York Catholic has stormed back in the District 3 Class AA girls' basketball championship game thanks to the 3-point shot.
Mary McGann has hit three from behind the arc, her twin sister Jenny has hit one and added a running layup with 1:09 to play. Lancaster Mennonite leads 46-44 with 1:09 to play.
Lancaster Mennonite found an advantage in the second quarter when it kept feeding the ball to Katelyn Vanderhoff and Erin La Venice in the paint. The Blazers used its inside game plan to perfection in the third quarter.
Mennonite scored 14 points in the paint during the frame, building a 34-26 lead.
Mennonite only attempted one shot outside of the paint the entire quarter, and then Vanderhoff squared up on the baseline about 8 feet out. La Venice has a game-high 18 points at the end of three.
Since the District 3 Class AA girls' basketball tournament began in 1976 only two teams have won four straight crowns. Susquehanna Township pulled off a four-peat from 1978-81, and Trinity won every year from 1987-90.
Trinity pulled off the most impressive feat, however, missing out on seven straight district titles from 1984-90. The lone blemish came when York Catholic won the title in 1986, the year the Irish girls reached the state semifinals.
The Irish are out to a 10-8 lead in the first quarter, but it could have been a much bigger period for the York Catholic girls.
The Irish missed three shots in the paint, whereas Lancaster Mennonite scored three of its four field goals on buckets underneath the hoop in the opening frame.
Early on it has been the Kady Schrann show, as the York Catholic sophomore has scored six of her team's first 10 points.
Michele King, pictured above during her sophomore year at Spring Grove, was named Lady Vol Athlete of the Week Tuesday.
King won two individual events and swam on four first-place relay teams this weekend in Bloomington, Ind. The No. 13 Lady Vols defeated No. 11 Indiana and No. 19 Michigan this weekend.
One of the top swimmers in York County history, King qualified to swim in four events at the U.S. Olympic Trials this summer. She placed 10th in the 50-meter freestyle, and returned to the Vols as a junior this winter.
Perhaps it's a precursor of what type of show TKO Promotions will put on in a little under 30 minutes.
It could be bad luck.
But there is no denying promoters failed to deliver when they scratched York's Eric Nemo from the professional boxing card at the Valencia Ballroom.
Revolution shortstop Kenny Perez is headed back to Triple-A.
Signed by the Colorado Rockies Monday, Perez will travel Tuesday to join his new team in Colorado Springs. He is the first player from York to earn a contract from a major league organization this season. Six Revs earned contracts last season, including Tike Redman -- the only player to reach the majors after starting the 2007 season in the Atlantic League.
"Obviously he was somebody who was on their radar," Revolution Director of Baseball Operations Adam Gladstone said. "It's great for Kenny. It's great for everybody in that locker room. We sell these guys on this league for this reason."
The Revolution placed left-handed reliever Reid Price on the inactive list before Wednesday's game. York signed corner outfielder/first baseman/catcher Chris Ashby to fill its 25-man roster.
Ashby, 33, suited up for York Wednesday and batted sixth.
A .265 career hitter in the minors, Ashby (pictured above) has spent parts of nine seasons at Triple-A. He hit a career-high 24 homers for Norwich in the Eastern League (Double-A) in 1997 but he hasn't hit more than five homers since 2000.
Ashby could turn out to be a great find by Revs head of baseball operations Adam Gladstone for one simple reason. Ashby knows how to get on base. Ashby posted a .361 OBP for Triple-A Albuquerque in 2006.
After playing the entire first half below expectations, the York Revolution pulled off a trade -- sending defensive standout Travis Ezi to the Bridgeport Bluefish in exchange for infielder Jake Daubert.
The days of thinking the York Revolution could rely on a solid pitching staff are over.
Landon Jacobsen left the team without throwing a pitch in the regular season. Pete Munro hasn't reached the mound either. Both have injured arms.
Aaron Myette will miss at least two starts after straining his arm while pitching in a wet, rainy game May 16 against Lancaster. He slipped while planting on his release during the game, causing him to hurt his arm.
Pitching coach Tippy Martinez is forthcoming about the problems.
"It's a tough situation for us," Martinez said earlier this week. "At one time this season we were about second in the league (in ERA). We've had to use guys that really shouldn't be out there."
Former Cardinals and Rockies closer Dave Veres will return to the York Revolution Friday and hopes to pitch that night against Camden at Sovereign Bank Stadium.
That is if the York Revolution still have a roster spot open for him.
"I hope they do," Veres joked when reached by phone in Colorado. “I’m going to throw right now.”
The Revolution placed Veres on the inactive list Monday when he left the team for family reasons. While at home he had his left hip examined by his doctor to rule out any structural damage. Veres is attempting to become the first pitcher to reach the majors after undergoing artificial hip replacement surgery.
Relief pitcher Dave Veres left the York Revolution and returned to his home state of Colorado to be examined by a doctor. WSBA-AM (910) radio play-by-play announcer Darrell Henry informed listeners before Monday's game that Veres will have his hip examined.
Veres is attempting to become the first pitcher to reach the major leagues with an artificial hip. His departure could be a huge loss for the Revolution bullpen. He did not allow a run in seven appearances, striking out six and walking two. He appeared on back-to-back nights last week, throwing against Lancaster on Friday and Saturday in cold and wet conditions. And although he appeared to be walking with a limp, he had reportedly been bothered by a groin pull.
York placed Veres on the inactive list, and it re-signed Revolution pitcher David Maust to fill the 25-man roster. Maust appeared in Monday's game, striking out the first batter he faced in relief.
Right-hander Pete Munro still hopes to pitch for the Revolution this season.
Hampered by a sharp pinching pain in the back of his shoulder when he threw, Munro was examined by team doctors earlier this month. Doctors believe the pain is caused by his shoulder capsule pushing against his labrum. Doctors recommended a stretching program, and told Munro if he didn't notice a change after stretching that he may have a tear in his labrum.
Munro has started the stretching program and threw 20 pitches away from the mound today without pain.
"Right now it feels great," he said. "I've got more range of motion."
The York Revolution re-signed a familiar name Friday, welcoming back right-handed starter Dave Gil.
Gil had an injury-plagued season with York last year, but looked impressive in his few starts. Gil may have been York's best starter last season, but he suffered cuts to his hand when he fell during a fishing trip at the end of spring training. When he returned to the mound he went 2-4 with a 3.43 ERA in nine games. He struck out 46 and walked 14. But his season ended when a line drive struck him on the foot in a start against Newark June 30, 2007.
Gil underwent surgery and had a titanium permanent plate and seven screws placed in his foot to stabilize the bone.
To make room for Gil on the 25-man roster, York placed pitcher Pete Munro -- who has not appeared in a game this season -- on the disabled list. According to Revs Director of Baseball Operations Adam Gladstone, Munro will be on the seven-day DL.
