Andrew Zentner had a phenomenal game, scoring 29 points in a Section Three boys' basketball game against Manheim Central on Tuesday, January 28. The Spartans held off the Barons 57-44, improving to 5-6 in the Lancaster-Lebanon League and 7-12 overall.
In wild fourth quarter, the Barons outscored the Spartans 23-22 after trailing 21-15 at the half and 35-21 after three periods.
Zentner posted up 10 baskets and went 9-for-13 at the foul line for his 29. Darius Wallace added another 10 points from the field.
Trey Grube and Cam Eberly scored 11 and 10 for Central, respectively. Central fell to 4-7 (8-11 overall).
In their previous game, the Spartans faced L-L League rival Cocalico on Thursday, January 23. The Eagles won the game at Garden Spot by a 46-33 score after getting off to a quick start.
Trey Griffin made three long-range baskets and finished with a game-high 19 points for the Eagles.
Zentner led Garden Spot with eight points while Weaver and Cory Ream each netted seven points.
GIRLS' BASKETBALL
The Spartans girls' basketball squad helped head coach Kevin Gensemer reach a milestone in a Section Three win on Thursday, January 23. Garden Spot held on for a 39-36 victory over Cocalico on the road as Gensemer recorded career win number 100.
The Spartans outscored the Eagles 19-4 in the second quarter and increased the eight-point halftime lead to an 11-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
"We needed a big defensive stop to hold on for the victory," Gensemer said. "I am very proud of the way the team is playing down the stretch with only three games to go."
Olivia Usner scored 13 points, hitting three three-point baskets. Taylor Soehner led the team with 14 points and pulled down seven rebounds. Karli Stoltzfus scored nine points and grabbed seven boards.
"I'm so proud of this group, who worked extra hard to get me that 100th win," he added. "It was at my alma mater."
On Tuesday, January 28, it was Manheim Central who came up with a big second quarter, outscoring Spot 15-7 to grab a 27-16 halftime lead. The Barons went on to post a 48-30 win. Garden Spot fell to 2-9 in the league.
"It was a tough night with Central jumping out to a 7-0 lead and we went ice cold shooting," said Gensemer. "We made some unforced turnovers and they went on a 12-2 run to end the first quarter."
Usner scorched the basket for three treys and finished with 17 points. Soehner and Stoltzfus each grabbed seven rebounds.
AIR RIFLE
In a Tuesday afternoon clash at Ephrata, the Garden Spot air rifle team finished on the short end of a 495-491 final. The Mountaineers' Sawyer Boll was the only shooter to finish with a perfect 100 while teammates Chandler Myers, Madison Soeder and Nicole Johnson each shot 99's.
Jack Werner led the Spartans. The freshman shot a 99 while sophomores Sam Armbruster and Chris Nolt each shot 98's as did seniors Aaron Good and Braden Reel.
Garden Spot fell to 5-7 on the year while Ephrata raised its record to 10-2, only one game behind the 11-1 Manheim Central Barons.
WRESTLING
Garden Spot finished second as a team in the Lancaster-Lebanon League Wrestling Championships, which were held at Manheim Township on Friday and Saturday, January 24-25.
With a solid 186.5 points, the Spartans finished 23.5 points ahead of third-place Penn Manor while Hempfield compiled 224 team points to win the team championship.
Individually, the Spartans had a number of wrestlers finish in the top-four for their weight classes.
"We had three finalists - Josh Groff, Dustin Swanson (220) and Charles Martin (285)," explained Spartans coach Adam Bunting.
"Josh lost a close match to take second in the 138," Bunting added. "On his way to the finals, he picked up his 100th victory with his quarterfinals win.
"Dustin won his second league title," continued the coach. "He was able to back up last year's effort with a 4-3 win in overtime over T.J. Moore, who gave Dustin his season-ending loss in districts last year with a trip to states on the line."
Swanson had a bye in the opening round of the 220's and advanced to the title bout by posting two pins and a major decision. Both pins took 30 seconds or less to achieve.
Martin's run included a pin in merely 15 seconds and two more first-period pins until he faced Zach Shelley of Lampeter-Strasburg in the semis. He worked an 8-2 decision and claimed the heavyweight crown in an overtime (6:24) pin.
Earning third place in the 126-pound bracket was Mason Casey. He wrestled his way to a 12-7 decision against Jackson Houghton of Solanco in the third-place bout after a close 7-5 decision in the consolation semis helped him reach that level.
Casey opened the championships with two consecutive pins and grabbed an 11-7 decision in the quarterfinals before a technical fall sent him to the consolation brackets.
"He lost a hard-fought match to four-time league champion Will Betancourt of Manheim Central in the semis," Bunting noted. "But he did bounce back to win his next two matches for a solid third place."
In addition, Jeremy Schilling placed fourth in the 120-pound class. Tanner Stefanick of Penn Manor worked an 8-0 major against Schilling in the third-place match.
He opened the tournament with a 17-1 technical fall over Chris Latchford of Donegal and pinned Octorara's Tyler Walton in the second round.
Schilling continued his winning streak with a pin in quarterfinals before being halted in the semis. He faced Walton in the consolation semis, this time defeating the familiar foe with a third-period pin before suffering the loss in the third-place match.
"Jeremy made a surprise run to the semis," Bunting commented. "Coming in as the sixth seed, he pinned the number three seed in the quarters."
Brice Brady also finished fourth, doing so in the 132-pound bracket. Brady lost an 8-4 decision in the third-place bout.
Drew Finkey (152) and Gunner Gehr (145) finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
"Drew came in as the 10th-seeded wrestler and battled all weekend, winning an impressive six matches to take fifth place," Bunting said.
Following a first-round pin that required only 28 seconds, Finkey fell to Donegal's Joseph Fox in a 6-2 decision. His impressive wrestle backs included a pin that took only eight seconds, a solid 8-5 win and a consolation fourth-round pin. He lost a consolation semi but won the fifth-place match on a 21-9 major.
Gunner Gehr pinned in the second round and claimed a 7-1 decision in the quarters before losing a close 11-9 decision.
He lost the fifth-place match by a 4-1 margin.
"Gunner had a bit of a disappointing tournament," said Bunting. "He was leading 7-6 in the semis but got a little out of position on top and essentially was pinned from the bottom position.
"This is just a bump in the road," he continued. "He will rebound this week and we expect him to do big things in the post-season."
Alan Perez had an impressive come-from-behind win on his way to the seventh-place consolation match.
"He was trailing 9-1 in the second round before turning the tables late in the third period to pin his opponent in a cradle," Bunting explained. "He carried that momentum into the quarterfinals where he nearly bested the number two seed and eventual finalist from Donegal."
Mason Ober of Donegal edged Perez 12-10 in overtime. Perez then won a 7-0 decision in the consis before suffering a 7-3 loss, which then enabled him to earn a pin late in the second period of the seventh-place match.
On Wednesday, January 28, the Spartans faced Chambersburg in the first round of the District Three Class-AAA team wrestling playoffs.
Chambersburg, the 10th-seeded team, got past seventh-seeded Garden Spot 50-21 in a playoff match held at Central Dauphin High School.
Casey earned a 7-2 decision over Tyler Smith at the 126 battle. Groff suffered a very close defeat at the 138 bout, finishing on the short end of a 3-2 final.
Gehr came on strong with a 13-9 victory at 145.
Perez registered a pin at 182 and Swanson earned a 2-1 win at 220. The heavyweight bout went to the Spartans via forfeit
Chambersburg did record seven pins and a technical fall in the win.
Garden Spot did win its next match - a non-league battle with Hershey. In a fight between Spartans and Trojans, it was the Spartans claiming a 53-18 victory which included for pins.
Groff claimed a first-period pin at 138 and Aaron Martin notched his pin 1:01 into the 152-pound bout.
Perez dominated in his 12-3 decision at 160 while Mason Musser claimed the 195-pound bout with a pin as well.
Swanson pinned Omar Abdo at the 1:48 mark of the 220.
Gehr earned a 15-6 decision to cap the scoring.
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