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Spring is finally, finally here.
The final stretch of games for winter sports have wrapped up with the YAIAA's exit from the state basketball tournaments, which means the conference's spring sports now take center stage.
It's an exciting feeling, isn't it? There's so much potential in the air. The season's only getting started and yet I can't help but ride the high from winter playoffs a little longer. Baseball was the sport I clung to most when I was a kid, so perhaps that has something to do with it. Regardless, baseball is in the air, and I couldn't be more excited.
Here's this week's Monday Morning Coming Down.
YAIAA media day | 'Big Hoss' and coaching dinosaurs: Fun facts about YAIAA spring teams
YAIAA spring tracker | Scores, schedules for March 17-22
West York was the final YAIAA team standing after it advanced to the 5A boys state quarterfinals last Friday. Hershey might have delivered the final blow to its season, but West York should be proud of the year nonetheless. It hadn't won a state tournament game in 18 years up to that point and had only made two appearances since then. Breaking both of those skids in one year with a roster as young as it had is praiseworthy in and of itself.
In fact, every team that concluded their seasons last week deserves a moment in the sun. Eastern York sent out its bulky senior class with an appearance in the second round of states, and Central York graduates its two most prolific scorers in program history. York Catholic followed up its first district title in five years with a close fight in the quarterfinals, and York Suburban fought through a bitter overtime in its own second round matchup.
Last week wasn't exactly how the league might have wanted to end its stint in winter sports, but having that many teams reach either the second round or the quarterfinals does speak to the level of talent in the league this year.
We're a bit past the start date, but the baseball season is officially underway. While the bulk of the schedule begins tonight, a few teams have gotten moving early. Eastern York, New Oxford and Delone Catholic all played their first games on Friday, while York High inaugurated its new season on Saturday.
There's a few intraleague matchups to follow this week. The one to keep up with early, however, might be Northeastern's season opener with Hempfield. The Bobcats return a lot of talent this season, and it'll be interesting to see how they fare against the Black Knights, who finished first in the Lancaster-Lebanon League last year and only lost three players to graduation.
It's been a while since I've written one of these, but I've temporarily revived it to note my excursion on Tuesday afternoon to cover Eastern York's second round bout with Devon Prep at Pottstown.
The concession stand there was running a deal − two slices of pizza for $2 flat. When's the last time you could get a deal like that in this economy? The pizza wasn't anything special − I never caught the brand the school had brought in − but at that price I wasn't one to complain. Especially since I'd forgotten to eat lunch or dinner before the 90-minute trek to the game, and my stomach was on the verge of eating itself from hunger.
Either way, I'll take two average slices of pizza for pocket change over something extravagant that burns a hole in my wallet. Pottstown had me covered, and it'll do the same for you if you find yourself over there for whatever reason.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Monday Morning Coming Down: Welcome in the first week of spring sports
Continue reading...
The final stretch of games for winter sports have wrapped up with the YAIAA's exit from the state basketball tournaments, which means the conference's spring sports now take center stage.
It's an exciting feeling, isn't it? There's so much potential in the air. The season's only getting started and yet I can't help but ride the high from winter playoffs a little longer. Baseball was the sport I clung to most when I was a kid, so perhaps that has something to do with it. Regardless, baseball is in the air, and I couldn't be more excited.
Here's this week's Monday Morning Coming Down.
YAIAA media day | 'Big Hoss' and coaching dinosaurs: Fun facts about YAIAA spring teams
YAIAA spring tracker | Scores, schedules for March 17-22
Adieu to winter
West York was the final YAIAA team standing after it advanced to the 5A boys state quarterfinals last Friday. Hershey might have delivered the final blow to its season, but West York should be proud of the year nonetheless. It hadn't won a state tournament game in 18 years up to that point and had only made two appearances since then. Breaking both of those skids in one year with a roster as young as it had is praiseworthy in and of itself.
In fact, every team that concluded their seasons last week deserves a moment in the sun. Eastern York sent out its bulky senior class with an appearance in the second round of states, and Central York graduates its two most prolific scorers in program history. York Catholic followed up its first district title in five years with a close fight in the quarterfinals, and York Suburban fought through a bitter overtime in its own second round matchup.
Last week wasn't exactly how the league might have wanted to end its stint in winter sports, but having that many teams reach either the second round or the quarterfinals does speak to the level of talent in the league this year.
Kicking off YAIAA baseball season
We're a bit past the start date, but the baseball season is officially underway. While the bulk of the schedule begins tonight, a few teams have gotten moving early. Eastern York, New Oxford and Delone Catholic all played their first games on Friday, while York High inaugurated its new season on Saturday.
There's a few intraleague matchups to follow this week. The one to keep up with early, however, might be Northeastern's season opener with Hempfield. The Bobcats return a lot of talent this season, and it'll be interesting to see how they fare against the Black Knights, who finished first in the Lancaster-Lebanon League last year and only lost three players to graduation.
Concessional confessional
It's been a while since I've written one of these, but I've temporarily revived it to note my excursion on Tuesday afternoon to cover Eastern York's second round bout with Devon Prep at Pottstown.
The concession stand there was running a deal − two slices of pizza for $2 flat. When's the last time you could get a deal like that in this economy? The pizza wasn't anything special − I never caught the brand the school had brought in − but at that price I wasn't one to complain. Especially since I'd forgotten to eat lunch or dinner before the 90-minute trek to the game, and my stomach was on the verge of eating itself from hunger.
Either way, I'll take two average slices of pizza for pocket change over something extravagant that burns a hole in my wallet. Pottstown had me covered, and it'll do the same for you if you find yourself over there for whatever reason.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Monday Morning Coming Down: Welcome in the first week of spring sports
Continue reading...
