By Jeff Reinhart
The Mid-Penn girls’ basketball semifinals are set.
And it took a better-district-power-rating tiebreaker and a winner-takes-all battle to finalize the Final Four, which looks a little something like this:
Commonwealth champ Cumberland Valley (18-3) takes on Colonial champ Greencastle-Antrim (20-1) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Big Spring in Newville.
And Keystone champ Lower Dauphin (17-5) takes on Capital champ Camp Hill (19-3) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Hershey.
The winners meet for conference gold on Thursday; CV is the back-to-back defending champ.
Here are 5 things to watch in the Mid-Penn girls’ hoops playoffs …
1. CAN CUMBERLAND VALLEY REPEAT? The short answer is yet, but coach Bill Wolf and his Eagles have picked a really bad time to get hit with some nagging injuries and illnesses; 1,900-point scorer Kelly Jekot and starting post Addison Kirkpatrick did not play on Saturday when the Eagles dropped a 65-45 nonleague decision in Pittsburgh against Mt. Lebanon. We’ll see if those two are back on the floor on Tuesday when CV gets 1-loss Greencastle-Antrim and its flock of shooters. Needless to say, if the Eagles want to repeat in the conference, the district and in the state playoffs, they’re going to need those two, particularly Jekot, who is the reigning PA Player of the Year. The Villanova recruit is averaging 21.6 points with 38 3’s, and she’s been a terror on both ends of the court this season. If Jekot and Kirkpatrick can go — with a healthy Morgan Baughman (8.8, 39 3's) and Katie Jekot (10.6, 22 3's) doing their thing — we’ll take CV to defend its crown after the Eagles beat Mechanicsburg and Palmyra in the last two title tilts. But the other three squads in this certainly have the weapons to win it.
2. IF NOT CV, THEN WHO? We’ll go Greencastle-Antrim here, because if the Blue Devils can knock off the Eagles in Round 1, think of the momentum they’d take into Thursday’s finale. G-A hits the playoffs on quite a roll; the Blue Devils are riding a blitzkrieg 16-game winning streak, including a riveting 50-48 victory over Boiling Springs last Thursday, giving G-A its third Colonial crown in a row, in a winner-takes-all game that went right down to the wire. The vet trio of Meghan Hirneisen (8.6, 31 3’s), point guard Hannah Crist (17.6, 54 3’s) and Holy Cross commit sniper Jenay Faulkner (20.5, midstate-best 75 3’s) have been fantastic, and they spark an arc-happy offense that has drilled — get this — 179 3-pointers. G-A has its Colonial crown, and the Blue Devils will have bigger fish to fry starting next week when they open defense of their District 3 Class 3A championship. Coach Mike Rhine and G-A have absolutely, positively nothing to lose against the two-time reigning state champs.
3. CAN FALCONS FLY INTO FINALS? Lower Dauphin had to settle for a tie with Bishop McDevitt in the crazy Keystone race, falling at Mechanicsburg on the last night of division play to lose grip on sole possession of first place — and see their 7-game winning streak go poof. But what a couple of final weeks for coach Bob Heusser and his Falcons, who celebrated buzzer-beater wins over McDevitt (watch video) and Cedar Crest (watch video) down the stretch, and earned a conference semifinal spot thanks to a better district power rating over McD. We really like LD’s balance, with Sarah Gibbs (9.5) on the boards; Amber Schweiger (8.6, 7 3’s) directing traffic; Kutztown recruit Alex Leader (6.9, 15 3’s) off the bounce; Paulina Malinen (5.8, 16 3’s) popping 3’s off the bench; the versatile Candace Means (4.7, 13 3’s); and Livi Friedrich (4.5, 11 3’s) bringing energy. Of the four semifinalists, LD just might be the most battle-tested bunch in the lot. Don’t discount that.
4. CAN THE LIONS BE TAMED? Camp Hill sails into the postseason with 10 wins in its last 11 games, and coach Mark Clarke and his Lions locked up the Capital crown nice and early, so they’ve had some time to tweak here and tweak there and get everything just so; they also earned the No. 1 seed in the upcoming District 3 Class 2A playoffs, so Camp Hill has a lot going for itself at the moment. In LD, the Lions will face a squad that likes to set the pace, grind it out in the half court and get on the glass. Camp Hill counters with one of the top dynamic duos in the midstate: Senior forward Leah Springer (20.8, 19 3’s) and sophomore point guard Diamond Bragg (16.2, 23 3’s) are tough to contain, and you can bet LD defenders will be very wary of those two. Keep an eye on Camp Hill’s supporting cast — Kiley Stevens (7.2, 32 3’s), Aislyn Murray (4.0, 5 3’s), Maddie Hepfer (2.3), Maddie Thompson (1.7) and Passion Bragg (2.8, 12 3’s) — to do damage while the Falcons are applying pressure against Springer and Diamond Bragg. LD vs. Camp Hill is quite the intriguing matchup.
5. OK, SO WHO WINS? Had a discussion the other day with a midstate girls’ hoops insider, and we were chatting about how over the last couple of years, Cumberland Valley has had a knack of flipping the switch come early February, and finding another gear when the games get bigger and there are gold trophies to be won. Injuries, yes. Illnesses, yes. But CV is CV. And this has been the Eagles’ time of the year; you can't argue that. Here’s thinking they flip that switch yet again and find a way to win come Thursday night.
Greencastle-Antrim staves off Boiling Springs, wins third Mid-Penn Colonial crown in a row
By
GREENCASTLE — For the third year in a row, the Mid-Penn Colonial girls’ basketball gold trophy is headed to Greencastle-Antrim.
And on Thursday night, the Blue Devils had to scratch and claw and get a huge defensive play with time running out to win it.
Jenay Faulkner blocked a shot, grabbed the rebound and made a slick outlet pass at one end, and Morgan Wagaman secured said outlet, dribbled in and banked home a transition layup with eight seconds to go, and G-A rallied past Boiling Springs 50-48 in a thrilling winner-takes-all-game on the last night of division play.
Boiling Springs’ Maddie Hughes launched a potential game-winning 3-pointer from just inside midcourt with time running out, but didn’t convert.
G-A won the Colonial crown with an 11-1 division mark; Boiling Springs handed the Blue Devils, who wrapped up the regular season at 20-1 overall, their lone loss, 63-54, back on Dec. 18.
The Bubblers finished up their regular season at 10-2 in the division and 18-3 overall. Both teams are heading to the District 3 Class 3A playoffs, where the Blue Devils will be out to defend their title.
For winning the Colonial, G-A draws Commonwealth champ Cumberland Valley in a Mid-Penn semifinal on Tuesday.
Thursday, with time running out and the game knotted at 48-all, Boiling Springs was in transition and Lauryn Stouffer went up for a shot in the lane. But Faulkner came swooping in, blocked the attempt and grabbed the rebound. She then zipped an outlet pass to Wagaman, who had already turned and was hustling back on offense after the block.
Wagaman zigged and zagged her way through traffic and kissed in a layup with eight seconds to go, giving G-A the lead for good, 50-48.
And after G-A sweated out Hughes’ heave, the Blue Devils had their third Colonial title in a row. It was a dizzying final few seconds.
Faulkner and Hannah Crist had 17 points apiece for G-A, which overcame a 46-40 deficit with 6:07 to play after Boiling Springs’ Lizzie Tilton splashed a 3-pointer — one of the Bubblers’ 10 treys, as they beat the Blue Devils at their own game.
Faulkner ended up with three 3’s, and Crist hit two clutch fourth-quarter triples, including a 3 to slice Boiling Springs’ lead down to 48-46 with time running out.
Faulkner’s bucket tied the game at 48-all with 25 seconds to go, setting up Stouffer’s attempt at the other end. But Faulkner had other ideas, and Wagaman’s hoop won it.
KEY MOMENT
The last 25 seconds were a blur, from Faulkner’s bucket at one end, to her block and outlet at the other, to Wagaman’s bucket and Hughes last-gasp shot drawing iron.
Boiling Springs led 31-28 at the half and 41-39 heading into the fourth, and when Maddy DeCou hit a baseline bank shot with 2:37 to play to give the Bubblers a 48-43 lead, Boiling Springs had all the momentum.
Undaunted, Crist popped in a pair of 3’s, and Faulkner tied it. A couple of crazy seconds later, G-A made it three Colonial crowns in a row.
And this fun stat: The Blue Devils’ junior class — including Faulkner, a Holy Cross commit who leads the midstate in 3-pointers — has never lost a home game in Greencastle.
STATS AND STARS
Meghan Williams hit three 3’s and scored 13 points, Marissa Armolt drilled three 3’s — two in the first quarter to help the Bubblers get off to a quick start — and Hughes hit three 3’s and added 10 points for Boiling Springs, which hit 10 treys in the game. … G-A hit six 3’s. … Boiling Springs outrebounded G-A 35-33; Armolt had six boards for the Bubblers, while Meghan Hirneisen had a game-high 10 rebounds for the Blue Devils. … Turnovers: Boiling Springs 19, G-A 12. … Faulkner had three blocks in the game, including the big swat late.
QUOTABLE
Greencastle-Antrim’s Morgan Wagaman on her go-ahead bucket — “I saw that Jenay was going to get the rebound so I started sprinting toward the other end of the court. I was wide open so I knew she was going to throw it to me. I just wanted to get to the right side of the basket because I have more confidence shooting on the right side. … It feels really good because this was a big game and we really wanted to win it to take the division.”
Greencastle-Antrim’s Jenay Faulkner on the final sequence — “I knew we still had it, and after that block I knew Morgan was going to score. I was confident. Winning the district last year, we’ve been in a lot of these kinds of games. It’s nothing new to me. It’s just exciting … we knew we wanted some vengeance from Dec. 18, and this was a really good win.”
Greencastle-Antrim coach Mike Rhine — “I have to give (Boiling Springs) a ton of credit because they beat us at our game; they made shots for three quarters and seven minutes and 50 seconds. They shot the ball better than we did and they rebounded the ball better than we did. We just — wow — I don’t even know how to describe it. We have some winners on our team. It doesn’t matter how bad it is, they just keep playing. There’s just something about them. I’m speechless.”
Boiling Springs coach Kyle Watkins — “There’s disappointment any time you lose, but I thought our girls really played a great game. We just weren’t able to extend a lead at the end because (G-A) has some really good decision-makers and they’re just not going to give it away. It’s no fluke that we can play with them, and I think we proved that tonight, and our kids need to take that away moving forward. It is a tough pill to swallow, but I thought we gave ourselves a lot of chances in the end.”
Greencastle-Antrim lights up Northern York from 3-point range
By Ben Destefan
GREENCASTLE — Sometimes you just have to shake your head.
Having set a program record with 14 3-pointers in a game last Friday, Greencastle-Antrim bettered its total Tuesday night, making 16 shots from beyond the arc during a 71-30 blowout victory over Northern York.
Unofficially, based on available information, the state record for 3-pointers made in a girls’ high school game was 14 by Altoona in 1999 according to pahoops.org. Therefore, despite being unable to definitively confirm, G-A’s long-range shooting display was one of, if not the best single-game effort in Pennsylvania girls’ basketball history.
“We’ve always based it on 14, so the girls were really excited about it,” Blue Devil head coach Mike Rhine said. “As a coach, you can’t ask for much more. It’s not just one or two girls making them, it’s five or six.”
Leading the way for Greencastle (19-1) was junior sensation Jenay Faulkner, who knocked down six 3’s for a game-high 18 points. On the year, Faulkner — who is verbally committed to Division-I Holy Cross — has now made 72 3-pointers.
Senior standout Hannah Crist followed with 17 points and five 3’s, four of which came in the third quarter.
Younger sister Lydia Crist contributed a pair, including No.’s 15 and 16 on the night, while Morgan Wagaman (12 points), Meghan Hirneisen and Hannah Haley each played a part in the 3-point barrage.
The onslaught started early, as Faulkner drained four of her six in the first quarter, headlining the Blue Devils’ 26-point opening frame. G-A maintained a healthy advantage at the break before extending its cushion to 63-26 entering the fourth, allowing several starters to get some much-needed rest.
Tuesday marked the Blue Devils’ fifth game in six days, all of which produced victories, extending their winning streak to 15 in a row. Such a streak began following G-A’s only loss of the season to Boiling Springs back on Dec. 18.
As it turns out, the rematch will decide the Mid-Penn Colonial Division title Thursday night in Greencastle. Both the Blue Devils and Bubblers are 10-1 in league play, setting the stage for a winner-take-all showdown.
Adding to the intrigue are the implications regarding District 3’s power ratings, where Boiling Springs (18-2) is currently ranked second in Class AAA while G-A sits fifth.
“We’re a lot more confident with where we are right now compared to where we were the first time we played them,” Rhine said. “Being at home is a plus, and if they come down here and beat us, then they deserve it.”
Thursday’s varsity game is set to start at 7:30 p.m.
"Smiley, HH and Meg - we couldnt be more proud"
- Coach Rhine, Monn and McKeever
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Greencastle-Antrim keeps rolling, defeats Spring Grove
Bob StolerGreencastle-Antrim's Hannah Crist (13) defends against Spring Grove's Bridgette Wentz (23) during Monday's girls' basketball game in Greencastle. Crist scored 25 points in G-A's 57-30 victory.
by Ben Destefan
GREENCASTLE — Check another one off the list.With all eyes understandably looking ahead to the regular season finale later this week, Greencastle-Antrim continued to handle its business Monday night, overwhelming Spring Grove en route to a 57-30 girls’ basketball victory.Hannah Crist was again sensational, scoring a season-high 25 points for the Blue Devils, who improved to 18-1 overall behind their 14th straight win.Assuming neither G-A or Boiling Springs — the team responsible for the Blue Devils’ only loss — slip tonight, Thursday’s meeting between the two in Greencastle will decide the Mid-Penn Colonial Division title. Both currently sit tied atop the league standings at 9-1.“We have to get through these first two this week and then focus on Thursday,” G-A coach Mike Rhine said. “Tonight we were able to rest some girls, especially Jenay (Faulkner) and Hannah, who pretty much sat the whole fourth quarter. We’re tired, but we have to keep pushing through. It’s the same scenario for everyone.”Playing their fourth game in five days, the Blue Devils turned a 13-9 lead at the end of one into a 27-13 margin by the break, setting the stage for a lopsided closing 16 minutes.After heating up with a pair of 3’s late in the first half, Crist officially caught fire in the third, recording 12 of her game-high total during G-A’s 25-point frame.With the lead approaching 30, Morgan Wagaman completed a traditional three-point play before knocking down a jumper to extend the cushion midway through. Crist then capped her tremendous third quarter with her fourth 3 of the night, giving G-A its largest advantage at 52-19.Beginning to pull starters, the Blue Devils ultimately salted away the non-league victory.“Hannah played really well,” Rhine said. “She got hot in the third, which seems to be a theme for us.”All wasn’t peachy during Monday’s late stages, however, as G-A’s Madison Sweitzer suffered an ankle injury that forced her to be helped off the court.“That put a damper on the night,” Rhine said of the freshman’s injury that he described as a high-ankle sprain. “She was really coming into her own, so we’re hopeful it’s not too serious.”Faulkner finished with 13 points in the win, netting eight in the first quarter. Wagaman added seven points while Ashley True — who will step in to start for Sweitzer — led the Blue Devils on the boards with eight rebounds.Defensively, G-A’s zone forced 24 Rocket turnovers.Morgan Hagerman paced Spring Grove (2-19) with 12 points.
