Balanced Falcons Start Fast, Make Early Statement As Cedar Crest Comes Away With Impressive Opening Nonleague Victory Over Governor Mifflin

Written by: Andy Herr on December 5, 2022

The saying goes that you only have one chance to make a good first impression. Ironic is some ways though when you apply that same logic to the 2022-23 Cedar Crest Falcons that is. After all, chances are that you know most of their names and faces already as it is.

 Last year, behind what seemed like a bevy of nothing but sophomores and juniors occupying key spots in the Crest Crest rotation, nearly all those same heavy hitters are back in the fold this season for the Falcons yet again. And with a solid first foray playing in the varsity ranks during the 2021-22 campaign now under their belts, optimism should be plentiful in Cornwall this winter and beyond in terms of the boys’ basketball product out on the hardwood of “The Cage” with so many familiar –and most importantly, talented – pieces back in the equation. Then, once you add in that precious talent piece, don’t forget about what is undeniably the Cedar Crest secret sauce –the ever-present fire that burns hot within while playing with outwardly massive chips on their collective shoulders — and you suddenly find yourself with an exquisite dish that figures to right at the top of Lancaster-Lebanon League Section One pecking order this year.

As mentioned though, when you only get one go-round in terms of putting your product out on the floor, strong opening statements usually figure to serve as finite proof, albeit in an extremely small sample size of course, as to why there’s reason to believe. Well, if we’re just being totally honest and transparent here, based on Cedar Crest’s opening night performance against Governor Mifflin, the Falcons probably failed to hit whatever threshold might have been expected of them. “Failed” of course coming tongue-in-check because Cedar Crest didn’t just look good, they look downright dominant against an always-tough Mustangs’ bunch to what ended up being a 20-point triumph. Ah yes, a victory that came on the road no less.

Simply put, while Cedar Crest might’ve been donning their “battle grey” unis on this night, the Falcons would’ve been better suited coming out in home whites given they started white-hot. Ignited by three early triples courtesy of Leo Tirado and two fired in by J’Veon Reyes-Vega respectively, the visitors roared out of the chute en route to the early 9-0 cushion just 1:50 into the contest, prompting Governor Mifflin to burn an early timeout to try and stem the tide.

From there, even despite the Mustangs being able to right the ship somewhat following a much-needed bucket via 6’2 guard, Gerrell McNeil, the Falcons’ lead would then balloon to double digits following a bucket by 6’0 junior guard, Owen Chernich, making it an 11-2 Cedar Crest lead nearly halfway through the opening frame.

To their credit though, Mifflin, namely Gerrell McNeil, did his best to keep his club within shouting distance as a key trifecta dialed by the Mustangs’ senior starter brought the home side within a half dozen, 14-8, but not before Cedar Crest would be able to tally one more deuce over the final two minutes of quarter as the Falcons went into the second stanza with ownership of the 16-8 advantage.

Then, much in the same vein as the quarter which had just preceded it, Cedar Crest came out firing on all cylinders to begin the second.

For proof of that, look no further than Chernich’s 3-ball to begin the period which gave the Falcons some more early mojo. Afterwards, factor in a Reyes-Vega take to the cup not long thereafter, and suddenly the visitors found themselves with the 23-10 advantage with the second quarter not even yet rounding into form. From there, the Cedar Crest lead only continued to swell as a bucket inside by way of 6’0 sophomore guard, Danny Speaks, put the Falcons up by a 29-13 count with just under three minutes left to play in the opening half.

However, just when it seemed as if Cedar Crest may have been able to run away and hide for good, a pair of Mustangs’ 3-balls cashed in by Matt Koehler and Delsin McNeil respectively, just as quickly cut into Cedar Crest’s sizable lead, 29-16, with just a small handful of seconds still left to tick off the clock.

That said, that would prove to be just enough time for Tirado to get up one last heave as the 5’8 junior sniper as able to insert a backbreaking three into the hosts just as horn blared out, a triple which allowed the Falcons to trot into the halftime dressing room in command by way of the 32-19 difference up on the scoreboard.

Hey, did we mention by now that Cedar Crest had displayed a propensity to start fast on Monday evening? Sure enough, not even the brief respite in between the first and second halves did much to deter the Falcons as it turned out.

True to form, before anyone had nary an opportunity to file back into their seats following a quick trip out to the concession stand, Cedar Crest had already burst out of the gates to the tune of a 7-0 early salvo to begin the third, thanks to buckets by 6’6 junior big man, Aiden Schomp, along with yet another trademark trifecta dialed up by way of Leo Tirado, effectively prompting Governor Mifflin to burn yet another early timeout while having been knocked back on their heels within the blink of an eye.

But just as they had done at seemingly every turn up until that juncture, Governor Mifflin just continued to chip away and chip away at the lead, hoping the dam would eventually burst in their favor.

Sure, while it might have taken the Mustangs all of 2:50 into the third frame before finally finding their initial points –a strong take to the tin by Gerrell McNeil en route to his game-high 14-point outing – Mifflin seemed no worse for the wear seeing as how another senior guard found inside the Mustangs’ rotation, Tyler Minick, was able to galivant his way en route to his own personal 5-0 run not long after, bringing the hosts within a 49-32 differential. And granted, while the gap between the two sides stood at 56-40 heading into the final eight minutes, Governor Mifflin had largely willed themselves to within shouting distance should a final rally remain in the cards.

And wouldn’t you know it, but following a key triple knocked down in the early moments of the final period courtesy of fearless sharpshooter, Matt Koehler, the Mustangs found themselves within a baker’s dozen at 56-43 with 6:40 still left to tick off the game clock.

However, even with momentum residing on their bench at that point in time, Cedar Crest ultimately made good on their desires to turn the lights out on this affair once and for all.

Sometimes, it doesn’t have to necessarily be plays of the highlight variety that turn the tide in your favor. No, instead they can be moments that appear relatively tame. Such as case when 6’2 junior forward, Fernando Marquez, toed the charity stripe and promptly went 4-4 near the midway point of the final period, a four-point addition to what would end up being his sharing of team-high scoring honors on the night alongside fellow starter, J’Veon Reyes-Vega, as each poured in their own respective 13-point outings to pace the a well-rounded Falcons’ collective effort on Monday.

Of course, what fun would it be if everything was that blasé?

For the excitement factor, it’d be easy to point to the silky-smooth Euro-step tallied by 6’0 sophomore guard, Jackson Custer, a deuce which put Cedar Crest up over the 20-point threshold, 67-46, with time starting to run dry.

But for an evening that was so clearly bathed in Cedar Crest blue and white with plenty of cheers to go around, the Falcons, most specifically Nick Lambros, saved the loudest roar of the whole night for the waning moments as the 6’0 junior’s bucket from point-blank range within the final minute not only got the Cedar Crest student body up on their feet, the Lambros’ bunny would also make it a 71-48 affair.

And while Governor Mifflin would be able to toss in one more longball before the night was through, Cedar Crest’s 71-51 final verdict over Governor Mifflin most certainly served notice to audiances both near in the L-L League and further away within District 3 that at least for this night, the Falcons most certainly appear to be nothing if not poised and eager to make a run at any and all crowns up within their sights this season.

NEXT UP: In some ways, the overarching chorus for Cedar Crest all day Tuesday will be, “What can you for an encore?” An encore because the Falcons get right back to business just 24 hours later when they make another road trip, this time to Conestoga Valley, as the club from south Lebanon looks to make it a 2-2 pillage of neighboring county competition through the first two nights of the season should they be able to vanquish the Buckskins from Lancaster County after having dispatched the Mustangs by way of Berks County on Monday. And by the way, but if you know anything at all about Cedar Crest, there would likely be nothing sweeter in what would be the first 48 hours of their season than entering into enemy territory and heading home with pelts that signify the spoils of victory.

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