Hempfield downed McCaskey in a Section One away meet on Tuesday, January 4. The boys' team topped the Red Tornado 130-30 while the girls won their meet 138-18. Both squads improved to 3-0 (1-0 league).
In the girls' freestyle events, Cassandra Christoffel won the 500-meter race in a time of 5:52.10 while Micah Wiglesworth, took the 200 freestyle in 2:12.60.
The two teammates joined Anna Koger and Caroline Schweigert for a winning time of 1:51.68 in the 200 freestyle relay.
Also winning freestyle individual events were Carol Fabian, who took the 100 in 1:00.13, and Lillian Farmer, who sprinted to a win in the 50 free.
Fabian and Farmer were winners in two other individual events with Fabian taking the 200 individual medley in 2:24.19 and Farmer plowing through for a 1:04.69 in the 100 backstroke.
The 100 breaststroke went to Hempfield senior Ella Root (1:12.23) while junior Kyleigh Stringe won the 100 butterfly in 1:11.54.
In the boys' 200 free relay, Jackson Root, Gavin Krawizcki, Ardan McHugh, and Toby Marco had their second-best time of the season with a 1:37.95. Root, McHugh, and Krawizcki joined Jonathan Tsang for a first-place time of 3:34.87 in the 400 free. Tsang also won the 100 backstroke.
Root also captured the 100 free (51.85) and the 50 free (23.61). Kirian George was also a multiple winner with a winning time of 1:06.54 in the 100 breaststroke and 5:40.05 in the 500 free.
Marco swam the 200 free in a first-place pace of 2:03.91.
BOYS' BASKETBALL
Hempfield came into Tuesday night's Lancaster-Lebanon League boys' basketball game unbeaten with an 8-0 record. In a tight battle through regulation, the Black Knights and the host Elizabethtown Bears matched each other until the Bears took charge in overtime for a 43-38 victory.
The point-for-point description could properly describe this game. The Bears took a 20-19 lead at halftime only to have the Knights inch ahead 28-27 after the third quarter. After the fourth quarter, it was all tied up at 36-36.
The player the Knights were unable to stop was E-town's Matthew Gihool, who scored a game-leading 28 points - yes, 65 percent of his team's points total.
Ben Troyer and Cole Overbaugh each tallied 10 points for the Knights. Michael Hester's nine-point total included one of the Hempfield three-pointers - the other coming off a Miguel Pena long-range shot.
The Knights were coming off a 60-51 victory at home on December 28. In a non-league game with Central York, Overbaugh led his team with 17 points while Hester and Pena poured in 13 points each.
GIRLS' BASKETBALL
Also getting off to an undefeated start was the girls' basketball team, winning its first seven contests.
The win that raised the Black Knights' record to 7-0 was an L-L League victory at home over Elizabethtown on Wednesday, January 5.
Hempfield forged ahead to a comfortable halftime lead, 27-13. The Knights held off the Bears in a 54-36 victory.
Pacing the team in scoring was sophomore Sophia Ott with a 24-point night.
"Sophia had a great game, but it wasn't all in points," said Knights head coach Kendra Merrifield. "She did all of the 'blue collar' work as well - grabbing a ton of boards offensively and defensively. She was on the floor for loose balls.
"These were all things we knew she was capable of," continued the coach. "This was a breakout game for her."
Ava Baer came through with 12 points while Lauren Moffatt scored 10 for the Knights.
"Ava is a senior and has grown tremendously even since last year," said Merrifield. "She worked hard in the off-season.
"She maintains an even keeled personality," the coach said of Baer's on-court approach. "If something goes wrong, she has the next play attitude."
There was a long hiatus, however, between this win and the Black Knights' 30-15 defeat of Section One rival Manheim Township on December 21.
In that Township game, the Knights held the Streaks scoreless in the first quarter and carried an 18-3 lead into the second half.
"Defense was huge in that win," Merrifield said. "We always try to shut down the other team's leading scorer."
Moffatt led all scorers with 10 points and Baer added eight.
"Lauren is a junior and she has grown so much since her freshman year," Merrifield remarked. "She has improved her inside and outside games."
WRESTLING
The Black Knights bring a great deal of experience from hard-working wrestlers to the mat this year.
This year's roster includes 15 upperclassmen who set the bar for the younger wrestlers.
"Clay Gainer is a guy I hope our younger guys are watching," head coach Shane Mack said. "He has worked hard from his freshman year and should be a model for our younger guys."
In Tuesday's Section One match at Penn Manor, Gainer, one of the seniors on the team, notched a pin in the first period of the 138-pound bout. It was one of three pins by Hempfield in a 51-16 win.
The Comets forfeited at five weight classes, helping the Knights (6-0) take the match easily. Sophomore Jorden Williams (106) pinned his opponent 54 seconds.
Braden Edwards, back for his junior year, earned a pin at 152.
"We're very proud of Braden," said Mack. "This was his first match after an injury. He did an outstanding job."
Grant Hoover was the only Hempfield wrestler to win by a decision, defeating Ty Grassel 7-5 in a tough battle at 160.
"Grassel is a good competitor," Mack remarked. "Grant Hoover wrestled very well. He has gotten back to his old form after an injury from last year."
As for the team's outlook, given the number of solid returning wrestlers, Mack said, "We have experience and we have another good year coming up, if we can keep things rolling."
Earning uncontested points via forfeits were Zymir McCain-Murray (120), Seamus Mack (126), Reagan LeFevre (145), Dylan Bard (172) and Caleb Mussmon at 285.
BOWLING
With a 5-2 victory over L-L League rival McCaskey on Monday, January 3, the Hempfield bowling team improved to 18-10 on the year.
The Knights were led by Priest McKenzie, Xander Green and Derick Keller.
McKenzie, a freshman, bowled a 692 on the day, including a 256 in his first game. Green knocked 'em down at 690 clip, including a score of 255 in his second game and a 241 in his third.
Keller, a sophomore, came through with a 268 in his second game and racked up a 655 total on the day.
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