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Three-Point Plays –Both Old School And Conventional — Spur Lampeter-Strasburg To Lancaster-Lebanon League Title As Pioneers Prevail Against Hempfield, Keep Perfect Record Alive In Absolute Thriller
 

Three-Point Plays –Both Old School And Conventional — Spur Lampeter-Strasburg To Lancaster-Lebanon League Title As Pioneers Prevail Against Hempfield, Keep Perfect Record Alive In Absolute Thriller

Written by: Andy Herr on February 19, 2022

 

Mark Palczewski Photo.

It’s a hard ask in a lot of ways. You know, having a championship game live up to all its anticipated billing and then some. Fair enough, but if there were two Lancaster-Lebanon League squads that figured to put on the best show of all in this year’s boys’ basketball title fight, it was presumed to be Lampeter-Strasburg and Hempfield. Well, in short, both failed in that original assignment. No, not they didn’t fulfill and live up to that promise of course. Instead rather, for the sheer fact that they absolutely destroyed and exceeded that initial premise given the sparks that flew over the course of 32 minutes in one of the best L-L League championship games perhaps ever played on Friday night at Manheim Township.

That said, why did L-S and Hempfield figure to potentially be the best matchup of any of the member schools this year? Frankly because this was a game most everyone expected we would see at some point along the way of course.

For the Pioneers, make no mistake about it, the bullseye was firmly situated upon their backs all season long. Yet again though, just like in the title game you will soon read about, L-S unequivocally shattered those preseason expectations. Yeah, even while most everyone with some semblance of a pulse coming into the year figured that the quasi “revenge tour” of sorts authored by the Pios would likely be one that would end in yet another L-S Section Three title given that they begrudgingly surrendered the crown last year to Cocalico, but it’s still hard to imagine that anyone could have predicted this. “This” of course being a dominant rampage throughout the course of the regular season that culminated in a perfect, unblemished record for the Pioneers, many contests in which during that span of play where the opposition struggled to even come within the Pios’ area code by virtue of the eventual final score. But if that wasn’t already enough, perhaps the most staggering element of all is found when L-S finished a full five games –yes, a staggering five games – better than second place team found in their own division. Simply put, the 2021-22 regular season put forth by the L-S Pioneers has a legitimate claim at perhaps being the best that any L-L League team has ever displayed in history.  

Speaking of tours though, you can best believe that their opponent found sitting on the opposing bench on Friday evening in Neffsville was one that eagerly awaited this night to finally come to fruition.

If you don’t think the Hempfield Black Knights remember the last time they were on this very same stage not quite 365 days ago now, you simply haven’t been paying attention. All year long, the group from Landisville has made it a personal mission to return to this stage and make amends for what happened to them in last year’s league final. So much so in fact that they made a habit out of inscribing the final score of that very outing against Lebanon, 41-40, on their wrists before every outing this season to remind them of the burn and pain that came along with that bitter defeat to the Cedars within the final few seconds. And to their credit, they certainly did their part to try and make and make it back to Manheim Township given the Knights’ 19-4 overall record upon entering the evening, a body of work which came complete with a co-share of the Section One title along their hosts on this night, Manheim Township, before a two-game siege earlier in the week against ELCO and Warwick respectively inside the league playoffs to ultimately make it back to the game which they had so clearly circled on their to-do list.

Oh yeah, if the aspect of L-S trying to keep its perfect record intact that came coupled with Hempfield trying to finally expel the demons of a year-long bitter taste that came on the heels of last year’s game wasn’t nearly enough, consider this. The last team that made it all the way to the L-L tournament final with an undefeated record? The 2010 Hempfield squad. Go figure.

So, with the bewitching hour finally having arrived at the top of the 7 o’clock hour on Friday night, it was time for Lampeter-Strasburg and Hempfield to wage a basketball war against one another that most observers in the area thought we’d eventually see at some point in the L-L playoffs this year. In short, this skirmish would quickly turn into one battle that rightly deserves its own chapter somewhere within the history books.

Candidly, for a team that so eagerly awaited their turn at making it back here, Hempfield wasn’t exactly the best at keeping that a secret. No, not when you consider that the Black Knights happened to score within the first five seconds of the contest immediately following the opening tip thanks to a quick bucket inside by way of 6’3 junior forward, Michael Hester, allowing the black-clad crew to surely settle down into the thick of things.

Speaking of settling down, that’s precisely what the Pioneers had to do as well.

With their proficient outside shooting touch somewhat being a case of unrequited love for much of the opening frame, L-S decided to butter their bread the more traditional way, going inside to find their points. There, a strong take to the cup by junior forward, Ben Wert, allowed the Pios to take their first lead of the evening at 4-2 with roughly three minutes already have expired off the first quarter clock. Then, and surely not a moment too soon as far as L-S had to be concerned, the Pios’ prolific shooting from beyond the arc suddenly returned in the case of a Isaiah Parido trifecta as the 6’1 lefty senior sniper made it a 9-7 L-S inside the final 40 seconds of the frame before yet another long-range bomb, this one from 5’10 sophomore guard, Ty Burton, allowed L-S to ascend into the second stanza with the 12-7 advantage following their lightning-fast salvo to close the first quarter proceedings.

Ironically, Burton would continue to remain hot once the second frame commenced as well seeing as how he would immediately sink yet another trey on L-S’ opening possession of the brand-new quarter to really work the Pioneers into a lather.

Yet for as much as Burton was started to get into a groove for his side, his fellow backcourt opposition was about to do just the same.

Held in check up until that point on Friday night, Hempfield’s Miguel Pena more than made up for lost time. To be sure, the Black Knights’ 6’2 junior guard did his best to will his troops back into it given his timely 8-0 personal flurry, six of which came from 3-point bombs, as Pena personally proceeded to tie things back up at 17-17 seemingly within a matter of moments near the midway point of the second quarter. And while Pena may have served as the catalyst in the matter, 6’2 senior guard, Parker Wolfe, was there to take the baton and run with it given his own triple shortly thereafter, a bucket which finally propelled the Knights back in front at 22-21 with just over two minutes remaining before recess. Ironically, the three-point deluge that suddenly drenched L-S only continued to rain down on them later on considering Ben Troyer’s trey the very next trip down the floor, allowing Hempfield to enjoy their largest lead of the evening up until that point, 25-21. And speaking of a four-point difference, that is precisely where things would remain once the opening 16 minutes ticked off the clock as Hempfield carried the 27-23 lead with them into the dressing room.

Remember that earlier statement where it seemed as if L-S’ shooting display had finally left them, and at the worst possible time of the season no less? Yeah, well, it turns out that water doesn’t find its level after all. As they so profoundly say, “Shooters shoot.” And yes, the Pioneers can and will routinely shoot the lights out.

Case in point, for a third quarter didn’t seem to have nearly as many fireworks contained within it as much as the second quarter did, both Ben Wert and Ty Burton did their part at trying to ignite the fuse as both poured in a pair of triples between them, Burton’s serving as the latter which put the Pioneers back in front by a 34-32 count with just 1:10 left in the third period before what promised to be a frantic sprint to the finish line. And while a key Parker Wolfe bucket down on the other end from within the paint allowed Hempfield to tie things back up almost immediately, L-S proceeded to rattle off a 4-0 jaunt to close this quarter as well, vaulting them into the final eight minutes with the 38-34 cushion.

In many ways, that late third quarter L-S charge seemed as if it would be the driving force behind the Pios picking up their first league title since the 2018 season.

Surely it must have felt that way even more so once L-S 6’2 senior guard, Luka Vranich, tallied a pair of undeniably gigantic and invaluable old-fashioned three-point plays to begin the fourth quarter proceedings, a six-point swing in the blue and white’s favor that made it a sizable 44-36 gap at that point in time between the two sides.

Needless to say, being down by eight points with time running out isn’t exactly the best of formulas for a Hempfield team to typically find itself residing in, at least on a historical basis that is. True, but this year’s group from Hempfield has a little bit more firepower than some of the Black Knights’ teams of old. Of course, it goes without saying that those very same pieces needed to get going into gear and pronto. Well, fortunately for them, they did.

After falling behind by nearly double figures with time of the essence, Hempfield’s Ben Troyer wasn’t about to let his side fall victim without a fight. For that, the Black Knights’ 6’4 sophomore played well beyond his years by promptly sinking a pair of much-needed trifectas over the span of the new few possessions to suddenly close the gap back down to three, 47-44, with just over two minutes remaining in regulation. Then, with the snowball rolling clearly downhill at that point, Miguel Pena emphatically completed the comeback bid for good by a canning a cold-blooded trey right in front of his team’s bench to knot things up at 47-47 with 1:54 left to play as the standing room only crowd was rightly whipped into a frenzy. Speaking of both Troyer and Pena, the Black Knights’ pair of underclassmen more than did their part on this night given the 31 points shared between the sophomore and junior respectively.

So, with the ball having been returned to L-S, it was incumbent upon the Pioneers to try and answer back. Unfortunately for them, a 3-ball from the wing would bounce off the back rim, giving the ball back to Hempfield following the acquisition of the defensive rebound. But like their counterparts, even while trying to run their trademark style of delay-game style of tactics, this Black Knights’ trip would end without points much like L-S’ previous possession had done, as a rejection at the cup by way of L-S’ Isaiah Parido concluded the Hempfield excursion with the ball finding its way into the Pioneers’ mitts, giving way for one only final chance at late-game heroics.

His name is Ty Burton. He is a local boy who grew up in Lampeter-Strasburg but proceeded to take his talents to the famed IMG Academy in Florida just a few short years ago. Simply put, while he could have perhaps played on ESPN a time or two while at IMG sometime down the line, his decision to come back home and play with his teammates of old also helped turn him into a Lancaster-Lebanon League basketball legend. And that was about to become crystalized in just under 20 seconds.

With the Pioneers’ calling timeout with just 18.7 ticks remaining, nearly everyone in the free world knew where the ball would eventually end up late in the Pioneers’ possession. Sure enough, right on cue, the orange pill would indeed work its way into the sophomore guard’s clutches. And time running down, Burton began his trademark do-si-do of an on-ball defender before rising up and launching a triple which seemed to shock the rim given that it negated the shot originally, sending it back up into the air before realizing its transgression –surely understanding the necessary need for dramatics despite it being an inanimate object of course – as it then allowed Burton’s shot to finally trickle down through the twine after all, making it a 50-47 Lampeter-Strasburg lead with just 2.4 seconds left to be played following the game-defining dagger.

And while Hempfield would get off one final shot off from the midcourt line within those final few seconds of action, the Black Knights’ last-ditch shot would cruelly careen off the glass backboard, sending the Pioneers and their supporters into a whirlwind of elation following their thrilling 50-47 triumph, a victory which gave the program its second league title in school history and second in just five seasons.

In some ways, it’s hard to find the words to describe the feeling of being the one to come away with a league tournament title that you yourself had just tallied with a game-winning shot. To his credit though, Ty Burton did his best to convey his inner emotions to all the masses.

“I knew it was going to go in before it left my hands,” Burton said bluntly of his final shot on Friday night. “When the (final) timeout was called, I went over to the team huddle and said, ‘Yo, let’s end this right now.’ When it left my hands, I knew that was game. I knew it from the start.”

“I put in so much work to practice that shot. So many hours for a five-second play,” he added. “There’s no other group I’d rather do this with. There’s no other group.” Burton then said of his L-S teammates who were then taking their various turns and climbing up and down the ladder with a pair of scissors in hand. “They’re literally my family, my brothers.”

As for the hero of the evening, the praise elsewhere was certainly not in short supply for the Pioneers’ diminutive assassin. “Ty just works harder than everybody else,” Lampeter-Strasburg head coach Ed Berryman said proudly of his 10th grade floor general. “You can see that in the game. He brings that toughness and attitude. But these guys are all friends,” Berryman was then quick to point out which echoed Burton’s earlier point. “They get along and hang out with each other.”

As far as the game itself that his guys had just prevailed in, Berryman wasn’t one to get nervous during that span of time, even despite the rarity of trailing of at halftime in this one.

“The first thing I said was, ‘Why is #30 (Hempfield’s Ben Troyer) the only one diving on the floor and we got three guys there just watching him? We’re not going to win a championship that way. We’ve got to have physical toughness, mental toughness, we gotta get the 50/50 balls.’”

That attitude though? That certainly helps to be constructed by some of those on the outside of the L-S locker room doors who feel they jury is still out on the Pioneers, 24-0 overall record and all.

“These guys do such a great job of coming in every day, coming to practice, taking one game at a time,” said Berryman of his gang. “I know it’s a cliché, but that’s the way we approach it. After the McDevitt game (L-S’ final contest of the regular season slate), one of our seniors put 0-0 up on the board. That was our record going into the league playoffs and it’s going to be our record going into districts.”

To be sure, even Burton himself openly questioned as to why anyone would have any lingering doubts of he and his squad following their 3-0 romp through the league playoffs at the conclusion of this week in particular.

“I mean, I don’t know what you can say about it now,” Burton added with an inkling of bewilderment. “The two best teams in the L-L tonight, we just won. I don’t know what else to say. Hempfield was 19-4 coming in, very high in District 3-6A, but it doesn’t phase us,” he continued. “Our record doesn’t phase us either. Every game we go into the game 0-0.”

Okay, fair enough, but how about this. Do those close to the situation believe that have yet to reach their peak? Yes, undefeated record and all? Well, rather than just assuming the terrifying notion that L-S has yet to author their best 32-miunte stretch of play to date this season, just let those in the middle of the fray tell you what they think directly.

“We’re growing every day, so I don’t think we’ve played our best game yet,” Berryman went on to state. “We’ve played some really good ones,” he said before peppering in a light-hearted chuckle. “We’ve had some great games, great shooting percentages and things like that, but, playing a full game, being mentally tough on defense the full game and making plays on offense, hopefully we can do that in districts.”

As far for the player who is out on the front lines of battle every night, he too shares many of those same beliefs as well.

“Sky’s the limit for us,” Burton claimed confidently. “The sky is definitely our limit. Just take it day-by-day and see what happens next.”

 

NEXT UP: As far what’s next, it’s a fairly quick turnaround all things considered for the Pioneers once they return to action on Monday night to begin the District 3-5A playoffs when they return home to their familiar surroundings when they welcome the Mid-Penn’s Mechanicsburg Wildcats into Lampeter for a #1 vs #16 affair to raise the lid on that tournament come President’s Day evening.

For Hempfield, this game will surely burn and sting for quite some time. In many ways though, the Black Knights’ week-long layoff in between Friday night’s title game against L-S and their opening round District 3-6A battle against either Muhlenberg or Cedar Cliff, we’ll most definitely learn a lot about what this particular team is made of come next week at this time. In a lot of ways, it’d be easy to see as to why Friday night’s heartbreaking defeat could easily deflate them here the rest of the way given how they so badly made a goal of returning to this stage yet to right the wrongs of last year, only to get turned away at the alter just the same this year too. But if you know only one thing about a Danny Walck-coached team, it’s that they will never throw in the towel and just simply accept their destiny without some sort of fight. Instead, you can best believe this would certainly appear to be the absolute last team either the Muhls or Colts happen to encounter next Friday night over in Landisville. Perhaps, they’ll even have a new battle cry by that point in time. Instead of 41-40, 50-47 may ultimately add even more vigor and resolve to this crew who already seemed to be bursting at the seams with such characteristics this season. And if that happens to be the case, that’s certainly a dangerous premonition to consider when thinking about those on this edition of the Black Knights and any upcoming opponent who happens to cross their path whether it be over the coming weeks in the district playoffs, or next year at this very same time once back at Manheim Township battling it out for league gold.   

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