Though a league victory was elusive in the Buckskins' early season, that streak was broken after a team-wide CV effort culminated in a decisive 71-57 victory over Ephrata last Tuesday, January 7.
The team's 71 points is their second-highest accumulation this season, and the scoring surge was led by Will Stone's career high 23 points.
"Will provided perhaps his best all-around game of the season," acknowledged head coach Brad Herr.
Three additional CV athletes joined Stone in notching double figures: Austin Wertz with 15, Bradley Stoltzfus 14, and Luke Rumbaugh 11.
"We knew coming in that nothing short of our best effort would suffice, and we were able to capitalize off the unselfish nature of our kids' style," elaborated Herr.
That unselfishness manner of play showed up in a big way, with 18 assisted baskets for the team.
Hungry for a win, the Bucks shot ahead 21-14 in the opening quarter and then preceded to hold the Mountaineers to just six points in the subsequent period, expanding their lead to 39-20 at the half.
Though Ephrata rallied for a stronger latter half, the Bucks' early advantage allowed them to maintain a firm grasp on the victory.
"Bradley Stoltzfus and Austin Wertz were able to establish their games driving to the rim, while Luke Rumbaugh was able to extend the defense with some sharp outside shooting," Herr explained, also pointing to the defensive effort of the rest of the team which led to the triumph.
The previous Friday, the Bucks came close to another win, but came up just short, 69-53 against the Warwick Warriors. This time Stoltzfus paced the offense with 17 points and Wertz added 13.
WRESTLING
Last Wednesday, January 15, the CV grapplers pulled out a close victory in a 36-32 league showdown against the Penn Manor Comets.
The Comets grabbed an early lead going up 17-0 after four bouts, but four CV pins provided by Jonathan Lopez (170), Josue Marente (195), Jesse Lonon (285), and Keaton Fischer (126) brought the Buckskins roaring back into control. A pair of key forfeits also went in favor of the Bucks, giving Leo Marente (220) and Trent Ruble (106) crucial points in the close contest.
The triumph marked CV's fourth league win so far this season, and improved their overall record to 6-3.
On Saturday the 11th, the Buckskins took part in the Husky Duals held at Mifflin County High School, a full day of competition that began with a CV victory over Athens Area High School 46-27, and culminated in a 48-30 loss to Philipsburg Osceola in a battle for third.
"The Husky Duals saw us come out aggressively in our first match against Athens, and take advantage of some bonus points in the dual meet," noted head coach Trent Turner.
Though the final two matches slipped from their grasp, Turner expects his young team to gain some valuable lessons from the experience.
"I believe the team understands that we need to be doing a better job of asserting ourselves in matches, no matter the opponent we face," explained Turner.
BOWLING
Though last Tuesday's match against Hempfield went 5-2 in favor of the Black Knights, the CV bowlers, led by Robbie Jack, picked up two points in a game one win, displaying great teamwork and improvement.
"The entire team had a great night," emphasized head coach Doug Davidson.
Jack who has been the team's high roller all season put together a 683 series (233-235-215), just one pin shy of his season high.
"Robbie has definitely been the team leader with his scores each match," Davidson noted of the junior, while pointing out the growth in the rest of the team. "Andrew Smith's bowling has been very consistent each match," he added.
Haley Jack put up a 552 to boost the Bucks cause, and Ethan Younger rolled a personal best game of 175 as well as a series best of 463 in his debut of varsity bowling.
RIFLE
Last Tuesday's trip to Elizabethtown resulted in a 493-491 loss to the Bears.
With only two points separating the two clubs, each marksman's score was right in the mix with Madeleine King leading the Buckskins with a 99. The four other qualifying scores were identical 98's supplied by Dana Witmer, Wyatt Stauffer, Montana Habecker and Joshua Reed.
Elizabethtown had a similar night, but with the addition of one flawless 100 score from Emma Kreiser, the Bears edged ahead.
Consistency and experience are two things coach Hank Oxendine has been focusing on with his young team-and their hard work is evidenced in their performances.
"This year's team consist of a lot of first year shooters, and I see improvement on a daily basis," encouraged Oxendine.
GIRLS' BASKETBALL
The Lady Bucks basketball team took a pair of losses last week, falling to Ephrata 68-38 on Tuesday, January 15 and Warwick 38-34 the previous Friday.
Against Ephrata, CV senior Savannah Byers had a season-high 16 points to lead all scorers, and Chassidy Henriquez put in another nine.
Composure from the free-throw line was a cooperative highlight for CV, shooting 80 percent in their eight-of-ten collective attempts.
In the much closer clash against Warwick, the Warriors held the first period lead, 12-7 but the Bucks matched or outscored the Warriors' point totals in three of the four quarters, falling by just four points at the final buzzer.
Byers and Taylor Hehnly each netted 10 points to pace the Buckskin offense.
SWIMMING
Both CV boys' and girls' swimmers were dealt a loss on last Tuesday's trip to Ephrata's pool with the boys falling 126-44 to the Mountaineers and the girls trailing 102-67.
With only eight swimmers on the boys' roster, filling the lanes in all events can pose a challenge, but despite the loss, senior captain Joshua Proch pulled in a highlight for CV with a win in his preferred stroke, the 100 butterfly, clocking a time of 1:01.6.
For the girls, there was much to celebrate on an individual level, though the Mountaineers' depth proved to be insurmountable in the collective performance.
Karli Raasch posted top times in the backstroke (1:00.91) and 50 free (25.43), while Sarah Marston also won two events with a 56.35 100 free and 2:02.1 in the 200 free, and Jordan Holmes touched first in the 100 butterfly with a 1:08.1.
In the relay events, Marston, Holmes, and Raasch teamed up with Kyla Pham to claim the 400 free combining for a 3:57.33 finish.
Though the girls' squad holds double the athletes, with 16, lack of experience, post-surgery recuperation, and health issues are just a handful of obstacles in their path-yet a path the club is determined to embrace with a hard-working attitude.
Head coach Barb Raasch describes her team of swimmers as athletes that will do, "whatever is needed for the team" and expects some great achievements in the meets to come.
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