Back on the bus with the boys on Tuesday evening, the destination was a familiar one in a familiar city. Reading High is historically one of the top programs in the entire state, we've been going there every other year for as far back as I can remember. There are certain places where they don't just try to win the game, the object is more so to humiliate the opponent if they can do it, over the years you could count the number of wins for us in that building on one hand. On this night the JV lost by twenty, the varsity played an inspired competitive game and lost by two points 68-66. DeMere Salisbery had a monster night with 33 points, Chris Leon scored twelve off the bench as the only other player to hit double figures. Buddy Patterson had seven, Amir Thompson-Hanson added six with Carsyn Haines, Kyle Brown, EJ Abernathy and Laron Gray chipping in with two points apiece. A loss is a loss but the fact that the club fought to the end in a place where they look to stone you if possible is an excellent sign. The team opens divisional play on Friday the 12th at home versus Lebanon. On Wednesday I was back in Reading in my own vehicle at a somewhat friendlier outpost, the Royals hosted Wheeling for the fifth time since November 16. It was a chemo week for me, I had to drag the blue pouch along which made for some interesting reactions. The Royals were 2-3 versus Wheeling in the current run of games (that includes a win in Wheeling on November 21), on this night they pulled even with a big 3-2 win. After the Nailers took a first-period lead the Home Boys replied on scores from Kyle Haskins and Connor McMenamin to lead 2-1 into the third. Nick Capone scored in the third to make it 3-1, Wheeling closed to within a goal in the closing moments but came no further (interesting story about Capone: he spent the entire '24-25 season with the Royals and never scored, here in the new season he's finally finding the range with three including the GWG on this occasion). Keith Petruzzelli picked up the win as the club improves to 11-9-2, 5-5 at home. The Norfolk Admirals visit on Saturday and Sunday. Take care, thank for reading.
