Falcons

andrewm@herald-mail.com Ben Jordan and Nick Kipe both are on the short list of the best athletes I've covered during my two-plus years working at this newspaper. This past spring, Jordan batted .539 for the Williamsport baseball team and was named All-Area First Team, while Kipe was virtually untouchable in the triple jump for the Waynesboro track team and was named All-Area First Team. Last fall, Jordan and Kipe both were All-Area First Team soccer players. Now, they are teammates for real, although Jordan still says, "It's surreal.

andrewm@herald-mail.com CATONSVILLE, Md. - Apparently the Poolesville girls soccer team doesn't like to share. With Smithsburg seemingly on the verge of adding another piece of the state-title puzzle to its trophy case Friday night at University of Maryland-Baltimore County, the Falcons snatched the whole thing for themselves. Three minutes and 31 seconds into the second sudden-death overtime period, Poolesville's Anna Treado found Erin Moore's corner kick through a sea of players and slipped it just inside the right post to lift the Falcons to a 1-0 victory for their first Maryland Class 1A crown.

View more photos here! HAGERSTOWN -- On paper, the outlook heading into the 27th annual Mid-Atlantic Invitational Tournament suggested the winner of Friday's first-round game between Benedictine (Va.) and Good Counsel would come away with the championship on Saturday. After a sluggish start, Benedictine put a stamp on the MAIT title, rolling to a 66-40 victory over pesky John Carroll at the Gael Center. Good Counsel, a 74-67 loser to Benedictine on Friday, had an easy time in the consolation matchup as it posted a 91-42 victory over St. Maria Goretti.

BOYS BASKETBALL No. 6 Greencastle 47, Shippensburg 44 SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Dameatric Scott led Greencastle with 11 points and 10 rebounds as the Blue Devils needed overtime to defeat Shippensburg on Friday in a Mid-Penn Capital game. Jaren Gembe had 12 points and five assists while Treavor Gelsinger added five rebounds for Greencastle (15-3, 7-1). Faith 66, Broadfording 64 MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Chris Apple scored 15 points for Faith Christian Academy as the Falcons defeated Broadfording in overtime on Friday.

BOONSBORO -- The Boonsboro girls basketball team ran on empty Tuesday. The Warriors had too many empty possessions, which meant empty baskets and empty promises. In the end, it resulted in an empty feeling. Boonsboro's offense did everything but score consistently as the gauge finally hit "E" in a 43-38 loss to Poolesville in the Maryland Class 1A West Region East Sectional semifinals to bring an abrupt end to the season. "When you hold a team to around 40 points, you should win," said Boonsboro coach Max Shaffer.

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - The Shepherd University football team has become used to a higher brand of excellence than most. Long winning streaks, two straight West Virginia Conference titles and national playoff appearances always seem to raise expectations. It was different on Saturday. The Rams had to accept a different, garden-variety efficiency. Fairmont State's blanket defense choked off Shepherd's bread-and-butter running game and kept explosive plays to a minimum.

Hoop notes 2/22 For once, the Jefferson and Martinsburg girls basketball teams agree on something. The two have become bitter rivals over the past few years, and the Bulldogs' 14-year sectional winning streak has a lot to do with it. So with tonight's Class AAA Region II Section 1 final on tap, both sides know exactly what it will take to break that streak, or have it continue. "We have to play four quarters of basketball just to stay in the game with them," Jefferson guard Lindsay Edwards said.

SMITHSBURG -- Poolesville coach Ted Gardiner was impressed with what he had just seen from Smithsburg. The Leopards pounded out 10 hits on the way to an 11-1 victory over Poolesville in a Maryland Class 1A West Region quarterfinal contest, a five-inning game that was delayed for 50 minutes in the top of the third. "They've got plenty of firepower," said Gardiner, after watching Smithsburg jump to a 5-0 lead in the first inning. "I think they can go far in 1A. " Playing its first full game since April 29, Smithsburg (14-3-1)

koelble@herald-mail.com WALKERSVILLE, Md. - One reason a coach is on the sideline is for the players to follow instructions during the course of a game. Walkersville boys basketball coach Bruce Zimmerman is fortunate to have some good listeners, otherwise the Lions might be getting instructions for turning in their uniforms for the season. By abandoning much of their perimeter game and shoving the basketball inside, the Lions put together a powerful pair of middle quarters that lifted them over Winters Mill 69-60 in the Maryland Class 2A West semifinals Wednesday night.