Section Opener - Manheim Central

I've been searching for a creative way to describe the Manheim Central game.  All I can come up with is the extremely descriptive word "Weird."  The game was just weird. 

The Donegal High School gym was packed and full of energy as section play opened the new year.  In the pregame speech, Coach Butt dubbed it, "The biggest game of our season so far."  If there is one thing I've learned in my 3+ seasons under Coach, it's this: In section play, the game is often defined by which team wants it more, for the majority of the 32 minutes.  Both teams know each other, inside and out; the playbook and the personnel.  In the end, it truely comes down to heart and desire to win.

Ask anyone involved in the Donegal v. Manheim Central games to prognosticate the play...I guarantee the predictions will mention ugly.  This game was no different.

The Indians opened the game flat, a trend that has plagued the team all season.  This time it was almost flatter than flat, almost somewhere over the rainbow, Kansas flat.  Donegal had managed only 3 points after 6 minutes of play, and ended the first quarter down 10-8.  Was there an over/under on the ugly line?

The Barons extended their lead early in the second quarter and eventually spread the floor by running a 4-Corner offensive set.  The Indians responded by turning up the pressure defensively.  Drake Brumfield's on-the-ball defense forced a turnover as a Central Guard pushed off and warranted a player control foul.  For the moment, the long awaited emotion found its way into the Donegal players.  The Indians went on a run of their own, capped by a Jason Dietrich three-pointer at the buzzer to send the game to halftime deadlocked at 20. 

This was the second time this season the Indians made a big bucket going into the locker room.  The players would need to carry the emotion with them into the second half to force the Barons back on their heels. 

The second half found the Barron's as the team with the emotion and the fire in their play.  They stormed into the third quarter by forcing the Indians into difficult shots and more sloppy, turnover-filled play.  All of the Indians' hard work to get back into the game was all for not as Central led by 7 going into the final quarter of play.

Donegal, facing adversity yet again, put together a spirited run to close the gap, but Central sealed the victory from the charity stripe.  The final score: MC - 56, Donegal - 47.

I haven't really mentioned anything about the JV team's season up until this point.  It should be noted that Martin Dietrich scored the game winning field goal as time expired to lead the JV's to a 2 point victory.