Lebanon Sports Buzz
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 BY JEFF FALK

 ANNVILLE – When Annville-Cleona peered across the court, it saw a girls’ basketball team that it thought it had a good chance of beating. The only problem was, the Lebanon Catholic squad looking back was thinking the exact same thing.

 This concept of ‘winnable games’. Yeah, it’s a thing.

 On Friday night at ‘The Barn’, it was the Little Dutchmen who displayed a little more urgency down the stretch – as well as a softer touch at the foul line -as they shaded the Beavers 46-39 in a tightly-contested Lancaster-Lebanon Section Five affair. With the outcome on the line during crunch time, Annville-Cleona was the obvious aggressor, but the Little Dutchmen also benefited from some cold Catholic shooting at the charity stripe.

 With the result, Annville-Cleona improved to 4-7 under rookie head coach Lisa Shucker, and 1-4 in the section. Lebanon Catholic slipped to 5-6 on the season and 0-4 in the league.

  “We thought it was a very winnable game,” said Shucker. “We prepare like we’re going to win every game. We think we can win seven of our next 11 games. I think we looked at this game differently because it was our rival.

 “Lebanon Catholic is always an extremely aggressive, well-coached team,” continued Shucker. “They’re always going to give you a game. They’re very disciplined.”

  “We felt this was a winnable game,” said Lebanon Catholic head coach Patti Hower. “We have some opponents coming up we don’t match up with. We need to win the games we should win. But I think we’re improving.

 “I thought they (the Little Dutchmen) played hard,” Hower continued. “They made shots. They took it to the hoop. There’s definitely improvement there.”

 The outcome was very much in doubt when Katie Davis scored on an inside move to pull Lebanon Catholic to within 33-32 of the lead, early in the final quarter. But over the next four minutes, Annville-Cleona outscored the Beavers 13-3 to open a 46-35 advantage, with 40 seconds remaining.

 During the decisive run, five different Little Dutchmen – Lauren Schrader, Brittney Nye, Mackenzie Drane, Emily Brightbill and Alyssa Ulrich – contributed points. In the fourth quarter, the Beavers went five-for-16 from the foul stripe.

  “At the end of the third quarter, I was getting anxious because we were settling for jump shots,” said Shucker. “Our game is pushing the ball up the floor, getting to the basket and getting to the foul line. We didn’t settle for just running clock. We told them (her players), “Run the play. We’ve got to score.’ With three minutes left, I was feeling pretty confident.”

 “This team has to learn how to win,” said Hower. “There were some end-of-game situations we didn’t execute.

 “I knew it was going to an even match,” added Hower. “We both struggle in some areas. But they made foul shots and we didn’t.”

  The Little Dutchmen led throughout the third quarter, but never by a lot. Back-to-back buckets from L. Schrader and Katie Shaak in the middle of the period made it 28-23 A-C, and an old-fashioned three-point play by Brightbill gave the Ltitle Dutchmen a 31-26 lead.

 “For our kids, we only may be 4-7, but this win means a lot,” said Shucker. “Some of these girls never beat Lebanon Catholic. We’re on track. They (her players) haven’t given up. It was probably our most complete game of the season.

  “We tell them, ‘If you’re on the bench and not cheering, you’re not going in,'” Shucker added. “And ‘If you’re on the floor and not hustling, you’re coming out.'”

   “They (the Little Dutchmen) hit some shots, and they were from people who we didn’t expect,” said Hower. “It’s a credit to them. Where we struggle is offensively, and we find it hard to come back. But I was proud of them (her players).”

 Nye led all scorers with a career-high 13 points. Avery Hupp tallied 11 points for the Beavers.

 Annville-Cleona outscored Lebanon Catholic 32-24 on two-pointers. The Beavers finished nine-for-27 at the free throw stripe.

 “I keep telling her, ‘You’re a scorer. You’re athletic,'” said Shucker of Nye. “Finally, she broke through. She’s only a sophomore. She is going to be a good basketball player. But we’re trying to build everyone’s confidence.”

  “We’re definitely in a rebuilding mode,” said Hower. “But we’ve improved.

 “It’s a different year. It’s a different team,” continued Hower. “They’re (her players) all new. I’ve had to teach a lot, and I’m beat. I’m a little surprised by what we don’t know. They really don’t know the game. They have to watch more.”

 Down 3-2 early, it was a pair of Nye free throws and a three-pointer that sparked Annville-Cleona’s 13-3 run that gave it a 15-6 lead. Also included in the burst were four more points from Nye, a Shaak stick-back and a driving lay-up by Ulrich.

 “We’ve had a couple of slow starts,” said Shucker. “But all the games we’ve won, we’ve had fast starts.”

 The Beavers opened the second stanza on a 12-3 spurt – courtesy of five points from MacKenna Purcell, four Hupp points, a deuce by Alyssa Lower and a Sami Hatzfeld foul shot – to knot the score at 19. But Annville-Cleona closed on the half with a 5-2 run that featured a three-pointer from Arianna Clay and a Drane bucket.

   “I think it’s going really well,” said Shucker. “If you look at wins, it’s not going well. But we’ve done a lot of building the program. I have such supportive parents. Anything we suggest for the kids, it’s happening. I couldn’t be prouder of how they’re (her players) playing right now.”

  “It’s a challenge, because we have to do things to make them better,” said Hower of her troops. “It’s simple things like, how many passes we don’t catch. We haven’t improved as much as I would’ve liked. I don’t want to be negative. But we haven’t progressed as fast as I would’ve liked.”

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 To purchase images in this article email jkfalk2005@yahoo.com, or to view more go to https://lebanonsportsbuzz.com/photo-gallery/.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 2018-19 Lebanon Catholic Girls’ Basketball Schedule

 
 
Date Opponents Outcomes  
12/08
6:00 pm
Lebanon Catholic
at Veritas Academy
58
26
 
12/10
7:30 pm
Lebanon Catholic
at Daniel Boone
20
35
 
12/12
6:00 pm
Lebanon Catholic
at Lititz Christian
51
15
 
12/14
7:30 pm
Pequea Valley
at Lebanon Catholic
67
29
 
12/15
6:00 pm
Christian School of York
at Lebanon Catholic
19
36
 
12/17
7:30 pm
Lancaster Mennonite
at Lebanon Catholic
61
28
 
12/19
7:30 pm
Columbia
at Lebanon Catholic
53
37
 
12/21
7:30 pm
Conestoga Christian
at Lebanon Catholic
27
30
 
12/28
7:30 pm
Mt. Calvary Christian
Lebanon Catholic
at Lebanon Catholic Holiday Tournament
27
52
 
12/29
2:30 pm
Marian Catholic
Lebanon Catholic
at Lebanon Catholic Holiday Tournament
46
19
 
1/04
7:30 pm
Lebanon Catholic
at Annville-Cleona
   
1/07
6:00 pm
Harrisburg Christian
at Lebanon Catholic
   
1/08
7:30 pm
Lebanon Catholic
at Pequea Valley
   
1/10
7:30 pm
Susquenita
at Lebanon Catholic
   
1/12
12:00 pm
York Catholic
Lebanon Catholic
at Lancaster Catholic Showcase
   
1/15
6:00 pm
Lebanon Catholic
at Lancaster Country Day
   
1/18
7:30 pm
Lebanon Catholic
at Lancaster Mennonite
   
1/22
7:30 pm
Lebanon Catholic
at Columbia
   
1/25
6:00 pm
New Covenant Christian
at Lebanon Catholic
   
1/28
7:30 pm
Trinity
at Lebanon Catholic
   
2/01
7:30 pm
Lancaster Country Day
at Lebanon Catholic
   
2/05
7:30 pm
Annville-Cleona
at Lebanon Catholic
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2018-19 Annville-Cleona Girls’ Basketball Schedule
 
 
 
Date Opponents Outcomes  
12/07
4:00 pm
Annville-Cleona
Hamburg
at Hamburg Tip-Off Tournament
23
32
 
12/08
12:00 pm
Brandywine Heights
Annville-Cleona
at Hamburg Tip-Off Tournament
35
44
 
12/11
7:30 pm
Annville-Cleona
at Conrad Weiser
36
43
 
12/14
7:30 pm
Columbia
at Annville-Cleona
41
33
 
12/17
7:30 pm
Pequea Valley
at Annville-Cleona
60
35
 
12/19
6:00 pm
Annville-Cleona
at Lancaster Country Day
25
61
 
12/21
7:30 pm
Annville-Cleona
at Lancaster Mennonite
29
76
 
12/22
11:30 am
Hanover
at Annville-Cleona
29
32
 
12/27
6:00 pm
Annville-Cleona
Littlestown
at Tulpehocken Holiday Tournament
40
50
 
12/28
6:00 pm
Annville-Cleona
Halifax
at Tulpehocken Holiday Tournament
48
25
 
1/04
7:30 pm
Lebanon Catholic
at Annville-Cleona
   
1/07
7:30 pm
Biglerville
at Annville-Cleona
   
1/08
7:30 pm
Annville-Cleona
at Columbia
   
1/10
7:30 pm
Annville-Cleona
at Northeastern
   
1/14
7:30 pm
East Pennsboro
at Annville-Cleona
   
1/18
7:30 pm
Annville-Cleona
at Pequea Valley
   
1/19
5:00 pm
Annville-Cleona
at Oley Valley
   
1/26
7:00 pm
Annville-Cleona
at Northern Lebanon
   
1/28
7:30 pm
Lancaster County Christian
at Annville-Cleona
   
1/29
7:30 pm
Lancaster Country Day
at Annville-Cleona
   
1/31
7:30 pm
Lancaster Mennonite
at Annville-Cleona
   
2/05
7:30 pm
Annville-Cleona
at Lebanon Catholic
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Lancaster-Lebanon League
 Section Five Standings
 
 
 
  League Overall
  W L PCT W L PCT PS PA
Lancaster Mennonite 4 0 100.00 8 2 80.00 613 365
Pequea Valley 4 1 80.00 9 2 81.82 623 431
Lancaster Country Day 2 2 50.00 7 2 77.78 508 277
Columbia 2 2 50.00 4 5 44.44 434 487
Annville-Cleona 1 4 20.00 4 7 36.36 391 491
Lebanon Catholic 0 4 0.00 5 6 45.45 399 422

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 PIAA District Three
 Class A Power Rankings
 
A School  W  L  T  Rating  TWP  OWP  TWPW  OWPW  TWPL  OWPL
1 Lancaster Country Day School 7- 1- 0  0.657473  0.860000  0.409940  6.5  74.7  1.1  107.5
2 Greenwood 7- 2- 0  0.589976  0.772455  0.366945  6.5  68.1  1.9  117.4
3 Covenant Christian Academy 4- 2- 0  0.476029  0.612245  0.309543  3.0  38.0  1.9  84.7
4 High Point Baptist Academy 3- 1- 0  0.469217  0.642857  0.256990  2.3  21.6  1.3  62.5
5 Lebanon Catholic School 5- 6- 0  0.463612  0.376884  0.569613  3.8  103.1  6.2  77.9
6 Mount Calvary Christian School 5- 3- 0  0.443532  0.537975  0.328102  4.3  45.0  3.7  92.1
7 Harrisburg Christian School 4- 2- 0  0.440149  0.574074  0.276463  3.1  42.1  2.3  110.1
8 Veritas Academy 3- 4- 0  0.376786  0.377778  0.375574  2.6  53.2  4.2  88.5
9 New Covenant Christian School 2- 3- 0  0.316564  0.322581  0.309211  1.5  42.3  3.2  94.5
10 LINVILLE HILL CHRISTIAN 2- 3- 0  0.302976  0.291262  0.317293  1.5  31.7  3.7  68.1
11 Lititz Christian School 2- 4- 0  0.298733  0.263158  0.342213  1.5  41.8  4.2  80.3
12 Halifax Area 2- 7- 0  0.283484  0.178010  0.412397  1.7  74.9  7.9  106.7
13 Conestoga Christian School 2- 5- 0  0.275316  0.196078  0.372161  1.5  44.3  6.2  74.7
14 Lancaster Mennonite School-Hershey Campus 2- 4- 0  0.272976  0.238095  0.315607  1.5  36.5  4.8  79.2
15 Christian School Of York 2- 7- 0  0.258838  0.147783  0.394570  1.5  53.1  8.7  81.4
16 Lancaster County Christian 1- 3- 0  0.252305  0.166667  0.356974  0.8  37.8  3.8  68.0
17 Dayspring Christian Academy 2- 6- 0  0.247075  0.168539  0.343063  1.5  45.3  7.4  86.7
18 Harrisburg Academy 1- 4- 0  0.234815  0.132743  0.359570  0.8  41.8  4.9  74.5
19 West Shore Christian Academy 0- 4- 0  0.147700  0.000000  0.328223  0.0  41.8  5.0  85.5
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 PIAA District Three
 Class AAA Power Rankings
 
AAA School  W  L  T  Rating  TWP  OWP  TWPW  OWPW  TWPL  OWPL
1 Trinity (3) 8- 0- 0  0.811186  1.000000  0.580414  7.9  101.1  0.0  73.1
2 Delone Catholic 8- 1- 0  0.764714  0.890052  0.611523  8.5  127.9  1.1  81.3
3 Lancaster Mennonite 9- 2- 0  0.697783  0.829384  0.536937  8.8  104.3  1.8  90.0
4 Pequea Valley 9- 2- 0  0.678545  0.818182  0.507877  8.6  101.6  1.9  98.4
5 Susquenita 5- 1- 0  0.594918  0.776786  0.372634  4.4  72.9  1.3  122.7
6 Camp Hill 3- 4- 0  0.524028  0.454545  0.608951  3.3  119.1  3.9  76.5
7 Hanover 6- 5- 0  0.510734  0.502370  0.520956  5.3  97.0  5.3  89.2
8 Columbia 4- 6- 0  0.471427  0.387755  0.573692  3.8  119.5  6.0  88.8
9 Biglerville 3- 6- 0  0.449533  0.350254  0.570875  3.5  110.6  6.4  83.1
10 Tulpehocken 3- 4- 0  0.434404  0.422222  0.449294  2.9  89.1  3.9  109.2
11 Annville Cleona 3- 7- 0  0.370336  0.270408  0.492471  2.7  99.8  7.2  102.8
12 Brandywine Heights Area 2- 7- 0  0.333226  0.224599  0.465992  2.1  82.9  7.3  95.0
13 Kutztown Area 0- 8- 0  0.212890  0.000000  0.473089  0.0  85.7  7.8  95.5
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One thought on “Improvement Ledger: Little Dutchmen’s Gain Comes at Beavers’ Expense

  1. Thanks for covering the game, Jeff. So impressive. This girl’s varsity game rose to the level of a boys varsity game when I was in school. They came onto the court to music like champions, running drills. There were cheerleaders, and a good attendance for the home team AC girls.

    FYI, I taped and posted the final minute as “Live Video” on Facebook, and thought I’d share.
    https://www.facebook.com/joellenlitz/videos/10217238042238489/

    PS. The Assistant Coach is Craig Andrews.

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