Cocalico Heads West, Comes Home Victorious As Eagles Hold Off Frantic Hampton Charge To Advance Past Talbots, Onward In PIAA-5A Bracket (Kehler On Hoops)

Written by: Andy Herr on March 6, 2026

Article by David Kehler

Cocalico built a huge lead then repelled a furious Hampton rally for an exciting 61-58 1^st round victory in the PIAA Class 5A state championship tournament. The game was played in Hampton’s very loud gym a few miles north of Pittsburgh. In the 2^nd round, Cocalico will face District 7 champion Chartiers Valley, a 66-42 opening round winner over Exeter Township, on Tuesday at a site and time to be determined.

It was bombs away in the opening minutes of the Cocalico-Hampton game. Both teams hit their first three shots from the field in a very up-tempo sequence. Timmy Hambright, a 5’ 11” Cocalico senior, scored from beyond the arc a few seconds after the opening tipoff, then Hampton raced down the floor, and sharpshooter Jonas Cupps, a 6’ 3” senior, tied the game at 3. The teams went back and forth, scoring quickly. There were four ties in the first quarter, and Hampton broke the last one with a 3-pointer by 5’ 11” senior Gavin Guinn, which put his side up 17-14 at the end of the first quarter. Both teams scored three times from beyond the arc in the first stanza. The pace was fast, and the teams wasted little time putting up shots.

Cocalico opened the second quarter with an 11-0 run on a floater by Hambright, a floater by 6’ 1” junior Jackson Matos, a drive by Hambright, a hoop inside by 6’ junior Karter Deering, and a 3-pointer by Deering. During Cocalico’s run, Hampton missed five shots from the field and committed four turnovers. This explosion put Cocalico up 25-17. Cocalico never trailed in the game after Matos’s hoop in this sequence. Both teams had used varying defenses up to this point, and Hampton finally began concentrating on a half court trap, which ultimately bothered Cocalico quite a bit. The first half scoring ended with an amazing three-quarter court shot at the buzzer by Cocalico’s Ethan Stradling, a 6’ junior. Hampton experienced an awful second quarter, a frame in which the home side scored just four points. Cocalico led 28-21 at halftime.

Cocalico started the second half with a 9-0 run on a 3-pointer by Hambright, a three-point play on a nifty scoop shot by 6’ senior Ty Wealand, and a 3-pointer by Stradling. During this Cocalico run, Hampton missed three shots from the field and committed three turnovers, and Hampton defenders were overplaying, while Cocalico worked the ball around to get it to an open player for a shot. The 9-0 run made the score 37-21 in Cocalico’s favor.

But there was no quit in Hampton, even though they were down by 16 points. Just when it looked like the home side was on the ropes, they launched a furious comeback, starting with a 3-pointer by 6’ 4” junior Tanner Ohodnicki. This shot gave the Hampton players a visible lift, but Cocalico responded with a score from beyond the arc by Hambright and a hoop inside by Stradling. That put Cocalico up 42-25. Following a Hampton free throw, Cocalico’s Matos scored on a slick scoop shot, and the visitors had their largest lead of the game, 44-26. Although Cocalico was scoring, they were being harassed by Hampton’s defensive pressure. The effect of pressure defense is cumulative, meaning that the longer that a team presses in a game, the more likely that the pressing will be increasingly effective. In this game, at the end of the third quarter, in the span of less than a minute, Hampton forced four Cocalico turnovers via zone trap pressure, and each turnover led to a Hampton field goal. With each steal, the home crowd got louder and louder.

When Hampton opened the final quarter with a 3-pointer by Cupps, the crowd began roaring. With 5:45 left in the game, Hampton cut Cocalico’s lead to 46-41 on a baseline drive by 6’ 3” senior Zack Danner. Then, Hampton cut the Cocalico lead to two points, 46-44, on a three-point play by Guinn, who was incredibly clutch down the stretch. The momentum and the crowd noise were all with Hampton. Cocalico responded with the first of three 3-pointers scored by Hambright in the fourth quarter, but Hampton came right back with a score from beyond the arc by Guinn. That made it 49-47, Cocalico, with 4:26 left to play. Cocalico committed a turnover, but Hampton missed a shot in the ensuing possession, setting up another 3-pointer by Hambright, making the score 52-47. Hampton’s Guinn countered with a floater, and Cocalico led 52-49 with 2:46 left to play. Cocalico went up 54-49 on a baseline drive by 6’ senior Luke Waas. Hampton missed a shot in their next possession, and Cocalico’s Hambright snagged the rebound, leading to Hambright’s third 3-pointer of the fourth quarter. That put Cocalico up 57-49 with 1:15 left to play. Hampton’s Lauro was fouled and made a couple of free throws to cut the Cocalico lead to 57-51. From that point, Hampton repeatedly fouled, and Cocalico was a bit shaky on the stripe down the stretch. Lauro’s second 3-pointer of the final quarter cut Cocalico’s lead to 60-56 with 24 seconds left in the game, and his teammate Guinn’s putback with six seconds left trimmed Cocalico’s lead to 61-58. Then, immediately after Cocalico inbounded the ball, Hampton fouled again, and both free throws were missed. Hampton got the board, raced down court, and put up a shot at the buzzer that fell short. Cocalico’s 61-58 win on the road in this state championship tournament game was a major achievement.

Hampton out-rebounded Cocalico 26 to 23. Cocalico didn’t crash the offensive board very much, concentrating on getting back on defense. Both teams committed 11 turnovers. Cocalico was six of 11 from the line, and Hampton was seven of nine. Cocalico made 11 3-pointers, six of them by Hambright, who had another outstanding game. Four different Cocalico players scored from beyond the arc. Hampton made seven 3-pointers, with five different players on the home side hitting from long range. There were four ties and four lead changes.