COCALICO Eagles
Coach: Abbie Houck (Just completed her 6th season and is 91-70 overall).
League: 3-13 (6th in Section 2).
Overall: 5-18.
Winning streak: 2 (Jan. 16 to Jan. 19).
Losing streak: 12 (Dec. 6 to Jan. 12).
Points for: 950 (41.3 per game).
Team 3-pointers: 31.
Individual 3-pointers: Rachel Hurst (18).
Points against: 1,189 (51.7 per game).
Leading scorers:
CariBeth Shappell (211 points, 9.2 per game).
Shirah Graybill (176 points, 7.7 per game).
Rachel Hurst (154 points, 6.7 per game).
Season-high: 59 points (Twice: Dec. 1 in 59-42 win over Kennard-Dale in the first round of the Penn Manor Tip-Off Tournament; Feb. 6 in 59-47 Section 2 win over Solanco).
Best individual effort: Junior forward CariBeth Shappell – 27 points in a 67-52 Section 2 loss to Conestoga Valley on Feb. 8.
MVP: Junior forward CariBeth Shappell – Finished the season in a flourish, scoring 114 points in the final eight games (14.3 per game), including 26 points in a 49-48 Section 2 win over Solanco on Jan. 19, and her 27-point outing against CV in the season finale.
Unsung hero: Junior guard Rachel Hurst – Gritty guard was the Eagles’ top 3-point shooter (team-high 18 treys) and complimented Shappell and Graybill’s inside presence.
Highlights: Topped Solanco 59-47 on Feb. 6 to knock the Golden Mares out of the District 3 Quad-A playoffs. That was probably the Eagles’ signature win in a season that didn’t see many W’s… Highlight was probably the fact that coach Abbie Houck coached the entire season while carrying her first child. Wrote a column on that, and if you search around this blog enough, you’ll probably stumble across it. Or you could just do a keyword search for Abbie Houck in the upper right corner. … The Eagles went through some growing pains after losing all five starters last from last season’s L-L League semifinalist and district qualifying team. … Having Shappell, Hurst and Graybill coming back next season should help.
CONESTOGA VALLEY Buckskins
Coach: Jerry Beekler (Just completed his 5th season and is 58-66 overall).
League: 9-7 (Section 2 champs).
Overall: 14-12 (Lost to Section 3 runner-up Lampeter-Strasburg 76-63 in L-L League quarterfinals; defeated Red Land 72-59 in District 3 Quad-A pigtail game; lost to McCaskey 65-42 in District 3 Quad-A first-round game).
Winning streak: 3 (Twice: Dec. 9 to Dec. 13 and Jan. 9 to Jan. 16).
Losing streak: 3 (Dec. 27 to Jan. 5).
Points for: 1,332 (51.2 per game).
Team 3-pointers: 67.
Individual 3-pointers: Allison Bauer (39).
Points against: 1,340 (51.5 per game).
Leading scorers:
Caitlyn Dillard (465 points, 17.9 per game).
Allison Bauer (366 points, 14.1 per game).
Marqui Lyons (173 points, 6.7 per game).
Season-high: 72 points (Feb. 16 in a 72-59 win over Red Land in a District 3 Quad-A pigtail game).
Best individual effort: Caitlyn Dillard – 28 points in a 67-52 Section 2 win over Cocalico on Feb. 8.
MVP: Two of them: senior guard Caitlyn Dillard and junior guard Allison Bauer – The Buckskins’ outstanding duo led CV to the Section 2 championship, into the league playoffs, and to a win in a District 3 Quad-A pigtail game. Pound-for-pound, they formed one of the best backcourts in the league, and were a threat to score from anywhere on the court. Dillard departs as the leading scorer in the history of the school (she also won her second league scoring derby in a row) and Bauer should be one of the top players in the league when we reconvene next December.
Unsung hero: Junior forward Marqui Lyons – Did a lot of dirty work for the Bucks, like crash the boards, rebound and play tough D against top opposing low-post threats. Scrapper who gets a lot of putbacks and gets to the line a lot.
Highlights: Led the Section 2 chase from start to finish, but made things mighty interesting with back-to-back losses to E-town and Solanco down the stretch, as CV’s lead shrunk to a game over Garden Spot and Solanco with two games to go. But the Bucks clinched with a 57-43 win over Garden Spot on Feb. 6. … Topped district qualifier Palmyra (55-40) in the first round of Warwick’s holiday tournament, but fell to the host Warriors a night later (43-42 in OT), as Warwick stretched its winning streak to 10. … Didn’t fare so well in the postseason, falling to Section 3 runner-up L-S (76-63) in the league quarterfinals. Rallied nicely with a runaway win over Red Land (72-59) in a District 3 Quad-A pigtail game. But fell to Section 1 and league runner-up McCaskey (65-42) in first round of Districts after leading 15-5 in the first quarter and 23-22 at the break. … Dillard finished her career with 1,718 points – most in school history (boys or girls). … Bauer will start her senior season with 825 points.
ELIZABETHTOWN Bears
Coach: Mike Pericci (Just completed his 2nd season and is 26-25 overall).
League: 5-11 (4th in Section 2).
Overall: 8-15.
Winning streak: 2 (Twice: Jan 5 to Jan. 9 and Jan. 26 to Jan. 30).
Losing streak: 5 (Twice: Dec. 9 until Dec. 22 and Jan. 12 until Jan. 24).
Points for: 794 (34.5 per game).
Team 3-pointers: 23.
Individual 3-pointers: Liz Bard (12).
Points against: 971 (42.2 per game).
Leading scorers:
Liz Bard (277 points, 12.0 per game).
Megan Neidig (182 points, 7.9 per game).
Season-high: 52 points (Feb. 8 in a 52-48 Section 2 win over Solanco).
Best individual effort: Liz Bard – 24 points in a 51-48 double-OT Section 2 loss to Garden Spot on Feb. 2.
MVP: Senior guard Liz Bard – Not sure how the Bears would have finished up without her. She really caught fire in the last month, scoring 140 points in E-town’s final nine games (15.6 per game). She also helped the Bears play spoiler: E-town beat CV and Solanco down the stretch, and Bard scored 20 in the CV game and 18 against Solanco. That’s pretty clutch.
Unsung hero: Senior forward Megan Neidig – Was tough on the glass and was a nice inside option when Bard, looking to dish, penetrated and got in the lane.
Highlights: Bard’s buzzer-beater to beat Columbia 35-33 on Opening Night in the first round of the Crimson Tide’s tip-off tourney. … Defeated Solanco 52-48 on the last night of league play to knock the Golden Mares’ out of the L-L League playoffs. … Bard was basically the only varsity player who returned from last season’s District 3 Quad-A semifinalist team, so this was a rebuilding year of sorts in E-town, which still kept everyone honest, allowing just 42 points a game. … Tonya Kauffman had never reached double figures in a game, then had back-to-back 10-point games: on Jan. 30 in a clutch 51-50 win over CV, and Feb. 2 in a 51-48 double-OT loss to Garden Spot.
EPHRATA Mountaineers
Coach: Loren Souder (Just completed his 3rd season and is 24-44 overall).
League: 4-12 (5th in Section 2).
Overall: 8-15.
Winning streak: 2 (Three times: Dec. 2 to Dec. 5; Dec. 9 to Dec. 12; Feb. 2 to Feb. 6).
Losing streak: 5 (Jan. 2 to Jan. 16).
Points for: 1,076 (46.8 per game).
Team 3-pointers: 55.
Individual 3-pointers: Brynn Lyons (27).
Points against: 1,161 (50.5 per game).
Leading scorers:
Brynn Lyons (237 points, 10.3 per game).
Arielle Gordon (201 points, 8.7 per game).
Season-high: 73 points (in a 73-66 OT crossover win over Penn Manor on Dec. 12).
Best individual effort: Brynn Lyons – 26 points in a 56-47 Section 2 win over Cocalico on Feb. 2.
MVP: Junior guard Brynn Lyons – Ephrata’s steadiest performer in a season in which a lot of people (me included) thought the Mountaineers were going to make a serious run at CV in the section race. It didn’t happen, but Lyons was Ephrata’s top weapon – and will be again next season.
Unsung hero: Senior point guard Arielle Gordon – Determined floor general made Ephrata tick. She’s a spunky player who has one speed: Fast.
Highlights: Bouncing back in both tournaments – in the Daniel Boone Tip-Off, beat Palisades (61-36) after falling in the first round to district qualifier Schuylkill Valley, and in their own Ephrata Holiday Tournament, snapped back after a tough loss to Section 3 runner-up and league semifinalist Lampeter-Strasburg (63-53) to beat district qualifier Elco in the third-place game (43-32). … Lyons hit four 3-pointers in a game twice: Dec. 22 against Cedar Crest and Feb. 2 against Cocalico.
GARDEN SPOT Spartans
Coach: Mark Silcox (Just completed his 2nd season and is 15-31 overall).
League: 7-9 (2nd in Section 2).
Overall: 11-13 (Lost to Section 3 champ Lebanon 52-39 in L-L League quarterfinals).
Winning streak: 4 (Jan. 12 to Jan. 23).
Losing streak: 4 (Dec. 12 to Dec. 22).
Points for: 977 (40.7 per game).
Team 3-pointers: 71.
Individual 3-pointers: Chrissy Taylor (30).
Points against: 1,001 (41.7 per game).
Leading scorers:
Jenny Huyett (206 points, 9.0 per game).
Chrissy Taylor (179 points, 7.5 per game).
Season-high: 55 points (in a 55-48 Section 2 win over Cocalico on Jan. 30).
Best individual effort: Jenny Huyett – 16 points (Twice: Dec. 4 in a 43-36 non-league win over Lancaster Mennonite, and Jan. 30 in a 55-48 Section 2 win over Cocalico).
MVP: Senior guard Jenny Huyett – She was the Spartans’ returning leading scorer, and again was counted on to take (and make) big shots. She was a major reason why Garden Spot was back in the L-L League playoffs for the fist time in seven years.
Unsung hero: Junior guard Chrissy Taylor – Had a fabulous finish, scoring 90 points in the Spartans’ final nine games (10.0 per game, plus 18 3-pointers during the same span). She can flat-out shoot the rock, and should be on the league’s top snipers next season.
Highlights: Knocking off district qualifier Lancaster Mennonite 43-36 back on Dec. 4. That was a sign of good things to come, as the Spartans claimed second place in Section 2 and went to the league playoffs for the first time since 2000. … Winning the Solanco Holiday Tournament, with victories over Mid-Penn power Cumberland Valley (38-32) and host Solanco (48-40). Garden Spot ended up going 1-2 against Solanco, and the two league losses nearly cost the Spartans, who would have missed out on the league playoffs had they finished in a tie for second with Solanco, which earned the tiebreaker. But when Garden Spot topped Ephrata and Solanco fell to E-town on the last night of league play, Garden Spot gobbled up the final playoff spot. … Fell to Lebanon in the league quarters, but it was a nice comeback season of sorts for the Spartans. … Came up one win short of qualifying for the District 3 Quad-A playoffs.
SOLANCO Golden Mares
Coach: Tom McDonald (Just completed his 1st season and is 10-13 overall).
League: 6-10 (3rd in Section 2).
Overall: 10-13.
Winning streak: 4 (Jan. 23 to Feb. 2).
Losing streak: 4 (Dec. 12 to Dec. 22).
Points for: 1,087 (47.3 per game).
Team 3-pointers: 38.
Individual 3-pointers: Kelsey Miller (22).
Points against: 1,133 (49.3 per game).
Leading scorers:
Tracee Harrison (340 points, 14.8 per game).
CeCe Buzzard (240 points, 10.9 per game).
Kelsey Miller (159 points, 6.9 per game).
Season-high: 62 points (Twice: in a 62-32 win over Kutztown on Dec. 2 in the consolation game of the Twin Valley Tip-Off Tournament; and in a 62-51 Section 2 win over Ephrata on Jan. 30).
Best individual effort: Tracee Harrison – 28 points in a 56-51 crossover loss to Manheim Township on Jan. 2.
MVP: Senior forward Tracee Harrison – Had a fabulous breakout senior season, finishing among the top scorers in the league. Really blossomed into a well-respected, well-rounded threat, who score from the wing and on the baseline. Tough on the glass, too. That Solanco was in the race until the last night of league play helped her, too. She finally got the attention she deserved, and she’s going to make some college program happy.
Unsung hero: Junior guard CeCe Buzzard – Reliable shooter who can also run the floor and defend. Great name, too. She’s definitely someone to keep an eye on next year, when Solanco will return four starters from a team that missed the postseason by an eyelash.
Highlights: Sweeping two-game league series from Garden Spot to earn the tiebreaker for second place in the Section 2 chase, but falling to E-town on the last night of league play to miss out on league playoffs. Section 2 loss to Cocalico two nights earlier cost Solanco a shot at the District 3 Quad-A playoffs. But what a season for the Mares, who quadrupled their win total from the year before – under a first-year head coach. … Harrison was my Section 2 MVP.
JEFFREY REINHART
