By Ben Destefan
Posted Dec. 24, 2013 @ 7:00 am
 

Two weeks and six games is a sufficient sample size.

So, as players and coaches enjoy a brief break for Christmas, I felt compelled to discuss what I've seen thus far from the Greencastle-Antrim girls' and boys' varsity basketball teams.

Both will return to the court on Friday, participating in their respective holiday tournaments in an attempt to stay active against live competition heading into the meat of the regular season once the calendar changes.

Considering such early success, we'll begin with the girls.

Backed by a 6-0 start, it's hard to ignore the possibilities.

Expectations were high coming in, with the return of all five starters from a year ago boasting an experienced, yet still relatively young lineup.

Throw in the addition of freshman sensation Jenay Faulkner, and the Blue Devils have already asserted themselves as the favorite for the Mid-Penn Colonial Division crown.

In four division wins, G-A has averaged a 29-point margin of victory, beating Waynesboro, Boiling Springs and Shippensburg by more than 30.

The Blue Devils closest Colonial contest was against reigning champ Gettysburg, which resulted in a 14-point win.

Technically, the title game of the Franklin County Tip-Off Tournament against James Buchanan did not count toward divisional standings. However, G-A's 39-point triumph over the Rockets bodes well for their remaining two meetings.

The most-impressive aspect has been the evident chemistry, spreading the scoring while not asking too much of any one player. Currently, four girls are averaging double figures, led by Faulkner's 13.5 points per game.

Katie Gelsinger sits second on the team at 12.2 points per outing followed by Hannah Crist (10.3 PPG) and Chloe Hoover (10.2 PPG).

Jane Herman and Meghan Hirneisen have also shouldered their share of the workload, each netting nine points in last Friday's win over Ship.

Stellar ball movement, a wealth of weapons and excellent effort on the defensive end is a recipe for success, all of which the Blue Devils have benefited from in the early stages.

If nothing else, taking part in this weekend's Lower Dauphin Christmas Tournament will serve as a barometer against quality Quad-A competition, beginning with Friday night's contest against the hosting Falcons.

Friday's outcome will then determine G-A's opponent on Saturday, with CD East and Kennard-Dale acting as the possible options.