No. 1 The Bishop McDevitt boys' basketball team moved to 11-0 on the season with an easy Mid-Penn Keystone Division win on Jan. 6. The Crusaders ran past Red Land 85-47 as Justin McArthur led the way with 19 points. Before the season began, coach Jeff Hoke was modestly optimistic. "We've got everybody back," Hoke said. "If things go good, we've got a chance to score 100 points a game." McDevitt exceded the century mark earlier this season in a 104-57 win over Palmyra. On Jan. 4, McArthur had 32 in a 94-61 win over Lancaster Catholic.
No. 2 The Palmyra girls moved to 11-0 the same night, but it wasn't nearly as easy in a 42-40 win at Trinity. Point guard Briana Betz-White scored a game-high 15 points to lead the Shamrocks, while Katy McClellan scored 11 and Bucknell-bound Carly Richardson had 10 for the Cougars. "We couldn't get any separation," Palmyra coach Ron Berman said. "We got the lead up to seven at one point, but Trinity kept coming back. Betz-White is a very good player. She could score 20 to 25 points every game." The Cougars weren't as fortunate Jan. 8, losing 39-38 at Hershey in Keystone play.
No. 3 Among the major topics of conversation in the area is the football coaching vacancy at Penn State. With the departure of Bill O'Brien and most of his staff for the Houston Texans of the NFL, the job of keeping the Nittany Lions moving forward has fallen on the shoulders of veteran assistant coach Larry Johnson, Sr., who has been named interim head coach.
No. 4 Johnson, 61, is no stranger to the East Shore. Besides recruiting former All-American tackle Jared Odrick of Lebanon High seven years ago, Johnson also was instrumental in getting Milton Hershey's Garry Gilliam to commit to the Nittany Lions. Johnson was in town last summer to participate in Odrick's charity golf tournament run by Hershey golf coach Tony Giovino. Johnson has also been a fixture at Big 33 games and other functions in Hershey.
No. 5 In other local basketball action recently, Lebanon Valley College hosted the fifth annual Rhoades Foundation Classic. Five games were played on Jan. 4, with the Flying Dutchmen of LVC kicking off the day with a men's/women's doubleheader sweep of Alvernia. The Rhoades Foundation was set up by former LVC All-American Mike Rhoades, who led LVC to the NCAA Div. III championship in 1994. Rhoades' father, James J., was a state senator from the Mahanoy area.
No. 6 Three East Shore players played big roles for the Alvernia women's team: sophomore guards Chelsea Ebersole (Palmyra) and Stevie Fortna (Lebanon Catholic) and freshman forward Lindsey D'Agostino (CD East). Alvernia hung around until the end when LVC pulled away for a 70-62 win. LVC moved to 10-1 and 4-0 in the Commonwealth Conference.
No. 7 In the nightcap, neighboring rivals Palmyra and Annville-Cleona met in a boys' game with the Cougars prevailing 61-41. Sophomore Austin Yetter scored 14 points and Connor Gurt and Ian Frazier had 12 each as Palmyra evened its mark at 5-5 with its third straight win. It was A-C's eighth consecutive loss. "We'll enjoy this little three-game win streak while we can," Palmyra coach Pete Conrad said, "before we get back into the Keystone Division."
No. 8 The showcase game of the Rhoades Classic featured Lower Dauphin and Waynesboro, two 8-2 teams, with the Falcons' coming out on top 68-45. Six-foot-5 junior Tommy Bowen had a big game for LD with 16 points and 11 rebounds. LD's veteran back court of Kaylor Kulina and Luke Rutlege had little trouble navigating through Waynesboro's pressure defense. LD is coached by Mark Hofsass, the starting forward on the '94 LVC championship team.
No. 9 Some East Shore grads are having good seasons in NCAA Div. I. At Northeastern, Scott Eatherton (Hershey) leads the nation in double-doubles with 10, while averaging 17.4 ppg and 10 rpg. At Maryland, Alyssa Thomas (Central Dauphin) is averaging 17.6 ppg, while at Wake Forest, her brother Devin (CD), is averaging 11.5 ppg and 9.5 rpg. CD East grad Katie Lytle is scoring at an 18.5 clip for Swarthmore in Div. III.
No. 10 Three-time District 3-AAAA wrestling champ Central Dauphin had little trouble turning back CD East with a 54-15 win Jan 4. CD's Tyshawn White scored the quickest fall in 35 seconds over Joey Vought at 113, while Mitchell Pleskonko of CD pinned Mahlon Chase in 42 seconds at 145. CD East's Anthony Mancuso pinned Jeff Whitcomb in 1:09 as the Panthers won the three heaviest weights.