Spring Grove girls fall in title game

The first few games for a new coach are a feeling out process for both the players and the coaching staff.

The Spring Grove Rockets girls' basketball team took that next step in the process on Saturday afternoon.

Despite losing 39-20 to Mechanicsburg, head coach Holly Baublitz feels the insights her team has gained with each contest are valuable.

"Our goal is to get better each and every game, and I think we got better tonight," Baublitz said. "Each game, we are learning each other more and more."

With the victory against Spring Grove, Mechanicsburg captured the championship of the Spring Grove Tip-Off tournament.

Senior point guard Jordan Hertz was named MVP of the tournament.

"I'd say we had about the same defensive effort we had yesterday, Mechanicsburg head coach Clay McAllister said. "Pretty solid fundamentals. It was a great effort, and this was a great weekend. I'm proud of them."

Mechanicsburg is looking for a third straight appearance in the PIAA playoffs, while Spring Grove is looking to improve on a two-win season.

"(Mechanicsburg) is a more experienced team, they have played a lot more years together," Baublitz said. "(Playing them) helps us see area of improvement and makes us better."

For the second straight day, the Wildcats' opponent was in a 15-0 hole after one quarter.

Spring Grove finally got on the board when Missy Katz's driving layup climbed the rim and fell through 1:05 into the second quarter.

The teams played evenly the rest of the way.

Rachel Deveney's straight away 3-pointer gave Mechanicsburg its largest lead (24 points) with 5:43 left in the fourth, but Spring Grove answered with a 9-0 run.

Abbie Marquette and Morgan Hagerman made the all-tournament team for Spring Grove, while Suzy Badorf represented Mechanicsburg.

In the third-place game, Carlisle outlasted Eastern York, 65-47, breaking open a five-point game with a 22-11 run in the third quarter.

Kassidy Ingram earned a spot on the all-tournament team by scoring a tournament-high 27 points in the game for Carlisle. No other player scored 25 total points in the tournament.

Eastern's Brooke LaCesa was voted to the team for the Golden Knights.

Mechanicsburg 39, Spring Grove 20

Mechanicsburg (39)

Skurcenski 1 0-0 3, Hertz 4 0-0 9, Strong 0 0-0 0, Everett 1 1-2 3, Engle 0 0-0 0, Gelnett 1 0-0 2, Badorf 1 4-4 7, Schrass 1 0-0 2, Rachel Deveney 5 0-0 13, Campbell 0 0-0 0, Patterson 0 0-0 0, Huggins 0 0-0 0. Totals — 14 5-6 39.

Spring Grove (20)

Ball 0 2-4 2, Katz 3 0-0 6, Miller 1 0-1 2, Ma. Hagerman 0 1-4 1, Bethas 0 0-2 0, Wentz 1 0-0 2, Mo. Hagerman 0 1-2 1, Marquette 0 0-0 0, Baumgardner 0 0-0 0, Naylor 3 0-0 6. Totals — 8 4-13 20.

Mechanicsburg     _ 15     _ 8     _ 7     _ 9     _ —     _ 39

Spring Grove     _ 0     _ 7     _ 2     _ 11     _ —     _ 20

3-point goals — Mechanicsburg 6 (Deveney 3, Badorf, Hertz, Skurcenski).

Carlisle 65, Eastern York 47

Carlisle (65)

Hughes 0 0-0 0, Miller 2 1-2 5, Brown 2 1-2 6, Marlisle Newson 5 2-2 12, Alagic 0 0-0 0, August 3 1-2 7, Eschenmann 2 3-4 8, Purcell 0 0-0 0, Freet 0 0-1 0, Kassidy Ingram 11 5-11 27. Totals — 25 13-24 65.

Eastern York (47)

Tillotson 1 5-6 7, Cassidy Arnold 5 4-14 14, Galentine 1 3-6 6, Bartch 1 1-2 4, Lehman 2 0-0 5, LaCesa 2 2-5 6, Myers 1 0-3 2, Pfieffer 1 0-0 3. Totals — 14 15-36 47.

Carlisle     _ 18     _ 14     _ 22     _ 11     _ —     _ 65

Eastern York     _ 9     _ 18     _ 11     _ 9     _ —     _ 47

3-point goals — Carlisle 2 (Brown, Eschenmann). Eastern York 4 (Galentine, Bartch, Lehman, Pfieffer).

JV score — Mechanicsburg 41, Eastern York 26.