Lancaster Mennonite cruises past Conemaugh Township, advances to state quarterfinals

Written by: TJ Eck on March 13, 2024

Caleb Binkley wasn’t sure if he would play at all this season.

“I am happy with any time I get,” said Binkley, a senior forward for Lancaster Mennonite.

Binkley, who missed all of the regular season with a serious arm injury that he suffered in practice, was a spark plug for the Blazers Wednesday night. He scored 10 points off the bench to help LMHS cruise past Conemaugh Township, 70-54, in the second round of the PIAA Class 2A state tournament at McConnellsburg High School.

Binkley returned to the lineup in time for the start of district tournament play. He’s played some key minutes as a reserve post player as the Blazers look to repeat as Class 2A state champions.

Caleb Binkley is back from a serious arm injury and he played some big minutes off the bench in @LMHBlazersbball second round state tournament win Wednesday night: @LLhoops @AndyBrackets @binkley_caleb pic.twitter.com/ERz0n7acTU

— TJ Eck (@TJEck_TV) March 14, 2024

“It’s just amazing,” said Binkley. “It’s my senior year. I wasn’t even supposed to come back at all. So it’s good to be out there, help my team do whatever they can to win.”

Lancaster Mennonite head coach Jeff Hartenstine added: “Now to come out here and have a monstrous second half, it’s just great for him and his family. We didn’t know if we would ever get him back. Now that we’ve gotten him back, he’s getting himself in condition and shape so, awesome for that kid.”

Giving out some @LLhoops gear to Caleb Binkley of @LMHBlazersbball

He missed all of the regular season with an arm injury but has come back in time for the postseason.

He scored 10 points off the bench in tonight’s state tournament second round win for LMHS pic.twitter.com/zfikcyQd97

— TJ Eck (@TJEck_TV) March 14, 2024

Binkley was one of five LMHS players to score in double-figures Wednesday. Sophomore Cody Fisher led the way with 16 points while Myles Halverson, Chase Hurst, and Jadyn Taylor scored 10 points apiece.

“It’s great,” said Fisher. “We’re deep. We got a ton of good players. Everybody contributed today.”

Hartenstine added: “We’re having breakthroughs from a lot of guys here late in the season.”

Cody Fisher scored 16 points to lead the way for @LMHBlazersbball Wednesday night in a second round state tournament win over Conemaugh Township: @LLhoops @AndyBrackets pic.twitter.com/mwHGH76ZqO

— TJ Eck (@TJEck_TV) March 14, 2024

LMHS opened the game on an 18-2 run and led 20-5 after one quarter. Both teams competed through a choppy second quarter with numerous fouls called as the Blazers held on to a 15-point lead at the break. Lancaster Mennonite controlled the game in the third quarter and led by 20+ before both teams put their subs in during the fourth quarter.

The Blazers scored 70 points while connecting on zero three-pointers.

“Our goal is, if we can get it by jamming it down the defense’s throat and attacking the paint, we want to get it that way first,” said Hartenstine. “Tonight we kept getting downhill and it was a bunch of different guys.”

Binkley added: “That just shows that we don’t have to live and die by the three-pointer. We can get to the hoop, we can make our mid-ranges. We can run pick-and-rolls, backdoors, we can do everything.”

Lancaster Mennonite head coach Jeff Hartenstine after his team’s 70-54 win over Conemaugh Township in the second round of the 2A state tournament: @LLhoops @AndyBrackets @LMHBlazersbball pic.twitter.com/V042akLK6Y

— TJ Eck (@TJEck_TV) March 14, 2024

Lancaster Mennonite advances to the state quarterfinals. Next up is a matchup against Constitution, the No. 1 seed out of District 12 and a strong team from Philadelphia. That game is set for Saturday at a location to be determined.

“We’re gonna practice hard this week and I think we could surprise some people,” said Fisher.

Leaders from Conemaugh-Lancaster Mennonite:

Conemaugh TWP
Jon Updyke: 20 pts, 3 rebs
Colin Dinyar: 16 pts, 5 rebs
Ethan Matera: 6 pts, 8 rebs

LMHS
Cody Fisher: 16 pts, 4 rebs
Jadyn Taylor: 10 pts, 3 rebs, 2 steals
Chase Hurst: 10 pts, 5 rebs, 6 ast@LLhoops @LMHBlazersbball

— TJ Eck (@TJEck_TV) March 14, 2024