BLUE DEVIL DISPATCH 1-20-10

BOYS’

BASKETBALL

The Blue Devils (7-5, 3-1 MPC-Capital Division) had a very solid week with wins over all three opponents, including a key divisional skirmish.

First up was Susquenita on the road in Cove where an even game was played until the third quarter when the Devils racked up a 17-2 run to pull away for the 59-32 victory. Christian Hoover led the way with 21 points and five assists. Jerrick Gembe put in nine points and Dyshean Workman contributed eight. Eric Schanzenbacher pulled nine off the glass.

On Wednesday G-A hosted East Pennsboro which came to town with a 10-2 record. The Devils used the perimeter well against a taller opponent to the tune of a 43-37 upset. G-A put in eight three-point field goals and six two-pointers. Nathan Pool and Hoover combined for seven of the treys as the Devils clawed in the final minutes and did well at the foul line late to finish on top. Pool led with 16 points and Hoover added 13. Eric Baymon had seven rebounds, seven points and three assists. Gembe added six boards.

Next the Devils welcomed Capital Division foe Big Spring into the G-A gym. The Bulldogs came in undefeated in the division, but left on the low end of a 50-44 final. It was the third straight win for the Devils. G-A’s defense keyed the contest where the Devils never trailed. Eight players scored for the home team. Pool led with 15 and Andrew Zeger put in nine. With seven each were Jared Grove and Seth Sprague. Baymon delivered seven rebounds and five assists.

In junior varsity action last week, G-A dumped Susquenita, 49-44, behind 13 points from Tyler Szaflarski. Against East Pennsboro the Blue Devils put four players in double figures in a 59-54 victory. Trenton Springs led with 13 and with 10 each were Corey Meyers, Denton Cordell and Szaflarski. The Devils staged a strong rally in the second half against Big Spring but came up short at 56-53. Cordell put in 17, while Meyers and Szaflarski inserted 11 each.

WRESTLING

The Blue Devil wrestlers (2-4, 2-3 MPC-Capital) had a close one slip through their fingers last week as Shippensburg got the edge for a 36-30 win in a Mid-Penn Conference Capital Division match. Down by three with two bouts to go and the tie-breaker criteria in the Devils’ favor, G-A couldn’t pull off wins in overtime to seal it.

G-A got three straight pins early in the match from Tyler Ezolt (160), Dylan Schaeffer (171) and Todd DeWalt (189) to build the score. Denton Ensminger came through with a 3-1 decision at heavyweight and Rusty Pine (12) and Jake Heuer (119) delivered decisions in the lightweights to push the Devils to the brink. It was Ship who got the OT to work for them at 135 and 145 and a decision at 140 to turn the tide.

 GIRLS’

 BASKETBALL

The Greencastle-Antrim girls’ team (5-6, 2-2 MPC-Capital) had a 1-2 week, starting strong with a 35-22 win over Milton Hershey. Things didn’t start off well, but the Devils regrouped and sparked by defense went on a 19-2 run going from the third into the fourth and bypassed the Lady Spartans for the 13-point spread. Tache Smothers scored 13 and had three steals and three assists. Jenna Crunkleton added seven points. Alex Nicastro delivered six points, five rebounds and three steals.

The Blue Devils saw the other side of the coin during a trip to Enola to play the East Pennsboro Panthers. G-A was leading 25-23 at the half, but East Penn went on a 14-4 third quarter and outdid the Devils 33-15 in the second half for a 56-40 win. The Panthers were able to shut down Crunkleton, who scored 10 points in the first half, in the second half to key the turnaround. Crunkleton led the Devils with 13 points. Smothers put in nine and Katrina Wright had eight. With five rebounds each were Smothers, Wright and Rachelle Piper.

Offense was stymied for the Devils against the Capital Division’s Big Spring. Still things were even until the second frame when the Bulldogs went on a 25-12 run to take command and end with a 42-29 victory. Crunkleton and Smothers scored 10 points each. Smothers hit the board for eight rebounds. Caitlyn Hoover had three steals and two assists.

G-A’s junior varsity team surged in the fourth quarter but fell to Milton Hershey, 45-31. Miranda Sharp led the Devils with a dozen points. Brooke Strait added 11. G-A dropped a 46-27 game to East Pennsboro and a 41-28 decision to Big Spring.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Boys’ Basketball

G-A’s freshmen boys’ team (6-1) dominated both its opponents of the week, first rejecting Waynesboro, 40-21, and then Big Spring, 53-33. Zach Faulkner poured in 16 against the Braves with Holden Baker contributing 11 points. “We played with a lot of energy to start,” said head coach Jerry Englehart. “Our defense was consistent throughout the game.” Baker was high with 13 points for the Devils against Big Spring. Eight players got into the scoring column as Faulkner added 11 and Josh Young eight. Englehart said, “The kids gave a great effort.”

Waynesboro won the eighth-grade game, 26-20. G-A bounced back to defeat Big Spring, 50-22.

In seventh-grade action, Waynesboro posted a 43-26 win. Wayne Kline scored nine for the Devils. The Devils came back and dominated Big Spring, 48-25.

Wrestling

The Blue Devil wrestlers had to give up a few too many forfeits in a 48-41 loss to Shippensburg last week. G-A started well enough as Wyatt Binkley worked a technical fall at 85 and Eugene Byers picked up a forfeit at 90. Cody Carbaugh (100), Aaron Grossman (110) and Ryan Wolf (115) kept things going with pins. G-A was unable to halt a six-bout win streak by Ship before Matt Nardi won by pin at 185. Shippensburg got two of the last three bouts by forfeit and G-A one in the loss.

Girls’ Basketball

The G-AMS girls’ freshman team bypassed Milton Hershey 32-18 behind eight points each from Morgan Fetting and Tiffany Briggs. The Blue Devils dropped a 37-30 game to Big Spring.

The eighth-grade Blue Devils dispatched Waynesboro, 31-16. G-A didn’t allow a point from the Maidens in the first or fourth quarter to wrap up the win. Moriah Woods put in nine points and Tabitha Rudy delivered eight. Against Big Spring the Devils were consistent toward the 15-8 win. Ashlynn Schaeffer led with six points.

In seventh-grade action, the Devils shut out Waynesboro in the first half en route to a 28-10 victory. Shelby Stouffer and Jane Herman had eight each for G-A. The Devils posted a 25-20 win over Big Spring.