BLUE DEVIL DISPATCH 12-21-11

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Coming off an emotional overtime championship game in the tip-off tournament the Blue Devils (4-1, 2-0 MPC-Colonial) produced a three-win week that included a pair of divisional victories.

First up was a non-conference date at Biglerville and there was no letdown. The Canners were held under double digit scoring until the fourth quarter. G-A went on from a 36-9 tally after three quarters to a 45-27 win. The Devils had nine players hit the scoring column, led by Tache Smothers with 14 points and six steals. Lauren Grove deposited 11 and Rachel Kline dominated the boards with 15 rebounds.

G-A stayed on the road Tuesday and knocked down its first Mid-Penn Conference Colonial Division victory by bypassing Northern on its home floor, 45-32. The second quarter made the difference where the Devils owned an 18-8 advantage. Grove and Smothers again both collected double digit scoring with 16 and 10 points, respectively. Smothers produced three assists. Kline continued to own the glass with 14 rebounds.

The Blue Devils had already had a win over James Buchanan in the tip-off tourney (60-38), but Friday the Rockets came to town with a bit more fire. Still, G-A prevailed 60-42, buoyed by career numbers from a couple of players. Chloe Hoover delivered a 20-point effort to top her high school numbers to date. Kline downed a career-high 11 points and collected 13 rebounds to push her tally on the glass for the week to 42. Hoover was also a help on the glass with 11 rebounds for a double-double along with Kline.

G-A looked as if it would pull away after a 15-5 spread in the first quarter, however the Rockets clawed their way back in and made it a contest until the Devils staged a 22-14 effort in the fourth for the 18-point win. Smothers connected for a dozen points and Grove added 11.

In junior varsity action, G-A claimed a 52-28 decision over Biglerville behind 16 points from Jane Herman. Herman topped the chart against Northern with seven points in a 33-22 win. The jayvees also made it three in a row with a 54-31 verdict over the Rockets. Herman again was the high scorer with 24.

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS’ BASKETBALL

The Blue Devils (4-0, 2-0 MPC-Colonial) stayed unbeaten on the young season last week, apparently feeling comfortable with wherever they play. After a solid home win over Northern (66-54), G-A made a third short trip up Route 16 to Mercersburg for a game on the James Buchanan floor. The previous weekend the Devils defeated the Rockets and Chambersburg to claim the Franklin County Tip-Off Tournament title. This time it was for a Mid-Penn Conference Colonial Division stake and G-A again made good with a 70-39 domination.

At home against the Polar Bears the Devils took the definitive step in the second quarter with a 20-6 spread for a 21-point lead at the break. The gap opened to as much as 25 through the third. While the Bears were able to rally somewhat in the fourth, the result was never in doubt. G-A got good spreadout scoring with Corey Meyers putting in 16, Denver Cordell netting 12 and Joel Zola adding 11. Zola also made a mark defensively with five blocks.

The Devils didn’t flinch at playing on the Rocket hardwoods again and sailed with a 28-4 third quarter en route to the 70-39 final. Cordell was high in this one with 18 points. Zola again put in 11 and Meyers added 10. Cordell contributed six rebounds and five assists. Denton Cordell was high with five steals.

HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING

G-A’s Cody Carbaugh has thrown down the gauntlet early in the 2011-12 wrestling season by capturing a title at the Carlisle Boosters Holiday Wrestling Tournament last week.

Carbaugh rose to the top of the 106-pound weight class with a pair of pins and a 9-0 major decision in the championship final over Ben Allwein of West Perry. The junior had pinned Tyler Kunkel of Bermudian Springs in the quarterfinals and punched his ticket to the finals with another fall.

Teammates Wade Rider (120) and Jake Heuer (132) earned opening round victories, but were knocked out of the championship bracket in the quarterfinals. Heuer rebounded to take sixth place in his senior season and recorded a pair of pins in the event on a 3-3 mark. Rider’s win was a technical fall.

Also competing in the tournament for the Blue Devils were Dwight Henning, Dexter Miller, Nic Dattilio, Aryan Bowen, Ryan Wolf, Aaron Grossman and Mirzosan Mirsobahkodur. G-A scored 41.5 points, finishing 15th out of 16 teams in the event.

Carbaugh, Rider and Heuer each posted wins against Gettysburg in the opening dual meet for the Blue Devils last week, however the Warriors powered to a 53-18 team win. Carbaugh started the match for the Devils and used 3:48 before pinning Lane Sherman  in the 106 class. After the first of four forfeits G-A would give up, Rider (120) regained the lead on the team board with a 2:11 fall of Wade Lauderman. Despite a technical fall at 126, Heuer (132) kept the Devils in it with a pin in 3:21. Wolf battled on the short end of a decision at 138 and Miller made his opponent work to a 16-8 major at 170, but it was all Gettysburg on the team scoreboard en route to the dominating final.