TOP 10 TALKING POINTS
No. 1 Palmyra’s Adam Newhard put on one of the better shows of the current boys’ basketball season when he scored 16 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter to hand Susquehanna Twp. its first loss of the season 65-57 on Jan. 4. Newhard hit three 3-pointers to carry the Cougars from a 47-43 deficit to a 56-51 lead that they wouldn’t surrender.
No. 2 The Indians of coach Vince Rogers returned to their winning ways on Jan. 7 with a 46-39 win over Mechanicsburg. Six-foot-seven senior Jonas Page scored 11 points to lead ‘Hanna to its 11th win of the season. Other top players for ‘Hanna are Joe Marshall and Gabriel Mack.
No. 3 Also tasting defeat for the first time this season was the two-time defending PIAA Class A champion Steel-High girls. In a rematch of last year’s state quarterfinal, Tri-Valley placed three girls in double figures and stole the ball with a minute left to win 74-71. Roller All-American Malia Tate-DeFreitas scored 45 in the losing cause and is closing in on 3,000 points for her career.
No. 4 Bishop McDevitt ran into the top girls team in District 3-AAA in Lancaster Catholic. The defending district champs, led by all-state point guard Porscha Speller, handled McDevitt easily 78-39 on Jan. 5 in Lancaster. Speller had 23 points and six rebounds and helped McDevitt commit 35 turnovers.
No. 5 The Palmyra and Lancaster Catholic girls were both unbeaten as of Jan. 9. The Cougars moved to 11-0 on the year with a 64-58 win on Jan. 7 at Trinity. Palmyra converted 11 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter to secure the win. “We played Trinity in a TV game on their home court and
No. 6 Hershey wrestling is having a good season after sweeping the East Juniata duals last weekend. Hershey downed Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech (57-18), Tulpehocken (78-6), Upper Dauphin (50-25), Sullivan County (67-12) and Juniata (37-31). Second-year coach Brandon Bucher has the Trojans on the rise, led by seniors Andrew Woltman (182) and Zach Warren (HW) and sophomores Kyle Loraw (106) and Jacob Rutz (220).
No. 7 Central Dauphin completed dominated CD East 72-3 in Mid-Penn Commonwealth wrestling action on Jan 5. The Panthers’ only win came from Austrin Trephan at 170, when he decisioned Steven McNeal 6-4 in overtime. The quickest pin came from Colton Peppelman at 182 when he downed Sean Fitzkee in 37 seconds.
No. 8 Lower Dauphin got 23 points from Jack Miller and 11 from Kaylor Kulina in drubbing Waynesboro 60-28 in the Rhoades Foundation Classic on Jan. 5 at Lebanon Valley College. The tournament is held in memory of the father of former LVC point guard Mike Rhoades, who died in a car accident.
No. 9 Part of the fun of attending holiday basketball tournaments is running into former East Shore prep athletes, who are now in college. Among the current collegiate athletes seen who were home for the holidays were Hershey grads Kendall Benovy (West Chester, basketball), Alyssa Voelmle (Louisville, field hockey), Lauren Wilson (Villanova, field hockey) and Joe Gunkel (West Chester, baseball) and Palmyra alums Kyle Weary (West Chester, baseball), Tyler Carberry (Mt. Union, baseball), Nikki Barry (Virginia Commonwealth, field hockey) and Casi Neidigh (Towson State, field hockey).
No. 10 Preparations are well under way for the AHL Outdoor Classic to be played Jan. 20 between the Hershey Bears and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penquins at 5 p.m. at Hersheypark Stadium. A full weekend of activities are planned, including a Bears’ alumni (old-timers’) game.