Foul Line

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL WILKESBORO, N.C. - The Hagerstown Community College women's basketball team came out hot, and stayed hot Sunday. The Hawks shot 49 percent from the floor and 82 percent from the foul line and beat Wilkes College 94-53 in the second day of the Wilkes Mixer Tournament to remain undefeated. Marisa Elliot and Jamie Robinson led HCC (10-0) with 17 points each, while Sam Cain added 14. "Our shooting numbers have been incredible," said HCC coach Marlys Palmer.

HANCOCK - The Broadfording Christian Academy boys basketball team demonstrated that the best things in life really can be free. Free throws, that is. The Lions hit 34 of 46 foul shots, including 18-for-22 from the line in the fourth quarter, to take down Hancock 57-46 on Thursday night. And in the end, it made both teams 4-8 for the season. The foul line became even more important as the score was tied at 33-33 after three quarters. The Lions only managed three baskets in the final eight minutes but still outscored the Panthers 24-13 with the help of the 18 points from the foul line.

bobp@herald-mail.com MERCERSBURG, Pa. - Shane Rife is way too young to be considered the horse for the James Buchanan boys basketball team. In fact, as a sophomore, he'd probably only be considered a pony. The only thing certain about the 6-foot-5 post player though, is if he were an equine breed, he would be a paint. At his young age, Rife is showing an ability to control the colored square called the lane, which is under the hoop on a basketball court. His ability gave James Buchanan a stable presence to help corral Greencastle 60-52 in a Mid Penn Capital game on Monday.

The St. Maria Goretti Gaels and the Broadfording Christian Academy Lions both won their opening-round basketball games on Friday night to advance to today's title game in the first Lady Gael Classic Tournament. Broadfording got past the Towson Catholic Owls 57-50 and St. Maria Goretti defeated the Martinsburg Bulldogs, 34-23. Towson Catholic (1-4) will play Martinsburg (1-1) in the consolation game today at noon. Broadfording (10-2) faces St. Maria Goretti (6-3) in the championship game at 1:30.

HANCOCK - Hancock's Brad Spielman has a heck of an overhand right. Midway through the fourth quarter Thursday, the Berkeley Springs boys basketball team rallied from an eight-point deficit to threaten Hancock's lead at 38-35. Then in stepped Spielman and down went the Indians. Spielman, a senior forward, hit 6 of 7 shots from the foul line down the stretch and Dustin Jenkins finished 8 of 9 from the line to help Hancock hold off Berkeley Springs, 58-44. "This was a battle just like we thought it would be," Spielman said.

PREP SWIMMING Jefferson sweeps Martinsburg SHENANDOAH JUNCTION, W.Va. -- Jefferson's Tiffany Hamilton led the girls' 60-34 season-opening win over Martinsburg with wins in the 50-yard freestyle in 27.80 and the 100-yard freestyle in 1:01.41. Martinsburg (1-1) was led by Hannah Bush, who won the 100-yard butterfly in 1:06.34 and 100-yard backstroke in 1:08.51. Jefferson's boys opened the season with a 55-33 win over Martinsburg (1-1). Will Corly had wins in the 50-yard freestyle in 24.62 and 100-yard freestyle in 56.88.

The foul line was the difference as Williamsport beat South Hagerstown 48-41 Tuesday night in a Washington County boys basketball season opener. The Wildcats sank 17 of their 23 free throws, while the Rebels only made eight of their 18 foul shots. "We shot the ball pretty well from the foul line," Williamsport coach Scott Mowbray said. "We made seven out of 11 foul shots in the fourth quarter. " South coach Kevin Naylor said the free throw shooting affected the outcome of the game.

When all the numbers were in Saturday, there were only four that mattered to Hagerstown Community College women's basketball coach Marlys Palmer in the aftermath of her team's 49-45 loss to rival Allegany at the HCC athletic complex - 21, 59, 13 and 70. 21 - The Hawks shot a frigid 21 percent from the floor, allowing the Trojans to control the lead throughout the second half, even though HCC stayed within a handful of points. 59 - A season-low 12 of 21 performance (59 percent)

ST. JAMES - The St. Maria Goretti girls basketball team took advantage of its opportunities at the free throw line Wednesday, making 13 of their 17 foul shots in the fourth quarter to take a 40-28 victory over St. James in the season finale for both teams at Alumni Hall. "It was a good win for us, because it was the last game of the season," St. Maria Goretti coach Todd Rideout said. "It got down to the fourth quarter where we had to make foul shots. We shot about 70 percent from the foul line during the fourth quarter.

Williamsport boys basketball coach Scott Mowbray was gracious in defeat. “(South Carroll) used that half-court, run-and-jump defense against us,” he said. “We played a heck of a defensive game. I'm proud of our guys. Our problem today was on offense.” Anything else after that might have been bleeped - or whistled - out. The Wildcats came out on the short end of a tightly called game - being held to a total of five points in the even quarters - on Thursday as South Carroll pulled away for a 43-27 victory in the Maryland Class 2A West quarterfinals.

When the South Hagerstown cheering section yelled for defense, the Rebels' players were ready to answer. Showing a defense with superior quickness, hands going everywhere to disturb the opponent and a zone trap that left Linganore totally puzzled, No. 2 seed South Hagerstown romped to a 60-29 victory over the Lancers on Wednesday in the Maryland Class 3A West region semifinals. That sets up a meeting on Friday night at top-seed Damascus, which defeated Frederick on Wednesday 51-43, with the winner heading to UMBC for the state semifinals.

It was pretty much a struggle the entire night for the South Hagerstown boys basketball team on Friday. And the end wasn't any easier as Linganore squeezed out a 56-55 upset victory. “Due to the fact that we don't have any size, we are just getting outrebounded,” South Hagerstown coach Kevin Naylor said. “There was a mismatch down there in the paint. They could just turn around and lay it up.” Center Seth Myers scored eight consecutive points to help Linganore (4-16)

The Smithsburg boys basktball team almost let one get away, blowing a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter against Clear Spring. But the Leopards came back to pull out a 45-44 victory on Friday night in a MVAL Antietam boys basketball game. The Blazers grabbed a one-point lead before the Leopards made their move in the final seconds of the game. Point guard Kevin Gibson passed the ball to Cedric Barnes, who scored with six seconds remaining to put Smithsburg ahead. Clear Spring missed a long, desperation shot at the buzzer to seal the win for Smithsburg.

Staff Correspondent WAYNESBORO, Pa. - In a season of misfortune, the losses keep piling up. It was no different Friday as the Waynesboro girls basketball team took a first-quarter lead, only to let it slip away, eventually falling 49-32 to James Buchanan. The Rockets' Cheyenne Carbaugh was the key figure in the victory, dominating the paint and the offensive glass, to score 19 points - including 13 from the foul line. She started the effort by cleaning up the offensive glass early and often.

Katie Sprecher is on a mission for the Hagerstown Community College women's basketball team right now. There is nothing secret about it. Actually, it's all double talk. Sprecher was the steadying force for the undermanned Hawks with 19 points and 16 rebounds to lead Hagerstown to a 64-55 victory over visiting Howard Community College on Wednesday in a Maryland JuCo Conference game. “Katie's consistent,” said Hagerstown coach Vicky Bullett. “She loves to rebound. She's a beast in there.

Saturday, December 22, 2012 GIRLS BASKETBALL ROCK HILL, S.C. - Hedgesville jumped out to an early double-digit lead, then held on for a 78-74 victory over Olympic, from Charlotte, N.C., in the fifth-place game of the Y.C. Winborn Classic on Saturday. Lexi Taylor had another double-double, scoring 20 points and grabbing 11 rebounds for the Eagles. She was named to the all-tournament team. Carly Elliott led all scorers with 28 points and also grabbed eight rebounds, while Kristen Nunn had 19 points and nine assists for Hedgesville (5-3)

A flurry late in the first half put Clear Spring on the springboard to a 58-54 victory over Williamsport on Monday in the MVAL Antietam Conference opener for both teams. Ahead 21-16, Williamsport turned the basketball over on three consecutive occasions and Clear Spring converted to take a 22-21 lead with 26 seconds remaining in the half on a putback by Spencer Schultz. The Blazers led 24-21 at halftime, closing the second quarter on an 8-0 run. “We shot horribly in the first part of the first half,” Clear Spring coach Ryan Grabill said.

Hagerstown Community College scored six runs in the first inning and piled up 13 hits en route to a 16-6 victory over Chesapeake on Tuesday in a game that was shortened to seven innings due to the 10-run rule. “The offense had a great day,” HCC coach Scott Jennings said. “The first inning was huge. When you put up six runs in the first, it allows your pitcher to relax and makes everything easier.” Eric Schanzenbacher drove in the Hawks' first run with a single. Dylan Dunn doubled Schanzenbacher home to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead.

NORTH EAST, Md. - The 2011-12 season was like a magic carpet ride for the Hagerstown Community College women's basketball team. But on Sunday, the magic was gone and the Hawks were called on the carpet. HCC's offense went flat at the absolute worst time as poor shooting - even from the foul line - put an end to the season and Marlys Palmer's 33-year coaching stint in a 53-35 loss to Chesapeake in the Region XX championship game at Cecil College. “It just was not going to happen,” said Palmer.