COCOLAMUS - East Juniata surged ahead in the third and staved off a fourth-quarter challenge as the Tigers topped Halifax, 47-37, in Tri-Valley League girls basketball Tuesday.
Caitlin Hoover's 18 points led the game, and delivered an unexpected punch for East Juniata.
"Hoover has struggled from the floor but really found her rhythm tonight," Tigers coach Travis Quici said.
Add Hannah Erickson's rebounding and a pair of solid offensive performances in the second half and you have a win that keeps the Tigers at least in the running for the TVL crown.
"It was nip and tuck the whole way," Quici said. "The difference was Maddie Trego in the fourth quarter" - where she scored all eight of her points - "and Shelly Gabel came off the bench and scored four in the third to help out."
The Tigers also won the JV game, 36-22.
East Juniata (6-4, 4-2) travels to Juniata for its third straight Friday meeting, and the final TVL game between the two rivals this season.
Girls basketball
Fannett-Metal 72,
Belleville Mennonite 18
WILLOW HILL - It was another tough night for the Belleville Mennonite girls when they traveled to Fannett-Metal and took a 72-18 loss.
"We started out flat on defense again, and we were finally able to pick it up in the second quarter. They were a very tough team and well-rounded," Belleville Mennonite coach Ally Zook said.
Belleville Mennonite's Mollie Morgan led the team in scoring with five.
The Trojans (1-10) travel to Meadowbrook Christian Monday.
Juniata Mennonite 38, Walnut Street Christian 35
BEAVER SPRINGS - A tight game after a half turned in favor of Juniata Mennonite after the break, and the Lions held on for a 38-35 win over Allegheny Christian Athletic Association foe Walnut Street Christian in girls basketball Tuesday.
The visitors had a two-point edge going into the locker room, but in the third Valarie Meiser lit up the scoreboard for 10 of her team-high 15 points.
"It was tight the whole way. The largest gap was five points," Juniata Mennonite coach Andy Meiser noted. He said the secondary scoring proved critical when Walnut Street's defense pressed late in the game.
"It was a team win," he said.
Juniata Mennonite (4-3, 2-2) travels to Northumberland Christian Friday.
Juniata 57, Line Mountain 32
MIFFLINTOWN - The defense was clicking and the offense was hot Tuesday when the Juniata girls maintained their perfect Tri-Valley League record with a 57-32 win over Line Mountain at home.
The Indians' defense kept Line Mountain below the double digit threshold in every quarter but the fourth, and this coupled with the offense - three Indians recorded double figures - resulted in the very lopsided win.
Leading the offense for the Indians was Carly Burns, whose six field goals and perfect 8-8 from the charity stripe gave her 20 points on the night.
But if Burns was leading, the rest of the Indians were right behind her.
Victoria Varner had 12, Maddie Zendt had 11 and Juniata coach Meghan Geedey said the whole team was behind the win.
"It was just a total team victory. To a player, every single person we put in that game tonight made really nice contributions to the win," she said.
Juniata (9-1, 5-0) hosts East Juniata on Friday.
Boys basketball
Milton 66, Midd-West 17
MILTON - Midd-West had no answer for Milton's Michael Jacobs, who scored 23 points for the Black Panthers in their 66-17 Heartland Conference boys basketball win over the Mustangs Tuesday.
Midd-West's offense was stymied by the home team. Kahill Brooker was held to seven points, leading the visitors.
Midd-West won the JV game, 44-41.
The Mustangs (2-6) travel to Selinsgrove Friday.
Juniata Mennonite 56, Walnut Street Christian 18
BEAVER SPRINGS - Jessie Watts scored 19, leading a trio of Lions in double digits as Juniata Mennonite romped over Walnut Street Christian, 56-18, in an Allegheny Christian Athletic Association boys basketball game at West Snyder Elementary School Tuesday.
It was the first time Juniata Mennonite used the alternate location for a home game.
"It wasn't difficult to find some open shots," Juniata Mennonite coach Dennis Zimmerman said. "They had good shots, good looks and it went from there."
Luke Showers chipped in 12 and Eli Auker 10 for the Lions.
Juniata Mennonite (5-3, 3-2) travels to Northumberland Christian Friday.
Fannett-Metal 77, Belleville Mennonite 51
WILLOW HILL - Austin Byler and Steven Yoder combined for 35 points, but even that wasn't enough to stop Fannett-Metal's juggernaut offense Tuesday.
Walker Bannister scored 38 on his own, leading the Tigers to a 77-51 win in the boys basketball contest. Belleville Mennonite coach Doug Snook said his team did its best - everything that could be expected.
"They've got a big team. They've got four starters that are 6-3," he said. "We held their leading scorer, Jordan Hurrell, to four points. Unfortunately, their second leading scorer was Walker Bannister."
Along with Byler (18 points) and Yoder (17), Noah Anders added 10 for the Trojans.
Belleville Mennonite (2-7) heads to Carson Long Thursday.
Central Dauphin East 61, Mifflin County 54
HARRISBURG - It was a three point game with 17 seconds to go when the Mifflin County boys took on Central Dauphin East in Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division action Tuesday, but it was the Panthers who prevailed.
It all ended when the Panthers hit two foul shots to put the game at five, then used a few fouls of their own to kill the clock, took a last second steal and scored the last bucket of the game for 61-54 final.
"CD East is a very athletic team, and early they did a nice job of mixing an active half-court zone defense along with some full-court pressure which limited easy offensive looks," Mifflin County coach Aaron Gingrich said, explaining that his team got more aggressive on the offense as the game progressed.
Seth Wagner in particular finished with a game-high 24 points. He also added 10 rebounds for the double-double. John Michael Maclay trailed Wagner with 13 points, and Hunter Wright had 11 rebounds.
The Huskies lost the JV match, 50-46. Evan Seby had 19 points.
Mifflin County (6-6, 1-6) hosts Cumberland Valley on Friday.
Wrestling
Mount Union 48, Southern Huntingdon 24
THREE SPRINGS - Southern Huntingdon picked up points in only five bouts against Mount Union - two of those forfeits - as the Trojans rolled to a 48-24 win over the Rockets in an Inter-County Conference wrestling match Tuesday.
Sage Moist, Robbie Steel, Tyler Long, Cory Kylor, Devon Kylor, Philip Kyle and Nikolas Smith all pinned their opponents, and Dylan Smith worked for a decision that went to the ultimate tiebreaker.
Mount Union hosts Glendale Thursday.
Swimming
Girls: Chambersburg 117, Mifflin County 52
Boys: Chambersburg 129, Mifflin County 26
CHAMBERSBURG - Megan Becker won two events and Sarah Bonson one, but it wasn't enough to get Mifflin County past Chambersburg in a Commonwealth Division swim meet Tuesday.
Chambersburg won the girls event 117-52, and took the boys meet by a 129-26 score.
Bonson won the 200-meter individual medley and was second in the 100 backstroke. Becker finished first in the 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke. Other top placewinners for the Huskies were Jenna Kile, second in the 100 freestyle, and Kaitlyn Eckley, third in the 50 freestyle.
"This was a meter pool, which was a lot different for the kids. The events are longer, so that was new for them," Mifflin County coach Connie Welch said. "I think its good for them to get out of their comfort zones."
The boys had two runners-up, two of whom also picked up a third. Zack Bonson was second in the 200 freestyle and third in the 100 freestyle. Evan Becker was second and hit the district qualifying mark in the 100 breaststroke and also was third in the 200 individual medley. Seth Barger placed third in the 50 freestyle.
The girls had one second-place relay and two thirds. The boys also were third in two relays.
Junior high
Boys basketball
* 9th grade: Central Dauphin East 64, Mifflin County 28. High scorer, Cade Attick 12 points. Mifflin County hosts Cumberland Valley Friday.
Wrestling
* Mount Union 88, Southern Huntingdon 12. Winners for Mount Union were Dylan Smith, D.J. Bookwalter, Teagan Locke, Mason Hockenberry, Riley Grainey, Josh Boozel, Rylan Boone, Devon Pearce, Evan Fortney, Andrew Todaro, Bryton Stidfole, Bryce Smith, Devin Kuhstos, Jonathan Atherton and Nathanael Morgan.
