In a crucial mid-season Section One showdown on Friday night, January 29, the Cedar Crest girls' basketball team managed to disrupt Hempfield's flow in a 52-44 win at Landisville. The result put both teams at a 4-1 tie for first place in the section.

The Falcons held Hempfield to two points in the opening period. The Knights (4-3 overall) erased one point before the half only to see Cedar Crest extend its lead to 12 heading into the fourth quarter.

Autumn Cook came through with 11 points for Hempfield, including a three-point basket and a 2-for-2 night at the foul line. Jess Weinoldt finished with 10 points while both Ava Baer and Lauren Moffatt scored seven.

With a balanced attack, Reese Glover and Kaya Camasta led the Falcons with 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Quite contrary to the first quarter of the Cedar Crest game, the Black Knights put up 17 points to open their game against Governor Mifflin on Saturday afternoon, January 30. In the non-league game at the Keystone Cup in Dallastown, the Knights held off the Mustangs for a 46-43 victory.

The second and third periods made it a closer game as the Mustangs galloped back with a 30-17 run to carry a four-point lead into the fourth quarter. Hempfield held Mifflin to only five points in the final stanza.

Moffatt put up a game-high 16 points, drilling one three-point shot and going 5-for-6 at the charity stripe. Cook scored 10 points while Sophia Ott poured in nine.

Stella Mollica led Mifflin with 10 points.

WRESTLING

The Black Knights wreaked havoc on their opponents at Central York on Saturday, January 30, defeating Bishop McDevitt, New Oxford and the host school before losing a close 25-24 match to Cumberland Valley.

In the 43-22 defeat of McDevitt, the Knights registered five pins. Russell Hanes (189), Gordon Hoover (215), Seamus Mack (120) and Dylan Bard (160) earned those bonus points.

Braden Edwards had three pins on the day. Perhaps a forfeit by New Oxford in the 126-pound weight class prevented him from pinning through the day.

The victory over McDevitt also featured an 18-1 technical fall by Gio Luciano at 113. He had two technicals on the day. Jorden Williams outlasted his opponent for a 4-1 decision at 106. Reagan Lefevre earned a close 2-1 decision at 145. At that juncture, the Knights led by a slim 29-28 margin until Bard's pin and Jonah Gelbart's 10-8 decision regained momentum.

In the 62-12 trouncing of New Oxford, pins came courtesy of Caleb Mussmon in the heavyweight battle as well as Williams at 106. Kamron Fickes (138) notched along with Bard (152) and Gelbart (160) while Lefevre worked a 20-5 technical fall and Mack dominated for a 14-2 major. Hoover shut out his opponent at 215 to the count of a 15-0 technical.

Central York managed only nine points in the 52-9 Hempfield win.

Along with Bard's 7-0 decision, Lefevre's 4-3 victory over Macon Myers in the 145-pound bout, and Gainer's 6-4 win at 132, the Knights were also paced by Jobeth Plaza's major (172) Luciano's 22-6 technical at 113, and a 13-1 major by Fickes, who won the 138-pound battle.

Mussmon (285), Hanes (189) and Edwards (126) also registered pins.

The 25-24 loss to CV was filled with several decisions. The only Hempfield pins came from Edwards and Mack. Mussmon won his bout by a 9-2 decision and Hanes posted an 8-3 decision. Luciano won 7-2 at 113.

The Eagles came back with three straight decisions, including a close 2-0 victory at 172.

Hempfield (13-1 overall) was coming off a Section One bout with Manheim Township on Thursday, January 28. The 39-20 win improved the Knights' L-L League record to 4-0.

Hoover had a pin at 215 and Mussmon came through with a 5-2 win in the heavyweight bout.

The Blue Streaks had two consecutive majors and a technical fall to pick up some momentum only to have Edwards claim a 9-6 decision at 126 and for Hempfield to earn 12 uncontested points on Township forfeits at 138 and 145.

Lefevre (152) eked out a 7-6 decision followed by pins from Bard (160) and Gelbart (172).

BOYS' BASKETBALL

The Black Knights saw two of their L-L League games get postponed before they were able to tip off against another section rival on Wednesday evening, February 3. The day after Groundhog Day, the Knights realized there were 48 minutes of basketball but came up short in a 58-54 loss on the road.

Manheim Township extended its slim 28-26 halftime lead with a strong third quarter and somehow held back Hempfield's comeback bid to escape with the two-point win. The Knights fell to 3-2 in league play (4-2 overall).

Connecting from three-point range was a theme for Hempfield's Brandon Hagel, who led his team with 14 points, and Township's J.T. Weaver, who finished with 17. Hagel and Weaver each made three treys.

Miguel Pena, with two triples, and Ryan Hilton each scored 10 for the Knights.

Township's Seth Miller led all scorers with 20 points.

BOWLING

The Black Knights topped McCaskey 7-0 at Leisure Lanes on Thursday afternoon, January 28. Hempfield improved to 21-14 (9-12 league).

Leading the way for the Hempfield bowlers were Mitchell Barns and Derick Keller.

Keller compiled 629 points on the day, highlighted by his 226-point second game. Barnes bowled a 225 in his first game and finished with a total of 622.