Hempfield (9-0 overall) continued to dominate Section One tennis play with a 7-0 home defeat of Cedar Crest on Monday, September 20.

Sophie Carson and Grace Lehman took the number one doubles match 8-3 followed by Lydia Sullivan and Alex Gregory at number two doubles (8-2). Sabrina DeLeon joined Megan Wendell for an 8-3 win at third doubles.

Recording straight set singles wins were Lehman, Carson, Gregory, and Sullivan playing one through four, respectively.

The previous Saturday, in a non-league match at Central York, Lehman and Gregory each won their singles matches in straight sets as the Knights topped the Panthers 4-1. The pairing of Sullivan and Wendell led to a 6-3, 6-2 win at first doubles. DeLeon and Lindsay Over battled to a 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 win.

GIRLS' SOCCER

Hempfield faced archrival Manheim Township on the road in a Section One girls' soccer match on Thursday, September 16. The two teams were deadlocked in a scoreless match through 80 minutes of regulation play.

Township's Ava Byrne scored the game-winning goal three minutes into overtime giving the Streaks a 1-0 victory.

The Knights struggled in finishing scoring opportunities for a string of games, including a non-league loss to Central Dauphin, Saturday, September 18. The Rams came away with a 3-0 victory at home. The Knights fell to 1-6-1 (1-3-1 league) with Monday's loss at Cedar Crest.

Emileigh Antesberger held her ground in a gutsy performance in goal, grabbing seven saves in the 2-0 setback. The Falcons held Hempfield to five shots on goal.

FOOTBALL

In high school football, players often play both sides of the ball as well as some special teams.

For the Knights, it was fortunate that Adam Acker was on the field when the Exeter Eagles lined up to kick a field goal that could have tied Friday night's non-league game at Landisville.

"Adam Acker blocked the kick with about six seconds left," head coach George Eager explained. "He had a great game for us."

On offense, Acker was one of five targets quarterback Cam Harbaugh went to as he compiled 196 passing yards on 16 completions, leading Hempfield (2-2) to a 17-14 comeback win.

With his team trailing 14-3, the senior signal caller pulled his team close on a 77-yard scoring pass to Braydon Felsinger in the third quarter.

"Cam stepped up in the pocket and bought some more time," Eager explained. "It was a busted coverage on Exeter's part."

The Eagles blocked the extra point, making it a five-point deficit. Earlier in the game, however, Hempfield kicker Cannon Biscoe booted one between the uprights for a 30-yard field goal to put his team on the board.

The Knights pulled ahead on an eight-yard rushing touchdown by Stephen Katch. Hempfield went for the two-point conversion in order to be up by a field goal. Harbaugh's pass to Micah Gates gave the home team its eventual 17-14 margin of victory.

"It proved necessary because Exeter put themselves in a position to tie the game," Eager added.

On offense Acker had 58 receiving yards on six receptions. Andy Garcia caught four passes for 39 yards.

"It was a tremendous effort by our defense, beginning with our defensive coordinator John Ridinger," the coach said. "Our linebackers, especially Grant Hoover and Dylan Bard, did a great job on the outside all night."

Defensive back Gabriel Benjamin earned a team-high 13 tackles on the night.

CROSS COUNTRY

Hempfield hosted a Section One race where the boys' team defeated Manheim Township 23-34 and Lebanon 19-44 to stay unbeaten at 6-0 while the girls' squad improved to 2-4 on the year, defeating Lebanon 18-42 while falling to Township by a 22-39 margin.

Ella Wolfe led the pack, giving Hempfield a first-place finish with a time of 19:25. Molly Seibert crossed the finish line in fifth place (20:32) while Lucy Bishop's time of 21:51 earned 11th place. Mackenzie Ridilla (13th, 22:10) and Leah Forry (15th, 22:31) also made the top-15 in the girls' race.

The boys' race featured a Hempfield runner in first place also as Aidan Hodge kept a winning pace of 15:31. Dale Winand took fourth (16:10) and Joe Fahrney was fifth (16:14).

Emerson Long and Sam Meyer strengthened Hempfield's hold on the lead with their eighth- and ninth-place finishes, respectively. Sam Freedman (13th, 17:01), Ryan French (12th, 17:05) and Isaiah Hollinger (13th, 17:09) each had a solid performance.

FIELD HOCKEY

In a stretch of three matches that wrapped around the weekend, the field hockey team won two Section One contests, improving to 4-4-1 overall.

On September 17, Hempfield held off Cedar Crest 3-1 at home with Keira Boensch scoring in the first and second quarters. Karly Bervinchak added a goal in the third stanza while Lillian Kesser and fellow junior Liz Williams each notched an assist.

Eryn Murphy came through with three saves.

At home Saturday morning, the Knights clipped the Eagles 2-1. Hempfield out-shot Exeter 9-4 with Murphy making three saves.

Boensch and Kesser scored while Bervinchak and Kenna Price each recorded an assist.

A first-period goal by Williams was the only scoring against Penn Manor in Tuesday's 3-1 loss at home.

BOYS' SOCCER

The standings are close at the top of Section One in boys' soccer where Hempfield (4-1-0) is only a game behind Warwick. The Warriors improved to 5-0-0 in league play with a 4-1 defeat of the Knights on September 22 in Landisville.

Luke Kramer scored the lone Hempfield goal 13 minutes into the match off a Gunnar Swanger assist.

Two days earlier, the Knights dominated Cedar Crest in a 7-0 home victory. In the 14-shot barrage, the Knights scored six goals after the half. Dylan Luong scored six minutes before intermission. In the second half, Kramer, Nathan Leisure, Mason Orth, Devin Schmitt, Caden Bonneer and Jase Colino put the ball in the net. Colino, Swanger, Leisure, Ben Ammon, and Michael Keene each dished out an assist. Matthew Roth (four saves) claimed the shutout.

VOLLEYBALL

Hempfield's squad has not lost a single set while serving up wins in its first five matches. On September 21, Hempfield defeated Warwick 3-0, (25-10, 25-13, 25-13).

Addison Leber had eight kills, Joslene Morgan added five blocks, Melody Butzer distributed 28 assists, Kate Howard served four aces, and Allison Cummings dug in for 12 digs.