ANNVILLE - Close, but no cigar.
Lebanon dug itself out of a 15-point second-half hole on Monday night.
But when the Cedars couldn’t convert on a last-second shot, Manheim Township got out of Dodge with a 51-50 L-L League Section 1-2 boys’ crossover win at Lebanon Valley College.
The game tipped at 7:30 p.m. on Monday as part of a girls/boys double-header.
Manheim Township ended up sweeping the games, which were played in conjunction with Cancer Awareness Night around the L-L League.
Former girls’ basketball coaches for Manheim Township (Lance Wagner) and Lebanon (Carlos Sanchez) started the event a few years back, and for this season’s festivities, the Streaks and the Cedars got together for a double-dip at LVC - Lebanon’s temporary home while the gym at the high school undergoes a facelift.
Monday night, Manheim Township was sailing right along. The Streaks led 46-34 after the third quarter, and Galen Arbogast drilled a 3-pointer on Manheim Township’s first trip of the fourth quarter and things were looking mighty bleak for the Cedars.
But that’s when Lebanon turned up its press, forcing the Streaks into seven fourth-quarter turnovers.
Evan Zimmerman knocked down a 3-pointer, slicing Manheim Township’s lead to 51-45 with 2:50 to go.
Zimmerman splashed another trey with 2:20 left and the Streaks’ lead was down to 51-48.
With 14.7 ticks showing, Lebanon’s Josh Spaulding hit a pair of free throws to make it 51-50.
But that would be the end of the scoring - but not before Lebanon had two cracks at winning it.
After Manheim Township was whistled for a traveling call with 21.7 seconds to go, Lebanon had the ball, and kept possession after the ball went out of bounds with 1.8 seconds showing.
Mark Pyles took the inbound pass, but was forced to take a fade-away jumper from the baseline thanks to some tight defense by Tyler Karpinski.
The shot was short and the Streaks hung on for dear life after giving back 14 points of a seemingly safe 15-point cushion.
It was a much-needed victory for Manheim Township, which dropped a gut-wrencher 53-52 OT decision in the league opener last Friday.
The Streaks improved to 1-1, 3-2.
The Cedars slipped to 1-1, 3-2.
Ironically, Manheim Township and Lebanon were picked to finish at the bottom of their respective sections. But both teams won their league openers and have three wins already.
Manheim Township rode a balanced attack in the scoring column on Monday; Karpinski led the way with 10 points while Josh Wegert was tough in the post with 9 points and 5 boards and Christian Mitchell chipped in with 9 points.
Spaulding scored 13 points and grabbed 6 rebounds and Zimmerman hit four 3-pointers and added 12 points for Lebanon, which out-rebounded Manheim Township 27-18.
NOTABLE: Manheim Township turned the ball over 11 times - 7 in the fourth quarter and 0 times in the second quarter. … Lebanon had 12 turnovers. … Blayde Reich and Jorian Ginnetto chipped in with 9 points apiece for Lebanon. … Sanchez is now an assistant coach under Cedars’ coach Tim Speraw. Wagner stepped aside two seasons ago and he’s taking a break from coaching at the moment. … Karpinski is Manheim Township’s football standout. The wideout recently earned a Mini Max Award from the Maxwell Touchdown Club, and he was added to the North Team for the Chesapeake Bowl next week.
QUOTABLE: Manheim Township’s Tyler Karpinski - “We have three wins already and all three have been close wins, so we’re already gaining some great experience. We lost a lot of great seniors from last year’s class, so we’re playing a lot of young guys here. But this is going to help us out in the long run. I know a lot of people didn’t pick us to win many games, but we think we’re better than that. We like that challenge and we hope to surprise some people.”
QUOTABLE: Manheim Township first-year coach Dan Relin - “Our kids just don’t quit. We’ve been in every game and we’re still a young team. We don’t have a lot of experience and we don’t know how to close a game out just yet. It’s a young team but we’re learning and we’re trying to grow. It’s a defensive-minded team; we dive around on the floor and we really get after it. (Lebanon) made a great comeback. We could have folded but we didn’t. That’s what I’m most proud of. Our guys really hung in there and figured out a way to win.”
Also Monday …
SECTION 1-2
Cedar Crest 61, Solanco 46 - Clay Penchard popped in a season-high 18 points, Evan Horn added a career-high 10 points, and the Falcons (1-1, 3-2) jumped out to a 33-22 lead at the break and slipped past the Golden Mules. Tyler Constein scored 13 points, Zack Leonard added 11 points and Shane Belczyk chipped in with 10 points for Solanco (0-2, 1-5), which knocked down 7 3-pointers, giving the Mules 42 treys already this season - tops in the L-L League.
Ephrata 55, Penn Manor 53 - Nate Zimmerman scored 16 points, and the Mountaineers (1-1, 1-3) opened up some breathing room with a 12-5 second-quarter run and then held off the host Comets at the wire, snapping a 3-game losing skid to start the season. Evan Radcliffe added 14 points for Ephrata. David Carmichael had a season-high and game-high 20 points for Penn Manor (0-2, 1-4).
Warwick 52, Cocalico 42 - Austin Myers scored a season-high 17 points to pace the Warriors (1-1, 2-3), which led 22-16 at the half and held off the host Eagles, snapping a 2-game losing skid. Tucker Lescoe continued his breakout freshman season with 14 points for Cocalico (1-1, 2-2).
McCaskey 89, Conestoga Valley 56 - Make that three wins in a row for the Red Tornado, which had a 31-point second quarter and went on to drub the host Buckskins. Devonne Pinkard scored 16 points, Sha-Ki Staten added 14 points and Diante Cherry chipped in with 13 points for McCaskey, now 2-0, 3-2. Bryheem Tomlin scored a career-high 13 points for CV (1-1, 1-4).
Elizabethtown 56, Hempfield 47 - The host Bears raced out to a 30-17 lead at the half, and Tyler Koser continued his hot start with 23 points for Elizabethtown, which won its third game in a row. Lucas Jewell chipped in with 15 points and Tyler Rosepink had 11 points for the Bears, now 2-0, 4-1. Drew Johnson pumped in 20 points for the Black Knights (1-1, 2-2).
SECTION 3-4
Annville-Cleona 47, Elco 40 - Casey Smith hit three 3-pointers and scored a season-high 16 points, Derek Sanders added 11 points, the host Little Dutchmen (1-1, 3-2) jumped out to a 28-16 lead at the break and held off the rival Raiders. Caleb Buchmoyer matched his career-high with 11 points for Elco, which outscored A-C 24-19 in the second half. But the Raiders (1-1, 2-3) couldn’t get over the hump.
Lancaster Mennonite 75, Northern Lebanon 59 - Julian Collazo was up to his old tricks, pumping in 23 points to pace balanced attack, and the host Blazers (2-0, 4-1) jumped out to a 32-20 halftime lead and topped the Vikings. Collazo had 23 points and four 3-pointers in Lancaster Mennonite’s win over Conestoga Valley last Friday. Jon Snader added 15 points and Matt Hess and Zach Lehman had 10 points each for the Blazers, who won their third game in a row. Reigning L-L League scoring champ Sam Light had a season-high 22 points for Northern Lebanon (1-1, 3-2), which had its 2-game winning streak snapped.
Lampeter-Strasburg 64, Columbia 54 - J.D. Achille stayed hot with 19 points and Jake Sweger added 14 points for the Pioneers (2-0, 4-1), who won their third game in a row. Achille scored 23 points in a win over Lebanon Catholic last Friday. Haaji Michael scored a game-high 21 points for Columbia (0-2, 2-4), which dropped its fourth game in a row - and still waiting for last season’s leading scorer, Nick Nobile, to return from a wrist injury. FYI: L-S at Donegal Round 1 is on Friday.
Donegal 56, Pequea Valley 24 - Dylan Houseal and Martin Dietrich scored 13 points apiece, and the Indians got off to a hot start with a 17-3 first-quarter blitz and rolled over the host Braves. Michael Banwell added 10 points for Donegal, which improved to 2-0, 5-0. Kevin Lockard had 7 points for Pequea Valley (0-2, 1-4), which lost its fourth game in a row after an opening-night victory.
Lebanon Catholic 53, Garden Spot 47 - Timmy Orr scored 17 points, and the host Beavers (1-1, 5-1) built a 26-20 halftime lead and never looked back. Alex Frattaroli added 15 points and John Groh had 10 points for Lebanon Catholic. Juwan Lewis scored a game-high 18 points for the Spartans (0-2, 3-2), who have lost two games in a row after a 3-0 getaway.
JEFF REINHART: jreinhart@pennlive.com
ON TWITTER: @JeffReinhartPN