York-Adams League weekend preview: Key winter matchups before holiday weekend

As Christmas weekend approaches, winter sports teams across the York-Adams League are dashing to finish their schedules before the break. After Friday night’s action, no local squads will compete until Tuesday as holiday celebrations become everyone’s top priority.

The games being played during these last few school days of 2022, however, aren’t something to gloss over. 

York-Adams wrestling teams are set for division matchups on Thursday, with basketball league games spread out across the back half of the week. Hanover and Fairfield played boys’ and girls’ games Wednesday, while multiple contests are still slated for Thursday. And while Friday’s hoops slate is lighter than it might usually be, there are several meetings of note.

Eight of this week’s nine division wrestling matches are set for Thursday night, with York Suburban’s 52-12 win Wednesday over Dover as the lone exception. Perhaps the biggest headliner is Spring Grove at Red Lion — the Rockets beat Central York and the Lions beat Dallastown last week to start 1-0 in Division I — but each match is still relevant in this early part of the season.

Aside from a bowling match between Kennard-Dale and York Tech, every contest on the York-Adams League’s Friday schedule is on the basketball court. So let’s look at those games and how division races are shaping up as teams prepare for the new year.

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BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Division I: Central York (4-2, 3-0) visits Spring Grove (4-2, 2-0) on Thursday with first place up for grabs. The Panthers’ three division wins have come by a combined seven points, but they could lead the standings by a game and a half with a win Thursday. 

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On Friday, Northeastern (4-5, 1-1) visits York High (3-2, 2-1) and South Western (2-5, 0-2) is at Dallastown (2-2, 1-2). Red Lion, which has lost to Central, York High and Dallastown to start 0-3 in the division (2-6 overall), won’t get a chance to change that until the calendar flips.

Division II: West York (4-2, 3-0) plays at Dover (0-7, 0-2) in a Thursday contest, while Eastern York (5-0, 2-0) travels to Susquehannock (4-2, 1-2) and New Oxford (2-5, 1-1) battles Kennard-Dale (2-3, 1-2) on Friday evening.

York Suburban held on for a 50-49 overtime win over Susquehannock on Tuesday, its first victory of the season. The Trojans (1-4, 1-2) host Manheim Central in a non-league contest Thursday.

Division III: Hanover picked up its first division win Wednesday, improving to 1-3 (3-4 overall) with a 54-23 home victory against Fairfield (1-5, 0-4). Friday’s headliner is reigning division champ York Catholic (4-1, 3-0) at Delone Catholic (6-1, 2-1), while York Tech (2-4, 2-1) visits Biglerville (2-5, 1-2).

Both Littlestown (5-2, 3-0) and Bermudian Springs (1-7, 1-2) will sit on their current division records until playing each other on Jan. 4, and their next games will come at holiday tournaments next week.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Division I: After Spring Grove (2-3, 2-0) takes on Central York (7-0, 3-0) on Thursday, it’s Dallastown (4-3, 2-1) at South Western (4-4, 0-2) and York High (3-3, 0-3) at New Oxford (2-5, 1-1) on Friday night. Red Lion (4-3, 1-2) hosts Warwick in a non-league game Thursday.

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Central has looked dominant thus far, winning every game by double digits and thumping Dallastown 60-24 last Friday. Like the boys’ team, these Panthers could either have a sizable lead or face a deficit depending on Thursday’s result.

Division II: Dover (3-4, 0-2) and West York (3-4, 2-1) will start their holiday weekends early after a Thursday contest. Friday brings an intriguing matchup between Susquehannock (4-1, 2-1) and Eastern York (4-1, 1-1), while Kennard-Dale (2-4, 0-3) visits first-place Northeastern (6-1, 2-0).

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This division could prove to be the deepest in the entire York-Adams League; four teams have just a single loss all season, and behind the Bobcats, four squads enter Thursday with just one D-II loss. York Suburban (4-1, 2-1) is part of that mix but doesn’t have a division game this weekend; the Trojans will instead host Lampeter-Strasburg on Friday.

Division III: Delone Catholic has been the division’s preeminent program for several years now, but can York Catholic change that this season? The question will be put to the test Friday when the Squirettes (6-1, 2-0) visit the Fighting Irish (4-0, 3-0) at 6 p.m. Both teams have rolled through division play, and Delone’s only loss came on opening weekend against reigning Class 6A champion Plymouth-Whitemarsh.

Hanover (4-3, 2-1) picked up a narrow 40-35 win over Fairfield (4-3, 1-3) on Wednesday. Littlestown (0-8, 0-3) visits Bermudian Springs (4-4, 1-1) on Friday, while Biglerville (3-4, 1-2) has a non-league contest at York Tech.