The Garden Spot girls' lacrosse team has improved steadily this year. The growth is attributed to a good all-around team attitude, according to head coach Jen Leaman.

"I've seen them grow in trusting one another and not just picking at the goal themselves," Leaman said. "They're working together as a team."

The Spartans improved to 4-5 on the year with victories over Conestoga Valley and Conrad Weiser in matches that wrapped around the weekend. Garden Spot edged CV 7-6 on Friday, April 8. The Spartans went on the road Monday and downed Conrad Weiser in dominant fashion, 16-6.

Brielle Moyer, Gwen Varley, and Ashton Gonzalez each tallied two goals in the CV game while Skylar Hynson netted one goal and Emily Ferris provided an assist.

"They just played smart," Leaman said of her team's play against the Buckskins. "Sometimes we have a tough time keeping a lead, making mental errors. We didn't do that; we were smart with the ball, taking good shots and using the clock well."

The Spartans' precision attack came as a result of more smart lacrosse play.

"We were able to spread the field," Leaman added. "We have girls with a high lacrosse IQ, knowing where to go on the field, where to cut."

Abigail Commander recorded 10 saves in goal. She grabbed 15 saves in the victory at Conrad Weiser.

"Goalkeeping we've been sharing with Abby Commander, who's a freshman, and Olivia Scarle," explained the coach. "They are pretty even in their talent. Abby has been playing well in the past couple of games, so we put her in back-to-back games."

The team's leading scorers were on fire in this match. Moyer finished with six goals and Varley with five. They each notched an assist. Scoring two each were Ferris and Hynson. Diana Redcay scored once while Eden Nagle dished out three assists.

BASEBALL

Garden Spot pitcher Joshua Tudor tossed two gems over a three-game span, losing one game 2-1 and earning a no decision in another.

Tudor went the distance in a 2-1 loss at Fleetwood on April 12. Caiden Murphy's RBI double was the Spartan's only run. The Tigers and Spartans each had four hits with Kyle Harting and Caleb Zimmerman also stroking doubles for Spot.

Tudor struck out seven and allowed one earned run in the tough loss.

He had seven innings of three-hit ball on Friday April 8 as the Spartans lost at Northern Lebanon 4-2 in extras. He was charged with one earned run as he struck out five.

Cody Brullo and Colin Smith scored the Garden Spot runs. Part of this tough loss was Steiner being stranded at third after hitting a triple.

Sandwiched in between was a 10-0 one-hit shutout by Zimmerman on April 11. He struck out 11 as the Spartans downed Lancaster Mennonite. Zimmerman also scored two runs.

Steiner hit a two-run home run. Joel Martin went 2-for-2 with three RBI's. Smith had an RBI double. George Rohrbaugh scored two runs.

SOFTBALL

The Spartans improved to 2-6 with a decisive victory at Lancaster Mennonite in a crossover game on Monday, April 11.

The Spartans plated five runs in the first inning. The big hit was a Sydni King triple. Rebecca Hoover and Lindsay Lapp each singled to drive in runs.

Garden Spot added five more in the second and scored four in the third inning.

"We had four singles in a row in the second inning," Kim King, the Spot head coach, noted.

"Up and down the lineup, all of our starters got on base either with walks or hits," she added. "That was nice to see everyone contributing."

Despite scoring 14 in the first three innings, the team didn't lose focus, especially in the field.

"We played very good defense overall," King said. "We switched some people around and it seems to have helped."

On the day, Lapp, and King each had three hits with Lapp driving in two runs.

Hoover, who had two RBIs, and Rylee Manning each had two hits.

Kylie Weinhold went five innings, allowing two earned runs and scattering seven hits. She had two strikeouts in the victory.

Maggie Martin got her first career varsity hit - an RBI single in the third inning.

TRACK

In an L-L League track meet with Lebanon on Tuesday, April 12, the girls won 95-55.

Bryna Kelly with her high jump and high hurdles events and the 300 hurdles took first in three events. Lauren Horning won the 200 and 400 races while Angela Nuse sprinted to a win at 100.

In long distance Melanie Esh won the 3,200.

Chloe Grady won the long jump and Lucy Stern the triple jump.

The Spartans and Cedars both scored 75 in the boys' meet. Finn Wenrich won three events - the 100, 200 and 400 while Zechariah Nagle swept the hurdles and Kaleb Zimmerman took the discus and shot put.

Gavin Lee Miller was the triple jump winner. Jaden Burkholder won the javelin.

BOYS LACROSSE

The Spartans' 11-8 victory over Lancaster Country Day on Monday, April 11, improved the team's league record to 2-2 (4-2 overall). With four goals in the third quarter, Spot took a 9-5 lead into the final period.

The top scorer was Ayden Naranjo (5g, 2a) while both Jared Patton and Logan Lesley scored two. Kane Leaman (1g, 1a), Armoni Slaymaker (1g), Joseph Bernek (2a) and Quentin Durante (1a) also contributed.

Despite Naranjo's hat trick, the Spartans lost 14-8 to Conestoga Valley on April 8. Patton was the top scorer with two goals.

VOLLEYBALL

With a 3-2 defeat of Cocalico on Thursday, April 7, Garden Spot remained unbeaten (4-0) in league play.

The Eagles made it close, winning the third and fourth sets 25-23 and 25-22. The Spartans, who won the first two sets 25-19 and 25-22, came back to win the tiebreaker 15-13.

Tanner Laukhuff poured in 28 kills while Tyler Martin registered 23 digs. Jethro Martin added five blocks and Derrick Lambert served two aces.

The Spartans fell to 6-2 overall when Governor Mifflin came back to win a 3-2 non-league match on April 11. Having lost the first set 25-19, the Mustangs won the second and fourth sets by respective scores of 25-18 and 25-17, sandwiched around a 25-23 Spartans win. Mifflin won the fifth set 15-13.

Laukhuff had another great match, putting up 24 kills while Keegan Redcay finished with 41 assists and two aces. Tristin Sadowski had two blocks for Spot.