This week in Wildcats Hoops Week ending Dec 10
Girls split at Hempfield - Despite being shorthanded, the ladies opened the Hempfield Tournament with an impressive 36-26 win past the host Black Knights. Praise Matthews led the way with 14 points. The championship game pitted the Wildcats against perennial PIAA power Cumberland Valley, who knocked off the girls, 57-35. The girls rolled at Elizabethtown Tuesday as Kiara McNealy and Haley Jamison each scored 10 points in a 54-14 win. They hosted Mifflin County on Saturday and fell 42-36.
Boys season starts Tuesday - The Dallastown boys squad was raring to go and opened the 2022-23 campaign in style at home on Tuesday against Elizabethtown. In all, 12 different Wildcats scored, with Michael Scott dropping 13 to lead the way in a 64-24 romp over the Bears.
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This week in Wildcats Hoops ending Dec 17
Girls open league play with win - Led by 16 points from Haley Jamison, the Wildcat girls fought off a pesky York High team on Tuesday for a 39-29 victory. The ladies played at Central Friday and the Panthers were too much, opening a big lead and winning 60-24..
Boys fall in tough league opener - Playing at York High is never fun for a boys basketball squad. Still, the Wildcats stayed with the Bearcats throughout Tuesday's game, but fell 69-66. The boys hosted Central in a classic on Friday. Dallastown trailed 47-29 but roared all the way back with a 27-point fourth quarter to force overtime. Unfortunately, despite 28 points from DJ Smith, the Wildcats fell 81-80 in double overtime. What a game. Great battle Cats.
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This week in Wildcats Hoops, ending Jan 7
Girls win two heading into big week - The ladies were at the ready coming off a holiday break when they hosted Spring Grove and led by 15 points from Praise Matthews topped the Rockets 48-34. They headed to Penn Manor for a matinee and clamped down the defense in a 38-20 win.
Boys have up and down week - The boys had a close non-league tilt at McCaskey, but unfortunately fell, 62-56. DJ Smith posted 15 and Michael Scott 14 in the loss. They won at Spring Grove, 69-57with. Smith again led the way with 19. The boys hosted Penn Manor in an afternoon affair, losing to the upstart Comets, 61-54.
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This week in Wildcats Hoops, ending Jan 14
Girls win to open week - The ladies traveled to New Oxford Tuesday and came away with a 46-40 win with Maggie Groh leading the way with nine points. They buckled down the defense in a 40-24 win at Susquehannock Friday, The ladies picked up a huge come-from-behind 48-46 victory against Woodland Hills from Pittsburgh in Saturday's Harrisburg Showcase in Chambersburg. Maggie Groh dropped 17 in the win.
Boys surprised Tuesday - The boys hosted Northeastern on Tuesday and lost to the struggling Bobcats, 63-52. Will Scott was high scorer with 12 points. They grabbed some momentum back Wednesday when DJ Smith scored 31 points - 17 in the third quarter alone - as the Wildcats bested York Suburban, 58-50. The boys came from behind late against Susquehannock Friday, pulling out a 55-51 victory.
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This week in Wildcats Hoops, ending Jan 21
Girls stun Central - Just two days after the Wildcats found out how improved York High is in Monday's 41-35 loss, the girls returned home to face Central Wednesday and handed the Panthers their first loss of the season, 44-41. Praise Matthews poured in 15 points and McKenna Kelley added 14 in the huge Division I victory. Unfortunately, fate was unkind when ladies headed to rival Red Lion Friday night as the Lions topped our Cats, 38-33.
Boys hope to ride big win - Although Monday's contest against York High was postponed, the boys traveled to Central Wednesday and caught the first-place Panthers, 67-64. DJ Smith led with 30 points and Will Scott 12. Rival Red Lion came to visit the Wildcats gym on Friday and stunned our boys, 56-41.
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This week in Wildcats Hoops, ending Jan 28
Girls look to climb - Looking to get back in YAIAA tournament contention, the ladies ripped South Western, 44-24 on Tuesday when 10 Wildcats reached the scoresheet. The girls played at Spring Grove Friday and blitzed the Rockets, 50-26.
Boys with three big games - The Wildcats opened the week with Monday's 68-42 non-league win past York County Tech. Kobe McNealy led with 12 points, one of four Cats in double figures. But the night belonged to long-time manager Jonah Stefko, who was honored with a start (see below). They won 64-60 at South Western on Wednesday and with DJ Smith scoring 16, Michael Scott 15, Connor Barto 14, routed Spring Grove 60-42 on Friday.
This week in Wildcats Hoops, ending Feb 5
Girls solid regular season winding down - It may have been Senior Night, but a sophomore led the way during Tuesday's game against New Oxford as Praise Matthews dropped 12 points in a 42-36 win. The ladies look to close in on both YAIAA and District 3 tournament berths, although they got tripped up by York Suburban Thursday, 45-34. Matthews led with 14 in that game.
Boys keep surging- The Wildcat boys are also on a terrific run while looking for postseason berths. It continued on Tuesday with a 53-45 victory at Northeastern. They extended their win streak to five by knocking off South Western Wednesday, 56-53. Dj Smith led the way with 18 and Connor Barto added 14. Despite 14 points from Will Scott, the boys dropped a close one at Governor Mifflin on Friday, 54-50.
This week in Wildcats Hoops, ending Feb 12
Girls playoffs ahead - The regular season wrapped up February 6 at South Western as the Wildcats finished tied for second in Division I after thumping the Mustangs 54-19. The ladies faced York Catholic in Saturday's YAIAA tournament opener and came away with a hard-fought 49-45 win. Haley Jamison and Kiara McNealy scored 13 points apiece in the victory. Up next is Wednesday's second round against Red Lion, 6 pm at York Tech. It will be the third meeting between the rivals this season.
Boys get playoff berths - The Wildcat boys district playoff hopes were helped Monday when DJ Smith scored 23 points, Connor Barto 13 and Jalen Cook 12 in a 69-54 home win past Susquehanna Township. The regular campaign closed February 7 when the Cats lost to a tough York High, 64-44. Ziveon Kyle scored 12 in that Division I make-up game. The boys reached the YAIAA tournament and faced Division II champion West York. Although DJ Smith scored 12, points overall were hard to come by as the Bulldogs topped our Cats, 35-29.
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Wildcats Hoops Postseason
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GIRLS WIN YAIAA CHAMPIONSHIP - Kiara McNealy pulled down a huge offensive rebound late in the YAIAA championship game against Central York and promptly found senior Maggie Groh, possibly the least likely candidate to fire up a potential game-winner. But Groh took the pass, and in one motion drained a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded and the Wildcats won another YAIAA title, 36-33. McNealy said she never even considered taking the shot, "I was just looking to get it to a shooter." Groh admitted she was a surprise choice from long range. "But I knew I could make it. I shoot them in practice." Perhaps with the best view in the packed gym at York Tech, Wildcats coach Rexroth said, "I knew it was going in as soon as it left her hand."
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Girls finish fourth in districts - Fresh off their YAIAA title, the Dallastown girls traveled to YAIAA foe, Division II champ Northeastern, and came away with a dominating 46-26 victory. Praise Matthews dropped 16. On Feb. 23, the Cats came back from 15 points down to stun Lebanon, 49-44 to not only advance to the semifinals but assure themselves a spot in the state tournament. Unfortunately, down 14 after the first quarter, was too much to overcome in the semifinal at Central and the Wildcats fell to the Panthers, 48-34. They played at Central Dauphin, March 1, dropping the third-place game, 40-25. Up next, the PIAA Tournament.
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Girls PIAA Tournament - The ladies opened the PIAA 6A tournament March 10 at Spring-Ford. The third-place team from District 1 ended the Wildcats outstanding campaign, 55-27.
Boys get playoff berth - The Wildcat boys saw another fine season come to a close in the District 3 6A tourney, when YAIAA champ Central York defeated our boys 86-53.
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