Playing back-to-back games to start the week, the Spartans suffered setbacks to Berks Catholic and Manheim Central on Monday and Tuesday, January 18-19.

The Spartans have battled injuries and COVID-related roster gaps in the early going, according to head coach Kevin Gensemer.

"There are some kids who have been stepping up," Gensemer said. "We are playing a lot of younger players until we are full staff and full steam."

In a Section Three girls' basketball game at Manheim Central, the Spartans came up short. The Barons posted a 57-34 victory with the home team's Maddie Knier pouring in 31 points.

"Central has one of the top players in the league," Gensemer said, referring to Knier. "She's tough to defend."

The Spartans played a stronger second half with the Barons outscoring them by only a 26-23 margin.

"We played them even in the second half," Gensemer said. "When you dig a hole by halftime, it's hard to climb back into the game."

Garden Spot fell to 0-3 on the year (0-2 in league).

Erin Gonzalez came through with 13 points to lead Garden Spot. For the junior, it was the third contest in a row leading her team in points. Morgan Pavelik finished with eight points. She is one of the younger players Gensemer has been putting into a starting role.

"Morgan had a decent game with eight points," Gensemer noted. "She's a freshman. She had struggled, coming off a broken ankle. But she is right where I hope to see her - scoring eight to 10 points a game."

One of the other upperclassmen having a nice night was senior Avery Stauffer.

"She was playing in only her third varsity game ever," Gensemer explained. "She had 11 rebounds for us."

The Spartans were coming off a non-league loss at home to Berks Catholic. The Saints increased their 28-14 halftime lead by outscoring the Spartans 15-1 in the third quarter enroute to a 50-25 victory.

Gonzalez tallied 12 in the game, hitting her target from three-point range twice. Pavelik and Syanna Duval each finished with four points.

"Erin had a nice night," added the coach. "Our other leading scorer Taylor Soehner has missed two games. She is six feet tall and is a missing a piece of our puzzle right now.

BOYS' BASKETBALL

The boys' basketball team fell just short despite a tenacious effort in Tuesday's game against Manheim Central. Trailing 29-16 at the midway mark of the Section Three match at New Holland, the Spartans charged back with a 14-8 run in the third quarter and went on to outscore the Barons by four points in the fourth. Central held on for a 46-43 win, improving to 3-2 (1-2 league) while Garden Spot fell to 0-4, 0-2.

Jesse Martin led all scorers as he poured in 13 for the Spartans. John Dykie added 11. Jonathan Vega nailed a pair of treys on his eight-point night.

In Monday's game at Lebanon, the Spartans demonstrated a fierce attempt to climb out of a 13-5 hole. The Cedars took that eight-point advantage into the second quarter and were only able to increase the lead to 29-19 by halftime. Garden Spot shaved another point off that lead only to see the Cedars go on a 10-3 run in the fourth and on to a 47-31 victory.

Jesse Martin again led Garden Spot, scoring 11 points. Cory Ream and Brendan Weaver scored six each for Spot.

Lebanon's Adrian Cruz tied Martin for the game's top scoring total with 11.

WRESTLING

The Spartans and Barons squared off in a wrestling match on Wednesday evening at Manheim Central. With a 46-24 win, the Spartans improved to 2-0.

Trailing 24-16 after seven matches, the Spartans forged their comeback with a victory in the 113-pound weight class where Adam Hahn earned six team points on an injury default.

Josiah Smucker followed with a gutsy effort at 120, gaining an 8-4 decision, which was followed by a Central forfeit at126.

From there, the Garden Spot fortunes were in good hands as Jeremy Schilling (132) earned an 8-6 decision over Uriah Warner, making it a 10-point Spot advantage. The lead increased to 40-24 on Garrett Gehr's pin at 138. Brice Brady's pin at 145 was the finishing touch.

The Spartans had gotten on the board first in this match, which began at the 152-pound class. Aaron Martin's 10-2 major decision gave the Spartans a 4-0 lead. A string of three Manheim Central pins put the home team up 18-4 before Mason Musser's pin at 215 swung the momentum toward Spot. Dustin Swanson pinned Ryland Fittery in only 30 seconds at the heavyweight bout, pulling the Spartans to within two points at 18-16.

BOWLING

The L-L League bowling season has gotten off to a great start for Garden Spot. On Friday, January 15, the Spartans defeated Lampeter-Strasburg 7-0 at Dutch Lanes.

Trevor Courtney bowled a 248 in his second game of the afternoon. That was sandwiched between a 226 score and a 210 performance. As a team, the Spartans tallied 2715 to the Pioneers' 1916.

AIR RIFLE

Garden Spot's air rifle team improved to 2-0 on the year with a 497-493 victory at home over Wilson on Thursday, January 14.

Perfect scores by Leksi Bender and Tanner Donahue helped put the Spartans over the top. The team's top two scorers had plenty of support from Amanda Wolfe, Curtis Nolt and Jack Werner, all of whom finished with 99's on the day.

The Bulldogs were led by Megan Kowalick's score of 100.

The Spartans edged Conestoga Valley 494-490 on Tuesday thanks to a perfect score by Bender and 99's from Wolfe and Werner to lead the way. Nolt and Matthew Sauder both shot 98's

This was part of a back-to-back meeting with the Buckskins. In the earlier contest, the Spartans were on target thanks to Wolfe and Werner both shooting perfect 100's in a 497-486 win over CV. Bender, Nolt and Evan Graham came away with 99's while Wyatt Stauffer shot a 99 for Conestoga Valley.