BLUE DEVIL DISPATCH 12-16-09
The 2009-2010 Greencastle-Antrim School District winter athletic season is finally underway with mixed results in the early going.
BOYS’
BASKETBALL
The Blue Devil varsity squad (1-1) provided excitement from the start, bypassing host Northeastern 50-47 in overtime to open the Bobcat Tip-off Tournament Friday. Down by seven at the half, G-A surged in the third and forced the OT with solid play down the stretch. Christian Hoover (16 points) fueled the outburst with a three-pointer and a pair of free throws. Defense keyed the extra period. Eric Baymon also had double figures with 13 points and had six rebounds. Nathan Pool delivered eight points and nine rebounds. Jerrick Gembe had four assists.
The win put G-A into the championship contest against an always-tough Red Lion team. The Lions did most of the damage in a 56-39 win in the second period where they went on a 14-2 run. G-A trailed by as much as 12 in the third, but also cut the deficit to seven at one point before Red Lion used another run, 11-2, to shut the door and have the Devils settle for runner-up honors. Seth Sprague led the scoring with 10 points and added six boards. Baymon added eight points, four rebounds and two assists. Hoover put in eight points and had three assists.
Hoover and Baymon were named to the all-tournament team.
GIRLS’
BASKETBALL
G-A’s varsity girls’ team (1-1) was tripped up in its opener, but regrouped to claim third place in the Northern Tip-Off Tournament. Bermudian Springs got off to a quick start in a 50-31 win over the Blue Devils in the tourney opener. A 10-2 run out of the gates unfortunately set the tone for the Devils who trailed by 13 at the half. The Eagles widened the lead by another nine going into the fourth quarter. G-A came on with a 12-9 fourth quarter to nurse the scoreboard. Tache Smothers led the Devils with five points and three steals. Brooke Kerstetter also had five points. Katrina Wright and Rachel Kline each had five rebounds. Wright added two blocks and two assists.
The Blue Devils came back strong on day two of the tourney with a 58-25 thumping of host Northern. Jenna Crunkleton came up big with 22 points as the Devils came out with a 29-13 first half. G-A kept up the pressure in the second half and won that similarly at 29-12 for the 33-point spread. Smothers added 11 points and Rachelle Piper contributed eight. Caitlyn Hoover chalked up three steals and two assists. Wright was on the boards for eight rebounds.
The G-A junior varsity also got into action with a 33-11 win over Bermudian in the opener. Miranda Sharp had 12 points and Malaya Maloy added 10. And the jayvees notched the tournament championship with a 35-20 win over Northern. Cassey Cordell rang up 12 points in the title game.
WRESTLING
It’s difficult to imagine a tougher opener than to take on district contender Boiling Springs to open the wrestling season, but that’s what G-A drew Saturday. The Blue Devils (1-0) had a good start and finish, however the Bubblers ran to a 59-11 Mid-Penn Capital Division win.
Devin Schaeffer (171) and Todd DeWalt (189) gave G-A the early lead with major decisions, but G-A could not stop the tidal wave of Bubbler wins in the next 10 matches. Tyler Ezolt (152) broke the string with a decision. Dylan Schaeffer did well at 160 in the final bout of the match, dropping a 3-2 decision.