H.S. Extra: Chambersburg field hockey has best season since '08
The Chambersburg field hockey team had a tough season — but the team's record says otherwise after playing in a competitive division and one of the toughest conferences in the state.
The team was battered and bruised for much of the season, but that didn't stop Chambersburg from making a push for a district berth and end its season on a high note — finishing the year with its first winning record since 2008.
The Trojans showed promise in an upset victory over State College to start the season, but quickly the team began to slump due to multiple injuries — forcing a handful of those top starters to take a seat and hand the reigns over to a younger core.
After Carlisle upset Chambersburg last week, the Trojans came back to win the last two games of the season, including a 3-2 win over recent Mid Penn Commonwealth rival Mifflin County, and a narrow non-league victory over Mechanicsburg.
"Kaylea Garman was instrumental in preserving the win over Mechaincsburg on Monday," Chambersburg coach Jen Amsley said. "As she has done all season, she came up big for us, stopping players several times that potentially could have changed the game. Her and Madison Schmus are very strong back there and have been a big reason why we have been able to do so well this year, and of course with a tough goalie in Ari Burke behind them."
Burke registered shutouts in six of the team's nine wins this season. The team was led by Liza Ernst who had nine goals and four assists, followed by Rachel Dusman who had five goals and six assists.
Despite the loss to Carlisle, the final two wins of the season pushed Chambersburg up to No. 13 in Class 3A - three spots from the tournament cutoff. The Trojans (9-7-1, 5-7 MPC) finished fifth in the Commonwealth.
SUPER 32 WRESTLING: Drew Peck of Chambersburg placed third in last weekend’s Super 32 wrestling tournament in Greensboro, N.C. and Chambersburg’s Tate Nichter captured a title in the middle school division.
The Super 32 is considered the top preseason tournament in the nation.
Peck was wrestling in the high school 182-pound division and had a record of 6-1. He won bouts of 10-0 (with a pin in 33 seconds), 3-2 and 6-2 to reach the semifinals, where he lost to eventual champion Louie Deprez of New York.
In the consolations, Peck pinned Khamari Whimper of Tennessee in 22 seconds and edged Jelani Embree of Michigan 2-1 for third place.
Nichter needed three bouts to win his division at 145 pounds. He had a pin in 18 seconds, a 6-3 decision, and needed only 20 seconds in the final to pin Peyton Craft of Ohio.
Also in the high school division, for Chambersburg, Luke Nichter had three pins at 152 and went 3-2; Spencer Runshaw (120) and Cole Grove (132) were both 2-2; and Seth Runshaw (120) was 1-2. In middle school, Luke Mentzer (70) was 2-2.
STREAKING: Last week the McConnellsburg girls volleyball team's dream season came to a grinding halt in the last match of the regular season.
A 3-2 non-league loss to Shalom Christian spoiled the Spartans undefeated regular season, breaking a 13-game winning streak.
Shalom on the other hand, is now riding a streak of its own into the MDCC girls volleyball tournament, with five straight victories including a tournament quarterfinal win over Calvary on Tuesday. Also in the MDCC, Cumberland Valley Christian's five-game winning streak will be threatened as the girls' volleyball team takes on No. 1 Heritage in the semifinal on Friday.
Southern Fulton cross country swept the Inter-County Conference titles, claiming the boys and girls conference championships. The boys team was undefeated in the conference during the regular season, and won six consecutive meets to close out the year, while the girls team had one loss, and won five straight.