Antietam’s remarkable season met an unfortunate conclusion on Friday evening with a 50-30 defeat to Lancaster Mennonite in a District 3 Class 2A boys basketball semifinal. The Mounts, champions of Berks IV with a 12-12 record, clashed with the Blazers (16-7) in the District 3 tournament for the fourth consecutive year. Regrettably, Lancaster Mennonite emerged triumphant once again, having previously bested Antietam in the Class 2A final for the past three years, with the Blazers also securing the PIAA title in 2023.
Coach Mike Green of Antietam expressed his astonishment and pride in the team’s performance, stating, “It was a tremendous year. I never anticipated that we would win the division this year. Frankly, I thought Oley would emerge victorious based on the return of experienced players. I believed that we were a year away from claiming the title, but the team surprised me. It has been a successful season.”
The game took a turn in the third quarter as the Mounts experienced a scoring drought, allowing Lancaster Mennonite to embark on a 9-0 run, spearheaded by Cody Fisher, who scored a game-high 11 points for the Blazers. Despite the efforts of Julious Williams, who contributed a team-high seven points and secured 10 rebounds for Antietam, the team was limited to just four points in the third quarter and faced a 39-22 deficit heading into the final quarter.
Looking ahead, Coach Green remains optimistic and believes that the depth and competitive spirit within the team will propel Antietam into the next season. With only one senior departing from the squad, there is hope and promise for the future, as Green explained, “I think there’s a lot of hope and promise moving forward. Not just my players on the court, but my bench is also solid. I could bring those players up and obtain substantial playing time from them. I challenge them. I say, ‘If you want to start and you want to play, you have to earn those positions.’ That’s the reality. I believe that the competition within the team on a day-to-day basis truly contributes.”
Though the defeat may have signalled the end of the season, the determination and resilience demonstrated by the Antietam team sets a promising tone for their future endeavours.