One of Hempfield's objectives this season was to beef up its nonleague schedule.

The Black Knights figured a rougher road in December would make them tougher come February.

The first test, a trip to West York, was passed with relative ease Friday night.

Christian Walck scored 23 points and Zach Sheetz added 19 as Hempfield posted a 66-56 victory in boys' basketball play.

It was a positive initial step for the team most consider the favorite to win the Lancaster-Lebanon League.

"We came in here and we knew this was one of the hardest places to play on this side of the state," Walck said. "We scheduled them on purpose. If you look at our schedule, it's probably the best around the league. This was a big win."

West York has claimed three York County championships and one District Three Class AAA title since 2005. The Bulldogs are particularly imposing at home, where they lost only one game last season.

Coach Bill Ackerman has trouble getting out-of-town teams to pay his school a visit. The Bulldogs play in a quirky gym with a huge stack of bleachers behind one of the baskets. They also draw big crowds.

Ackerman, a Manheim Township alum, called Hempfield coach Warren Goodling during the offseason to see if the Knights were interested in a tip-off game.

Hempfield said yes.

"It's a good atmosphere," Goodling said. "The fans sit on top. Their style is unique. You've got to be ready to play the first night, so I was happy."

In the preseason talk, Hempfield was billed as a bigger, more athletic group than the one that finished 21-3 overall and went undefeated in L-L League play last season.

That description proved accurate Friday night.

Hempfield played a more uptempo style than it has in the recent past. The Knights used a 14-2 run in the span of just 2:52 of the third and fourth quarters to break the game open. They went from leading by two points to leading 58-44 with six minutes left.

West York never pulled closer than seven points down the stretch.

Following a rare home defeat, Ackerman was asked what he liked about this Hempfield team.

"I don't like that they're that big and strong and can shoot," he joked. "I like that I don't have to play them again.

"They are a typical Warren Goodling-coached team. They're physical. They're tough-minded. They can shoot the ball and they execute very well. … I think you can probably expect big things from them."

Hempfield is more versatile in the frontcourt and should get valuable production from the rotation of Taylor McDuffie, Mike Uehlein and Lee Eckert.

McDuffie, a 6-5 senior, scored eight points and grabbed seven rebounds Friday night. He's a first-year starter who played limited minutes off the bench last season. Eckert, a 6-4, 270-pound varsity newcomer, grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

While the big men did their part, guards always dominate the show for Hempfield. Walck scored 10 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter. Sheetz drilled 5 of 10 attempts from behind the 3-point arc.

Hempfield's nonleague schedule has a few more potential pitfalls ahead. The Knights have road games against North Catholic in Philadelphia and Pocono Mountain East in Pottsville in December before a date with Lancaster Catholic in January. blog comments powered by Disqus