Riggs had an RBI double and a fifth-inning solo home run to lead the Comets (2-0, 1-0 league).

Hempfield fell to 1-2 (0-1 league) and put two runs on the board as Avery Landis stroked a double to drive home Courtney Guthrie and Olivia Cover. Elizabeth Williams drove in Landis with an RBI single.

Kate Bemesderfer's RBI single added another run in the fifth.

TRACK

The Hempfield girls' track and field team opened the season with a tough 76-73 Section One loss to Penn Manor on Tuesday, March 29 in Millersville. The boys' team soared past the Comets 79-63.

Part of what made the girls' loss a heartbreaking one was the great effort by the relay teams, including Lily Clinton, Lilyana Williams, Brooklynne Smith and Hiwot Wisotzkey, who won the 4x400 in 5:08.8.

Wisotzkey, Clinton, Callie Herr and freshman Hannah Kilheffer posted a 10:36.0 in winning the 4x800.

Wisotzkey went on to win the 400 (65.1) while Mia Sheldon dashed to the finish line in 13.9 in the 100.

Kassidy Felsinger and Brie Zickefoose captured the two hurdling events with Felsinger (19.6) winning the high hurdles and Zieckefoose (55.8) the 300.

Zickefoose also earned first in the triple jump with her 30-foot effort.

Tanner Hess was one of the leaders for the Hempfield boys, sprinting to victory in both the 100 as well as the 200-meter events with respective times of 11.4 and 22.4.

Meanwhile Tate Martin claimed both the 300 hurdles in 45.8 and the high hurdles at 16.6.

Aidan Hodge had the winning pace of 4:35.8 in the 1,600 while two of his teammates in field events earned firsts as well - Ryan Caste with a 6-foot high jump and Hisnoel Nunez-Morales with an impressive 8-6 pole vault.