'Hounds have to wait for win

Shippensburg was a mere one run, or one inning, away from leaving Mercersburg with a win Monday afternoon against James Buchanan.

Leading 16-2 after four innings, umpires halted the game due to darkness. Had the Greyhounds scored 10 runs instead of nine in the top of the fourth, the game would have ended due to the 15-run mercy rule after the Rockets batted in the bottom half -- they didn't score in the home half.

Or, due to the 10-run mercy rule, the game would have been complete after five innings.

But now the Greyhounds now must wait until James Buchanan visits Shippensburg on May 8 to complete the suspended game and add what is sure to be a win to their total.

Monday's schedule changes

West Perry and Susquehanna Twp. won't get together after all.

The two unbeaten teams had their Mid-Penn crossover game cancelled Monday due to inclement weather. The Mustangs and Indians were originally scheduled to play in Elliotsburg last Thursday but wet field conditions forced the postponement and ultimately the demise of the game.

Also on Monday, it was announced the Susquenita at Trinity Mid-Penn crossover game, which was postponed from last Thursday, will be made up Saturday, April 19 at 11 a.m.

The Shippensburg High School athletic office confirmed this afternoon that the Greyhounds are still scheduled to make the trip to James Buchanan for a 4:15 p.m. game.

Top games: March 31-April 5

Mid-Penn division play begins this week with some high-profile matchups. This is the first week that teams can take the first step to claiming a division title and securing a spot in the Mid-Penn Conference Tournament in May. Last season two area teams, Red Land and Camp Hill, made the conference tournament but bowed in the first round.

Here's a look at the best games as the calendar turns to April:

Susquehanna Twp. at West Perry, Monday, 4:15 -- Here's a curveball. After wetting your appetites talking about division play, we throw a non-division encounter at you. Both teams come into this one 3-0; the Mustangs fresh off winning the Perry Counter Tournament. Problem is, West Perry committed 10 errors over two games. It can't do that against a Township side that beat defending Mid-Penn Commonwealth champ Red Land on opening day.

Red Land at Cumberland Valley, Tuesday, 4 -- Here's a division game for you. Expect CV ace Jeremy Shepps (1-0) to be on the hill but the question is, who will the Patriots trot out? The likely choice is hard-throwing right-hander K.C. Beshore (1-1), who tossed a complete-game against Mechanicsburg a week prior. Another question: How much of a role, if any, will reigning All-Sentinel Player of the Year Kyle Otstot play?

Big Spring at Susquenita, Tuesday, 4 -- The Bulldogs are riding high after a win over rival Boiling Springs last week. This game will tell a lot as to the direction either team will go. A win for Susquenita and the Blackhawks are even at 2-2. A win for Big Spring sends the 'Dawgs to 2-0 and expectations start to grow.

Cumberland Valley at Cedar Cliff, Thursday, 4 -- Two late-inning rallies against Hershey and Carbondale late last week kept the Colts perfect at 4-0. Now they get an even bigger test against CV. This game will show how much the young Cedar Cliff pitching staff has grown. On offense, leadoff hitter Eric Ort's and catcher Kasey Cooper's bats have warmed up, a good sign for the Colts.

Carlisle at Mechanicsburg, Saturday, 2 -- The first three games, all losses, were nothing short of a recurring nightmare for the Thundering Herd. An anemic offense and a pitching staff searching for a reliable arm or two has left Carlisle searching for an answer. Before the Herd can focus on Mechanicsburg, they have Commonwealth tests against Central Dauphin (Tuesday) and Red Land (Thursday). Win just one of those two and the confidence rises. On the other side, Mechanicsburg (1-1) has difficult Keystone tests at Palmyra and against Gettysburg this week. The winner might be the first to double digits.

Friday's games still on

Despite the threat of inclement weather in the greater Harrisburg area the last two day days, most of the baseball games have been played thanks to overcast but dry conditions. The only two to succumb to unplayable field conditions were Susquehanna Twp. at West Perry -- since rescheduled for Monday at 4:15 p.m. -- and Susquenita at Trinity. No makeup has been announced for the latter.

As for Friday's schedule, all systems are go for local teams as of 1 p.m. today. Here's a schedule:

Nondivision
Boiling Springs at Middletown, 4
Camp Hill at East Pennsboro, 4
Carlisle at Shippensburg, 4
Cedar Cliff at Hershey, 4
CCAC
Lancaster Christian at Bible Baptist, 4

Top games: March 20-28

It's opening day for high school baseball. As will be the case each Sunday evening starting next week, the following is a list of the top games for upcoming week:
Lower Dauphin at Cumberland Valley, Monday, 4 — Teams split a pair last year. LD won season opener in eight innings, CV took District 3-AAAA semifinals, 10-1.

Mechanicsburg at Red Land, Tuesday, 4 — Wildcats offered an early wake-up call last season by beating Red Land in season opener. Patriots responded by winning the Commonwealth.

West Perry at James Buchanan, Tuesday, 4 — Rockets have high aspirations this season, West Perry is beginning life after David Dixon. Should be interesting.

Greencastle-Antrim at Shippensburg, Wednesday, 4:15 — Each team could win its respective division, making this an early-season must see. Greyhounds have an abundance of pitching, Blue Devils harbor dreams of returning to the PIAA tournament.

Camp Hill at East Pennsboro, Friday, 4 — A rivalry to start each team’s season. Lions won the Capital last year while Panthers won a single game. East Penn should be improved. Could determine the path each team takes.

Destination: Blair County Ballpark

The road to Altoona starts next Thursday, March 20, for local baseball teams.

One area team, Cedar Cliff, is scheduled to play its second game down the road from the site of the PIAA Championships, Blair County Ballpark, with a 2 p.m. date against Altoona at Mansion Park on Saturday, March 22.

The Colts, and every other high school club in Pennsylvania, want to be in Altoona on Friday, June 13 for the finals. For the first time in two years, all four title games will be played on one day.

The Mid-Penn Conference has failed to land a team in a state baseball final since Chambersburg claimed the 2004 Class AAA title with a 12-5 rout of Peters Twp.

One year later the PIAA expanded baseball to four classifications.

Last season Cumberland Valley was the closest of the local teams to reaching a state final but the Eagles fell to Souderton and ace Kyle Greenwalt, a Houston Astros draft pick, in the state semifinals, 3-2.

PIAA Individual Championships Updates

For the latest local updates from Giant Center regarding the 2008 PIAA Individual Wrestling Championships, check The Sentinel's main page.

Bulldogs, Bullets on top

As the Southeast Region heads toward the medal rounds at Wilson West Lawn High School, Northwestern Lehigh has the most wrestlers in contention for gold medals.

The Bulldogs, out of District 11, have four wrestlers in the final of their respective weight class. Brandywine Heights is second with three. No other school advanced more than two wrestlers out of the semifinals, including local entries Boiling Springs and Susquenita.

From a district perspective, District 3 has 13 wrestlers alive for a gold medal, followed closely by District 11, which advanced 12. District 1 brings up the rear with three wrestlers alive for gold.

Consolation semifinal roundup: 103 and 125

It's Charlie Bise vs. Ean Starner: Round IV.

While it's not the Southeast Region final, the rivals will lock horns for the bronze medal this evening. East Penn's Bise beat Chad Reiner of Pine Grove, 7-2, and Starner of Boiling Springs pinned Lancaster Catholic's Mark Lobeck in 2:56 to setup the rematch times four.

Starner won the first two encounters before Bise won the District 3 title last weekend at Starner's expense.

The other area wrestler in the consolation semifinals, Tyler Thumma of Boiling Springs, fell 8-2 against Pen Argyl's Austin Williams.

Thumma can qualify for the PIAA tournament if the beats Hanover's Brent Hoff for fifth place later today.

Consolation quarterfinals roundup: weights 160-189

Three area wrestlers were eliminated from placing in the Southeast Region on Saturday morning at Wilson High School in the consolation quarterfinals and thus had their dreams of moving on to the PIAA tournament next weekend dashed.

Kyle Gilbert of Susquenita suffered the worst fate, dropping a heart-wrenching 11-10 decision to Upper Dauphin's Josh Lesher.

East Pennsboro teammates Zach Nye and Max Miller, at 171 and 189, respectively, suffered falls in the consy quarterfinals.

Nye was pinned by Derek Straley of James Buchanan in 2:29 while Miller was ousted in 1:45 courtesy of Saucon Valley's Brandon Palik.

Sauve moves on

Susquenita 152-pounder Derec Sauve erased a 6-3 deficit and scored the winning points with under a minute left via takedown to knock off Charles Aungst of Pine Grove, 8-7.

Sauve, a sophomore in his first regional action, moved to 35-3 with the win.

Harper stays perfect

Susquenita junior Joe Harper built a 12-2 third-period lead before pinning Bethlethem Catholic's Aaron Ross in the 145-pound Southeast Region semifinals.

Harper ran his record to 33-0 with the win.

Kuhn gains final

Dakota Kuhn became the second Boiling Springs wrestler to qualify for the Southeast Region final with a dominating fall in 4:23 over Panther Valley's Jared Reitz at 140.

Kuhn led 8-0 after the first period and was comfortably on top, 14-3, when the pin occured.

Thumma eliminates Yocco

Boiling Springs 125-pounder Tyler Thumma made a late takedown stand in a 6-5 upset of District 3 champion Nick Yocco in the consolation quarterfinals.

Yocco was eliminated from the Southeast Region with the loss and cannot qualify for next weekend's PIAA tournament.

Spisak, Yocco to meet again

Boiling Springs sophomore Joe Spisak pinned St. Pius X entry Ryan Miller in 3:02 to advance to the Southeast Region 112-pound final opposite Zane Yocco of Brandywine Heights.

Yocco defeated Derek Goodwin of Hamburg, 3-0.

Last week in the District 3 final, Spisak cruised past Yocco, 12-3.

Starner, Bise relegated

Charlie Bise of East Pennsboro led Justin Mazza, 8-3, in the third period of their 103-pound PIAA Class AA semifinal when Mazza kept Bise on the mat for a fall.

In the other semifinal, Boiling Springs' Ean Starner fell victim to Pen Argyl's Jamie Welsh, 15-4.

Both wrestlers are now in the consolation semifinals.