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Showing posts from February, 2021

Pioneers Lose Thriller To Lower Dauphin

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The stage was set for a fierce battle. If the JV game (a 33-30 win for the Pioneers) was any indication, we were in for 32 minutes of hard-fought basketball. The Pioneers entered the game with an 8-2 record, placed 4th in the District III power rankings. The opposing Lower Dauphin Falcons (14-3) sat 2 spots ahead of the Pioneers in 2nd.  Ty Burton in Game vs Cocalcio (Jon Klein) After a game-opening bucket from the Falcons, the Pioneers went on a 12-2 scoring run to give themselves an early first-quarter lead. The Falcons then went on a run of their own to bring the score to 14-8 by the end of the quarter. Sean McTaggart starred in the first quarter, scoring 10 of the Pioneers' 14 points and knocking down 2 three-pointers.  The second quarter was equally entertaining, with both offenses functioning like a well-oiled machine. The Falcons used their high-intensity blueprint offensively, passing the ball around at the speed of light and generating open looks. Tyler Burton carried the

Pioneers Cruise Past Indians on Senior Night

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  On Monday night, the Lady Pioneers hosted the Donegal Indians. The Indians were winless going into the game with a record of 0-11. The Pioneers were looking to secure a spot in next week's District III playoffs, as they were seeded 13th going into the game. It was also senior night in West Lampeter, as all the Pioneer seniors were honored before the game.  Jada Willard in Game vs Garden Spot (Jon Klein) The Indians jumped out to an early lead but didn't hold it for long. Hailey Leaman knocked down shots from downtown on back-to-back possessions, followed up by another three-pointer from Megan Manion. The Pioneers continued to roll from there, forcing turnovers defensively and cashing in on easy shots at the other end. At the end of the quarter, the Pioneers led by a score of 23-12.  The Pioneers' momentum carried into the second quarter. The Indians couldn't seem to take the lid off of the basket, while the Pioneers drained seemingly every shot and were constantly exp

Pioneers Win Close Game over Garden Spot

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On Saturday afternoon, the boys' basketball team traveled to New Holland for a matchup with the Garden Spot Spartans. The Pioneers were playing on short rest, losing to Cocalico just last night. The Pioneers defeated the Spartans 59-40 earlier this season, with Tyler Burton scoring 28 points.   Luka Vranich in Game vs Manheim Central (Jon Klein) The Spartans came out of the locker room ready to play, jumping out to a 7-0 lead. Jesse Martin and Tyler Martin played well in the first quarter, each scoring 5 points for the Spartans. The Pioneers were down by a score of 20-9 going into the second quarter.  The second quarter was far more competitive and evenly matched. Hunter Hildenbrand came off the bench and provided a spark for the Pioneers, immediately knocking down a three-pointer for his first career varsity points. The Pioneers continued to play well, finding open shots in the paint and producing turnovers defensively. The Pioneers reduced the gap to 29-28 by halftime. Jonathan V

Pioneers Fall to Vikings in Fredericksburg

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  On Friday night, the Girls' Basketball team headed north to Fredericksburg to take on the Northern Lebanon Vikings. The Vikings entered the game with a 4-6, sitting near the bottom of Section 4. When these two teams faced off last year, the Vikings won 36-28. In previous years, these two teams routinely produced low-scoring games. I would expect much of the same tonight.  Katie Ranck Shoots Three-Pointer in Game vs Garden Spot (Jon Klein) The first quarter was a rather ugly one, with missed shots and unforced turnovers stealing the show. Ashlyn Messinger scored 5 points, leading the Vikings to a 7-6 lead after the first 8 minutes. Maggie Visniski led scoring for the Pioneers, knocking down 2 layups.  The Pioneers gained some momentum at the beginning of the 2nd quarter, as jump shots from Emma Drouillard and Hailey Leaman propelled the Pioneers into the lead. For the rest of the half, both offenses played very well resulting in many lead changes. When the dust settled, the Viking

Lady Pioneers Coast Past Spartans in Section Finale

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On Monday night, the Lady Pioneers welcomed the winless Garden Spot Spartans in the Section 3 finale. The Pioneers defeated the Spartans 57-39 earlier this season in New Holland, with Maggie Swarr and Emma Drouillard each scoring 14 points. It was a must-win game for a Pioneer team trying to stay in the hunt for the Section title.  The Pioneers came out of the gates firing, outscoring the Spartans 10-2 in the first 5 minutes of the game. Emma Drouillard, Megan Manion, and Hailey Leaman all hit three-pointers during the quarter. Erin Gonzalez sunk a buzzer-beating three-pointer to make the score 17-9 in favor of the Pioneers going into the second quarter.  The rest of the first half was much of the same, with the Pioneers leading by a score of 36-16 going into the second half. Emma Drouillard went into the break as the games' leading scorer with 11 points, including 4 free-throws. A big part of the Pioneer's success during the first half was their passing, recording 11 assists a

Pioneers Fall to Eagles in Section 3 Clash

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The stage was set for a compelling matchup. The Lady Pioneers headed to Denver for a bout with the Cocalico Eagles. Both teams took the court holding a share of first place. With a win, the Pioneers would gain a huge advantage in the race for the Section 3 crown. The Pioneers won a close one over the Eagles earlier in the season, with Maggie Visniski recording a double-double as the Pioneers won 41-35.  Hailey Leaman Blocks Shot in Previous Game vs Cocalico (Chris Knight LNP) The Eagles jumped out to a big lead in the first quarter, outscoring the Pioneers by 15-4. Hannah Custer scored 6 of those points for the Eagles, while turnovers and poor execution by the Pioneers led to just one shot made from the field. The second quarter wasn't any better for the Pioneers. For the first 5 and a half minutes of the quarter, the Pioneers were unable to take the lid off the basket. The Pioneers went on a mini-run towards the end of the half, but were unable to make a serious dent in the scorel