SPORTS Comets Win First-Ever Singles and Doubles Titles
8 - ADVERTISER - Penn Manor Edition - May 12, 2021
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BY MONA STEINHAUER
The tennis team earned a pair of titles last week, both believed to be firsts for the boys’ tennis program. Curtis Rabatin not only made his way through the Flight One singles bracket, defeating teammate Stefo Billis 6-2, 6-1 for the individual title but then partnered with Maxwell Davis for the Flight One AAA doubles gold as well. The duo got by Hempfield’s top team and Manheim Central’s Andrew Rajaratnam and Tyler Snavely, the fourth seed, both with 8-3 scores and then handled Ephrata’s Wilson brothers 8-1 in the finals.
“Our strategy was to come out aggressive and hitting hard because the Wilson brothers are good at finesse, placement and consistency,” noted head coach Amanda Pryzbylkowski. “We had to take control early. Maxwell and Curtis were ready and focused and kept up the intensity to win fairly quickly.” Billis, the top seed, defeated Davis 6-3, 6-3 and then Cedar Crest’s Charlie Robbins 6-3, 6-4 to get to the finals. Rabatin, seeded third, beat Central’s Andrew Rajaratnam 6-3, 6-3 and then handled No. 2 seed Chase Wilson of Ephrata, 6-3, 6-1 to get to Billis and the finals where he secured the gold with a 6-2, 6-1 result. “With all the last minute changes of times and locations, the guys stayed focused and engaged,” said Pryzbylkowski. “As a
submitted photo
Maxwell Davis and Curtis Rabatin are all smiles after winning the LancasterLebanon League doubles tournament Monday, May 3. Rabatin was also the Class 3A singles champ.
coach, it was tough to have two guys playing in the finals. I wanted both of them to play their best. This was the first time all season that one of them beat the other two times consecutively! The points were amazing to watch and they were both hitting well.” SOFTBALL In a battle for the top spot in Section One, the Comets faced two other teams, Warwick and Manheim Township, jockeying for the same position. On a wind-swept home field Friday, April 30, a game that see-sawed back-and-forth and featured a combined 28 hits, came down to a six-run top of the sixth inning as Warwick erased a 6-4 deficit and finished with an 11-7 victory. “The wind played a factor but it did not determine the outcome,” said head coach Dave Stokes. “We didn’t get the big hit when we needed it. We left 13 runners on base.”
The Comets, outhitting the Warriors 16-12, left runners on in every inning, including bases loaded in the first after Warwick jumped out to a 2-0 advantage. Manor tied it up in the second only to see Warwick push ahead with two in the fourth. The hosts grabbed their first lead in the bottom half, making it 5-4. A solo homer by No. 9 hitter Kylie Goss in the fifth gave the Comets their final lead as Warwick’s sixth inning rally proved too much to overcome. Sophia Rineer and Tori Hook each collected three hits with Riggs, Madison Trout, Isabella Peters and Goss adding two each. Last Monday the Comets improved to 10-3 with an 8-5 win over Manheim Township. “We scored five of our runs in the fifth with two outs,” noted Stokes. “Tori and Emily each had key two run doubles.” Wednesday the Comets made short work of McCaskey, winning 17-2 in four innings on the strength of home runs, one by Patterson and grand slams by Bella Peters and Kaelin Gable. VOLLEYBALL Behind eight kills each from Riley Walton and Greyson Schatz, Penn Manor’s volleyball team earned its third league win of the season with a convincing 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 259) final over winless Manheim Township Friday, April 30. “We’ve had a lot of close matchphoto by Mona Steinhauer In Friday’s home loss against Warwick, Manor’s Bria es,” said head coach Dustin Hornberger. “What we need to break out Booth fires a throw to first base. is some defense to allow the offense to run in transition. Late in the season, defense wins matches, especially in the playoffs. Right now we control our own destiny,” he added “We want that fourth spot in Section One so we can compete in the postseason.” Walton added four aces to his stat line while Max Bushong (13 digs), Wyatt Rohrer (23 assists) and Luke Thomas (1block) also contributed. Last Tuesday the Comets swept the series against Cedar Crest with a solid 3-0 (25-16, 25-23, 25-15) win. Schatz (5 kills), Bushong (4 digs) and Rohrer (11 assists) were the stat leaders, pushing Manor to 4-5 in Section One.
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BOYS’ LACROSSE With six goals in the first quarter, the Comets set the tone early and cruised to a lopsided 163 win over Warwick Thursday, April 29 at Comet Field. Manor held the Warriors to single goals in the second, third and fourth quarters. Clayton Hollinger racked up seven goals and one assist. Cole Specialetti, Jack Barley and Erik Hinkle, who led with three assists, each scored twice. Dylan Keene, Isiac photo by Mona Steinhauer Nafziger (2a) and Bene- Comet first baseman Madison dict Flinchbaugh (2a) added one goal each Trout fields a Warwick bunt and while Nick Hollinger gets the out at first base in an needed just seven saves April 30th loss to the Warriors. to improve Manor’s In a game that featured five total overall record to 9-3 One night later, in the Backyard hits, Township scored all three of Bash at Lampeter-Strasburg, their runs in the fifth inning with Manor’s win streak stopped at three two outs. Brad Frey connected for as L-S pulled out a 16-14 victory. both of the Comets hits. Holding a 6-2 lead after 4.5 The Pioneers led 10-4 in the first half and, despite a second half rally innings, the Comets gave up five by the Comets, held on for the win. runs in the bottom of the fifth and Hollinger and Keene combined suffered a one run loss to McCaskey. GIRLS’ LACROSSE for nine goals with Jack Barley With the end of the season a adding two. Playing their third game in as week away, the Comets were lookmany days, the Comets picked up an ing to move up in the standings. 8-1 non-league win over Conrad Losses to Warwick (14-5 on April 30) Weiser Saturday, May 1. Manor and Conrad Weiser (10-9 on May 1) outscored the visitors 7-0 over the however, dropped their overall record to 5-8. middle frames to take control. The Warriors exploded for a 10-1 Hollinger (2a) and Nafziger each notched hat tricks with Spezialetti first half lead and the Comets could not recover. Keegan Dings netted two and Barley adding one goal each. goals. Kendall Ulmer, Maddie Weber BASEBALL After two straight wins over and Erin Shipley each scored once. One day later it was the Comets Ephrata and Solanco, the baseball dropped three straight: a 15-1 tally with the early lead, building a 5-2 against Warwick on an overly windy advantage at Conrad Weiser. The day in Lititz April 30, a 3-0 shutout hosts, however, turned the tables against section leader Manheim after the break, rallying to tie the Township, and a 7-6 heartbreaker to game and then securing the 10-9 victory in overtime. McCaskey last Wednesday night. “At halftime we had three key Despite the loss to Warwick, the Comets were the first to score. Isaac players that were unable to continBraegelman singled with one out and ue due to injury,” said head coach scored on Max Jesberger’s two out Anneli Starry. “Unfortunately, this is base hit. But the visitors managed just what happens when you are schedone more hit that day, a leadoff single uled for four games in one week due to quarantines. We are heading by Dalton Green in the fifth inning. into our second week of four games. Covid is affecting a lot of our season and other teams as well. It is just something we need to work through. “CW tied the game in the last 30 seconds of regulation and in overtime, they were awarded a free penalty shot to win,” she explained. Dings and Ulmer each recorded hat tricks while Caity McGough, Weber and Shipley chipped in with one goal each. Last Tuesday at Comet Field, the visiting Buckskins jumped out to an 11-1 first half lead en route to a 15-2 win. Brooklynn Ayala recorded 13 saves while freshman photo by Mona Steinhauer Penn Manor’s Sophia Rineer takes the throw from catcher Tori Jarliah Ferko and sophomore Hook as the Comets catch Warwick’s Katelyn Minney in a run- reserve Liv Cox scored their first goals of the season. down Friday, April 30 at home.
