Warwick vs. Hempfield - L-L League girls basketball
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Warwick’s Sophia Dombach (1) puts up a shot against Hempfield during second-half action of an L-L League girls basketball game at Hempfield High School’s Buchanan Gymnasium in Landisville Monday Jan. 15, 2024.

 CHRIS KNIGHT | Staff Photographer

It’s been a couple of years since we’ve had a mass PPD day because of snow. No games Tuesday. So while you’re digging through your closet looking for your galoshes so you can go out and shovel, here’s a refresher course about the L-L League girls basketball section chases — the top two finishers in each section make the league tournament — and the District 3 playoff-bid hunt, as we’ve hit mid-January …

SECTION 1

OUT FRONT: Lebanon (4-1 league, 13-2 overall) and Manheim Township (4-1, 11-2) share the lead. All tied up with the stretch drive approaching quickly.

CHASE PACK: Hempfield (3-2, 6-8), Cedar Crest (2-3, 11-5), McCaskey (1-4, 6-8) and Penn Manor (1-4, 2-13).

Lebanon’s remaining section games: @ Manheim Township, McCaskey, Cedar Crest, Penn Manor, @ Hempfield.

Manheim Township’s remaining section games: Lebanon, Hempfield, @ McCaskey, Cedar Crest, @ Penn Manor.

SKINNY: Lebanon at Manheim Township on Friday; winner there surely has the inside track on the section crown — which the Cedars are trying to defend. They’ve certainly found their groove; Lebanon toppled Hershey Monday for its 11th straight win. Manheim Township has won four games in a row. … Hempfield is still hanging around on the 3-line; Black Knights still get one more stab at the leaders. They beat Manheim Township the first time around, and finish up league play vs. Lebanon. Don’t count out Hempfield just yet.

KEY KID: Lebanon junior jack-rabbit Kailah Correa is averaging 19.0 points with nine 3-pointers in the last nine games. She had five 20-point games over that clip, including a season-high 27 points in a win over Cedar Crest. Correa makes the Cedars go; she's at 1,316 career points, and is on pace for 2K.

DISTRICT 3 RACE: Top 12 go in Class 6A. Lebanon (No. 6), Manheim Township (No. 7) and Cedar Crest (No. 10) are all inside the bubble. Work to do for Hempfield (No. 15), McCaskey (No. 17) and Penn Manor (No. 25).

SECTION 2

OUT FRONT: Ephrata (5-0, 10-2) and Manheim Central (4-1, 9-5) are neck and neck in the backstretch.

CHASE PACK: Warwick (3-2, 5-9), Conestoga Valley (2-3, 6-8), Elizabethtown (2-3, 3-11), Garden Spot (2-3, 3-11) and Solanco (0-6, 1-11).

Ephrata’s remaining section games: @ Elizabethtown, @ Garden Spot, @ Solanco, Manheim Central, @ Conestoga Valley; Warwick, Elizabethtown.

Manheim Central's remaining section games: @ Warwick, Elizabethtown, Conestoga Valley, Garden Spot, @ Ephrata, @ Solanco, Warwick.

SKINNY: Go ahead and circle Manheim Central at Ephrata on Jan. 30. The section title should/could be up for grabs that night, as the Barons try and defend the crown. Ephrata rallied for a win in Manheim in their first meeting, and these teams are on a collision course for Round 2 later this month. … Warwick is on the 3-line, and the Warriors still have two games to go vs. Manheim Central, which has won three straight. Warwick could be a factor. Tread lightly.

KEY KID: Ephrata PG Marie McCracken (9.8) is firmly establishing herself as one of the top lead guards in the league — 12 games into her sophomore season. End line to end line, with the ball in her hands, there aren’t many players in the league quicker than McCracken. She’s been using her wheels to kick-start the Mounts’ transition game.

DISTRICT 3 RACE: In Class 6A, where 12 teams get playoff tickets, Ephrata (No. 9) is safely inside the bubble, while Conestoga Valley (No. 20) has some heavy lifting to do. … In Class 5A, where 14 teams make it, Manheim Central (No. 9) and Warwick (No. 14) are safe; the Warriors are directly on the cut line, so they’ll need to keep accumulating wins. … Elizabethtown (No. 26), Garden Spot (No. 27) and Solanco (No. 28) are in spoiler mode. But that’s not always a terrible mode to be in.

L-L LEAGUE GIRLS BASKETBALL STANDINGS, STATS, SCHEDULES

SECTION 3

OUT FRONT: Lancaster Catholic (5-0, 11-1) and Northern Lebanon (4-1, 12-2) are setting the pace.

CHASE PACK: Cocalico (2-2, 7-6), Elco (1-3, 6-7), Lampeter-Strasburg (1-3, 4-8) and Donegal (0-4, 5-10).

Lancaster Catholic’s remaining section games: @ Donegal, Cocalico, @ Lampeter-Strasburg, Elco, Northern Lebanon.

Northern Lebanon’s remaining section games: @ Cocalico, @ Elco, Donegal, @ Lancaster Catholic, Lampeter-Strasburg.

SKINNY: Lancaster Catholic has won seven games in a row, and the Crusaders’ L-L League section winning streak is at 74 straight, dating back to 2017. … Fun fact: Catholic is angling for its seventh straight section championship and (gulp) 27th overall. … Northern Lebanon is on the Crusaders’ heels; the Vikings fell to Catholic in Fredericksburg the first time around, and the rematch Feb. 2 in Lancaster should/could settle the race. Circle that one. … Cocalico is charging; Eagles have won five in a row, and they’ll get one more crack against Catholic and NL. … Catholic still has tricky nonleague dates against Albertus Magnus (New York), Berks Catholic, Central York, Eastern York and Bishop Shanahan.

KEY KID: Lancaster Catholic senior slasher Rylee Kraft needs 50 points for 1,000 in her career. So that countdown clock is ticking. The Shippensburg recruit is averaging 11.6 points with five treys, and she can slither through traffic and get to the rim with the best of them.

DISTRICT 3 RACE: In Class 3A, where the top six go, Lancaster Catholic is at No. 1 and looking to seal the top spot; Crusaders are the defending D3 champs, after winning their record-tying 20th title last year. … In 4A, where 10 teams get in, Northern Lebanon (No. 3) — behind undefeated defending champ Wyomissing and 1-loss Delone Catholic — is safely inside the bubble. Meanwhile, Elco (No. 13) has some work to do; the Raiders are 1-7 since their 5-0 getaway. … In 5A, Cocalico (No. 10) is inside the 14-team bubble; Lampeter-Strasburg (No. 15) is one spot out, while Donegal (No. 17) has some work to do.

SECTION 4

OUT FRONT: Columbia (4-0, 8-4) and Pequea Valley (5-1, 12-1) are the hunted.

CHASE PACK: Annville-Cleona (3-2, 7-7), Lancaster Country Day (3-3, 4-6), Lancaster Mennonite (2-3, 7-5), Linden Hall (0-3, 0-5) and Octorara (0-4 2-9) are hunting.

Columbia’s remaining section games: Lancaster Mennonite, @ Lancaster Country Day, @ Annville-Cleona, @ Linden Hall, Linden Hall, @ Pequea Valley, @ Octorara, @ Lancaster Mennonite.

Pequea Valley’s remaining section games: Octorara, Linden Hall, @ Lancaster Mennonite, Lancaster Country Day, Columbia, Annville-Cleona, @ Octorara.

SKINNY: Tuesday’s Columbia at Pequea Valley showdown was PPD, and the Crimson Tide will now visit the Braves in Kinzers on Feb. 2. … That will be Columbia’s third game in as many days. Quirk in the scheduling during that clip: The Tide will play Linden Hall on back-to-back nights — Jan. 31 in Lititz and Feb. 1 in Columbia — before hoofing it to PV. … Columbia is out to defend its title; gotta believe that PV game should settle it. Tide beat the Braves in their first meeting.

KEY KID: PV lefty shooter Katie Stoltzfus has been on a scoring tear; she’s at 12.4 points with 14 3-pointers in the last seven games — all victories for the Braves.

DISTRICT 3 RACE: In Class 3A (top six go) Pequea Valley (No. 2) and Columbia (No. 3) are on Lancaster Catholic’s heels. Annville-Cleona (No. 10) is on the outside looking in. … In 2A, Lancaster Mennonite (No. 2) and Lancaster Country Day (No. 4) are inside the 4-team bubble.

TWITTER-X: @JeffReinhart77

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