BLUE DEVIL DISPATCH 2-16-11

BOYS’

BASKETBALL

The Blue Devils (16-6, 10-2 MPC-Colonial) not only won the Mid-Penn Conference Colonial Division title last week with a win over rival Waynesboro, they also punched their tickets to the conference tournament and the District 3-AAA Championship Tournament.

By virtue of its divisional title, the Devils will get to warm up this week for next week’s start of the district tournament. G-A drew Commonwealth Division champion Harrisburg in the conference semifinals in a game set for Tuesday, Feb. 15 at Chambersburg High School. The Devils go into the game with a six-game win streak. It’s district position is a ninth seed, which means a rematch with Susquehanna Township (14-8), the eighth seed. The two had already met this season with Township holding off a late rally from the Blue Devils Dec. 23 for a 62-58 final.

Despite its winless record, Waynesboro didn’t let the Devils off the hook easily in a 48-41 win to nail down the Colonial Division title. And the challenge was never more evident than the final quarter. The Tribe was down by seven as the fourth period began and sliced it down to just two in the next four minutes. A three-pointer from Corey Meyers took some wind out of Waynesboro and the Devils went on for the seven-point win. G-A was buoyed by a seven-point lead executed in the opening frame.

Meyers led the Devils with 16 points. With leading scorer Denver Cordell being guarded well, his twin, Denton took up the cause and inserted 15 points and added five rebounds.

G-A had one regular season game remaining, a makeup game with a seemingly harmless Southern Fulton squad. No such luck. The Indians tore out to a 12-0 lead and pushed the Devils the whole way with G-A pulling out a 60-57 non-league victory. It was the end that counted and the Devils made all the right moves to the victory. Eric Baymon and Austin Scott made key free throws and Southern committed seven errors in the fourth to stumble too often in a close game. In all there were 17 changes in the lead and five tie scores. Meyers again drove the Devils with his offense and 19 points, but posted an all-around effort with four rebounds, four assists and four steals. Denver Cordell and Eric Baymon each put in 11 points.

In junior varsity action, the Blue Devils also had a close one with Waynesboro, edging the Little Indians 42-40. Grant Murray put in a dozen to lead G-A. The Devils doubled up on Southern Fulton 50-25 with Gabe Fridgen leading the way with 11 points. Josh Young added nine.

GIRLS’

BASKETBALL

Greencastle-Antrim (9-13, 4-6 MPC-Colonial) kept its hopes of a District 3-AAA playoff berth alive with a 50-34 win over Waynesboro last week. Unfortunately the odds were against the Devils, who finished 22nd in the power rankings that took the top 20. G-A took a lead a few minutes into the game that it would not relinquish. While the lead stayed, Jenna Crunkleton made it comfortable by nailing five three-pointers in the first half. The Maidens made a concerted effort to guard Crunkleton in the second half, but Lauren Grove took up the offensive cause and ended with a game-high 20 points. Rachel Kline and Caitlyn Hoover were high on the boards with 11 and 12 rebounds each.

Despite ending just short of postseason play, the Devils ended with a win. It was a victory that broke a seven-game skid.

The junior varsity Devils commanded its game with a 51-11 tally.

WRESTLING

Greencastle-Antrim (0-7, 0-6 MPC-Colonial) gets back on the competitive mat Feb. 19 with the Class AAA Section I Tournament at Mechanicsburg.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

The freshman boys’ basketball team (9-13) closed its season by hosting its annual freshman tournament. Reading won the tournament with a 44-39 win over Chambersburg. G-A was 2-1 going into the semifinal round. The Devils clipped Mercersburg Academy, 41-40; delivered eventual champ Reading, 46-33; and defeated Palmyra, 41-36. The semifinal round was different as the Devils went down to Chambersburg, 40-17.

“Our record doesn’t show a winning season, but it was a success,” said G-A freshman coach Jerry Englehart. “We had different experience levels and we made great strides as a team and individuals.”

Against the Academy, Eli Englehart led three players in double figures with 13 points. Joel Zola and Jeremiah Barber each had 10. G-A showed its mettle in defeating the eventual champs by a 46-33 measure. Zola put in 10 points and Justin Hovey had eight. The Devils bypassed Palmyra 41-36 behind 10 points from Englehart, nine from Hovey and eight from Zola. The run put G-A up against Chambersburg in the semis where it was a 40-17 loss.

 Gettysburg had tripped the Devils 36-32 earlier in the week. Cody Thompson had 12 points and Zola added 10.

Other middle school scores made available are as follows:

Girls’ basketball vs. Big Spring — seventh-grade, 23-6 win.

Girls’ basketball vs. Waynesboro — eighth-grade, 23-20 loss; seventh-grade, 24-11 win.

Boys’ basketball vs. Big Spring — eighth-grade, 36-26 win; seventh-grade 39-33 win.

Boys’ basketball vs. Waynesboro — eighth-grade, 41-29 loss.