February 15-16

Tuesday morning at the health campus for a followup on the procedure I had last April. The doctor was happy with everything, there are no issues. Not much going the rest of the day, on Wednesday afternoon we were back at JPM for the trip to Elizabethtown. After three straight battle-to-the-end games this night was tame by comparison as we defeated Lampeter-Strasburg 60-48. I wouldn't say it was an easy win (L-S is a good team and they fought to the end) but it was nowhere nearly as harrowing as the last few games were. Brian Newsome had 21 points, Diante Cherry had 13 and Blaise Glover added nine key points in a reserve role. This was a big win in two ways, it puts us into the League Championship game for the first time since 2008 and for Coach Powell it was career win #349 to establish a new school record. The L-L started in 1972, that coincided with Pete Horn's first year as McCaskey's basketball coach. In twenty seasons Pete's teams went 348-166, upon his retirement Steve "Bird" Powell took the reins. Now in his nineteenth season, Coach Powell's mark stands at 349-169. It's amazing to think that in thirty-nine years the program has had only two head coaches, Coach Powell was a long-time assistant coach under Pete so he was hardly a stranger when he took over the top spot. Credit must also be given to assistant coaches Mike Mitchell, Willie McDowell, Al Taylor, Don Butler and Earl "Papa" Boots, their contributions to the operation are immeasurable and invaluable. Shortly after the game ended we got word on who won the other semifinal game. I suppose we all knew that the playoff game for the division title was merely prologue for the league's title game. On Friday the 18th we'll meet our old friends from Hempfield for the fourth time this season. The game will be at Manheim Township HS, the site of our most recent league title win in 2008 (and that victory was over Hempfield). The club should have some confidence going into this game having beaten Hempfield twice last week but Friday is a clean slate, what came before is immaterial. One thing's for sure-it won't be dull. Take care, thanks for reading.