Garden Spot boys' basketball wrapped up its 2022-23 season with a home game against Lancaster-Lebanon League rival Conestoga Valley on Thursday, February 9.

"It was a five- or six-point game going into the fourth quarter," said Nate Musselman, the Spartans head coach. "We had a few turnovers in the fourth quarter."

The Buckskins outscored the Spartans 23-9 in the final period and came away with a 64-44 victory.

Sophomore Jace Conrad led the Spartans in scoring with 16 points. Michael Heisley netted nine points.

Conestoga's Griffen Rishell led all scorers with 20 points.

The Spartans wrapped up the season at 6-16 with a 3-9 mark in the league.

In looking at the 3-6 start this group had, it is important to point out that all six of the early season setbacks were by six or fewer points.

"We lost some close games to start the season and our seniors showed the younger guys how to stay in games," Musselman said.

"We had a great senior class," he added. "Along with the young group we had, you couldn't ask for a better senior class. They were a great group of kids for our young guys to learn from. Majority of times we would have two or three sophomores on the court and maybe a freshman."

Along with Conrad, other sophomores getting significant minutes included A.J. Hurst and Jeff St. Jean along with junior Lance Binkley and freshman Drew Tibbins.

"We will be returning guys who played a lot of varsity basketball this year," Musselman added.

"Surprisingly, we might be even younger next year," Musselman laughed. "We only have two juniors, who'll be our returning seniors next year. We have a good group of incoming freshmen too."

GIRLS' BASKETBALL

Garden Spot's girls' basketball team took to the road in finishing the regular season. Spot visited Conestoga Valley on Thursday, February 9.

With a fast start out of the gate, the Buckskins outscored the Spartans 19-5 in the first quarter. They maintained the momentum for much of the game, posting a 60-29 victory.

Gwen Varley, a junior, was on target four times from three-point range, finishing with 13 points on the night. Morgan Pavelik came away with 10 points.

Rhiannon Henry scored 16 for CV as the Buckskins improved to 6-16 (5-7 league). Garden Spot fell to 3-19 overall (2-10 league).

SWIMMING

In the L-L League Championship meet, which was held on Friday and Saturday, February 10-11, at Wilson, a group of Garden Spot swimmers not only competed, they represented the school in remarkable fashion.

On the first day, Peter Hasse finished fifth in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:05.14. On the girls' side, freshman Mia Parry was the champ in the 200 IM with a time of 2:07.77

Garden Spot does not have a swim team, yet individual swimmers can compete in the league championship meet and, given qualifying times, in district and state meets as well.

"She beat her older sister and defending 200 IM champion from last year - Kayla Parry," said Garden Spot coach Darin Parry.

Meanwhile Kayla finished second in the 100 butterfly in 58.23 seconds.

"Kayla has struggled through some setbacks this season," added the coach. "But she has shown great perseverance with a hunger to compete."

Kayla Parry had won the 200 IM and 100 fly events in the 2022 L-L League championships.

Also swimming in the two-day event was Zach Delgado, who earned 10th place in the 50 freestyle. On Saturday he took 15th in the 100 free, dropping 1.16 seconds.

"Zach just keeps getting faster and faster," said Parry. "He continues to strive to be better. His best days are ahead of him."

Hasse returned on Saturday, finishing sixth in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:02.42.

"It was an eye-popping drop of 4.71 seconds," Parry said.

Speaking of eye-popping, Parry spoke of a minor injury suffered by one of his girls.

"Mia and Peter collided during warm-ups, which resulted in Mia breaking her goggles and sustaining a bruise under her left eye. For most of the meet, she had an ice pack pressed against the eye.

"In spite of the injury, she put up a phenomenal swim," continued the coach.

She finished second in the 100 backstroke with a lifetime best of 58.59 seconds.

"Mia put the L-L League on notice that she isn't intimidated by the big stage," Parry said. "She challenged two seniors who were defending 2022 champions and put up personal bests while finishing ahead of them both."

AIR RIFLE

The L-L League air rifle championships took place at Conestoga Valley on Saturday, February 11. In a close finish, Garden Spot's Leksi Bender earned the top spot by scoring 200 on the day with two center targets.

Bender was one of eight shooters to compile a score of 200. The difference was Bender hitting two perfect centers, thus edging Kate Kruft of Elizabethtown - also two centers. Sierra Land of Conestoga Valley and Alyssa Dunn of Manheim Township earned the bronze medal. They tied for third place with 200's with no center targets.

As a team, the Spartans finished fourth on the day. Township took top spot with 994 points followed by Elizabethtown (991) and Ephrata (990). The Spartans compiled 985 points - one point on top of Manheim Central.

WRESTLING

The Spartans visited Daniel Boone for their final regular season wrestling match. Garden Spot won three of the bouts plus a Blazers forfeit at the 107-pound weight class.

The Blazers came away with a 44-22 victory, thanks to two early forfeits by the Spartans, two major decisions, three pins and a technical fall.

Along with Diego Portales posting a 9-1 major decision for Spot at 133, Tyler Hurst pinned Jamie Harris in the second period of the 215-pound bout. In addition, Mason Musser notched a pin 1:16 into the 285-pound match.