Author: Penn Points Staff

“I’m so sorry.”

Those words were senior Penn Manor tennis player, Holly Mancinelli’s, to her head coach, Diane Vickers, after losing one of her matches.  But so far this season, this has been a repeat story of Penn Manor girls’ tennis.

Having only one returning varsity starter from last year may have something to do with it.

Penn Manor hopes to improve on their record (currently 1-4) by “working hard” but yet “having a good time because that’s half of it too,” Vickers said.

On top of the list at number one, and the lone returning varsity starter from a year ago, is Janine Haberstroh. Last year she was number three on the team and shot up to one after four of the top five girls, Brittney Miller, Sydney Durenburger, Alissa Zikmund and Christi Wertz left Penn Manor as seniors last June.

Although Haberstroh may have a lot on her shoulders, head coach Diane Vickers has high hopes for her top player.

“She should be able to do very well,” Vickers said, noting she has a 2-1 record so far in both singles and doubles.

At number two on the team is senior Maeve Snyder, who played junior varsity tennis last year and has earned three total wins this season – one in singles, two in doubles.

Next on the list is Mancinelli, working hard, but waiting to post her first win so far in the season.

“She needs to step up and win some,” Vickers said, knowing that Penn Manor’s schedule ahead is challenging – especially with Manheim Township and Hempfield “right at the end.”

“Those are the two big ones,” Vickers said, referring to Township and Hempfield who are at the end of Penn Manor’s season, a season that is very short with multiple matches mashed into a short amount of time.

Vickers said it is “hard to breathe” with two or three matches a week and still practice in the meantime.

At number four sits Natasha Fletcher, twin sister of Morgan Fletcher (who also plays and is just out of the top five).

Vickers said of Natasha: “she’s doing well” and has earned herself one doubles win although still looking for a singles win this season.

Ella Perry won her challenge matches against Elena Hart, Laura Revelt and Morgan Fletcher, who all round out the top ten, to earn the fifth and final varsity spot. Those challenge match wins against her own teammates are her only wins so far this season.

All top five varsity players are seniors this year so, again, there will be a lot of empty spaces to fill a year from now.

The sixth and seventh spots belong to junior Emily Sisson, and freshman Katie Carle.   Carle  has become a “pleasant surprise” in Vickers’ eyes, and is one the top freshman on the team. A glimpse of hope for the near future?

Vickers believes so.

By Alex Geli

The Comets lost to a tough opponent last Friday, Lampeter-Strasburg, but Penn Manor’s football coach has a solution to every problem.

Head coach Todd Mealy said his team must be ready this Friday night.  He plans to work hard this week to ensure that happens.

The Penn Manor football team started off the season with a win at Solanco. After that win, the team felt confident. Feeling prepared for their first home game, the Comets came out Sept. 10 under the lights ready to beat Lampeter-Strasburg.

But it didn’t happen.

Instead, they lost, and badly, 44-7.

“We have no choice but to move on,” said head football coach, Todd Mealy.

One way the Comets plan to move forward this week is by practicing hard until Friday night, according to assistant coach Gordon Eck. He also said one unsung hero, Kevin Kann, Penn Manor’s wide receiver and safety, is going to be a leader all week during practice.

Mealy agreed.  “Kevin is not too loud of a player, but he leads by good example.”

The Comets were confident coming into the L-S game.  The game kicked off, and within 12 seconds L-S was on the board. Penn Manor struggled to get it going but in the second quarter, Teon Lee scored. Lee’s touchdown wasn’t enough the Comets lost 44-7.

“Lampeter-Strasburg is quite a good football team, but it wasn’t our best effort,” said Mealy.

Mealy also pointed to Kann as a quiet but strong player.

In typical style, Kann, a senior, was modest.

Kann said, “I just like to work hard and it seems to get everyone going the right way.”

Kann said he is the type of player that when people screw off in practice he will speak up and get them focused again.

Kann recalls his best moment in football was when he picked off a pass at the end of the Solanco game this year to shut down the offense and turn the momentum toward the Comets.

Another player who is looking forward to Friday night is Teon Lee.

Lee said, “ We’re going to come back this week and practice more, play harder, and get ready.”

Lee’s plan to beat Dallastown is simple.

“Do what we gotta do, I’m going to have a big game,” said Lee. “Whatever comes my way is getting picked, we’re gonna be prepared come Friday.”

The Comets said fans should look forward to a hard fought game come Friday, when they head to Dallastown to take on the Wildcats.

By Brian Dunne and Tyler Funk

Expectations are always high for Penn Manor field hockey and its coach, Matt Soto.

State champs in 2008, and 2009 district-three champions, Coach Soto and the Comets hope to repeat their success.

“Our expectations are always the same every year. To play excellent field hockey, to win every game and be the best program around,” Soto said.

That shouldn’t be too hard considering they are replete with athletic talent, according to Soto.

“All of our players are fast, strong and capable players,” Soto said.

Senior co-captain Katie Breneman said the team’s strengths are that “we work as a team and we all get along.”

Breneman described the privilege of being named a captain on the team, “It’s an honor to be a captain. I have to be a good role model for the younger players and help lead them to be their best.”

Madelyn Hess, a senior for the field hockey squad, has already scored three goals and one assist in five games. Even though she’s not a captain, she looks to be one of the key leaders on the field this year.

“The whole summer we had Monday, Wednesday and Friday workouts. We lifted weights, ran and played a lot of field hockey. I feel like it’s really paid off,” Hess said.

“We have a ton of great players on this team. It’s ridiculous how committed and dedicated our girls really are,” Soto said.

The field hockey team is off to a great start, 5-0 in conference and non-conference play, with wins over Cocalico (extremely strong in section-2 this year), Lehighton, Conestoga Valley, Elizabethtown and Wilson.

By Jessen Smith

Jessen Smith, number 50 on the Penn Manor squad, recounts what it was like preparing for the upcoming season.

When Coach Mealy made the 2009 football season’s motto “Building Tradition,” it was for a reason. I would know, I’m experiencing it.

Being a senior on the football team comes with a lot of pressure as well as responsibility. Coming from two back-to-back stellar seasons, expectations are high for us and we know it.  We’re aiming for tradition, alright, a tradition of winning.

As the 2010 school year was winding down, we began spring practice. For two-and-a-half weeks, three hours a day after school we learned the offense and defense. Coach Mealy expressed to us how fast the year would go and the need for us to savor every single practice, game and play. It’s amazing how much we progressed through the spring, entering the summer.

School ended abruptly on June 10, at that point football consumed my life. I personally didn’t go on a vacation all summer for this reason. Three days a week for three hours we lifted weights, and continued to learn about the game, and we conditioned ourselves. Did I mention conditioning? It was a brutal, hot summer and conditioning just added to the grocery list of stuff I had to do. It may not seem like much, but it became my life, and my main focus. This continued all summer until two-a-days began.

The two-a-days season is the most crucial part of the year. Progression is key! It now becomes a football boot camp, 8 am to 6 pm every day. As I entered practice each  day, fatigued and drowsy from the day before, I still knew it will be worth it. Our team of 42, which is unusually small for high school division 4-AAAA football, made progress. At the same time, we weeded out those who were not fully committed to our goals, or as coach Mealy would say, “their hearts aren’t in it.” Our goals are to be better than we were the year before and at least win a section title, which we haven’t done ever in our history. For this to be accomplished, everyone must be on board and completely committed. As a senior, my job is to lead by example and make sure everyone is always focused and getting better.

During the two-a-day time period, we had two scrimmages. These are our “auditions” of sorts. These also are to get the kinks out before our first game, our first real test, Solanco. Everyone young and old gets a chance to prove who really wants it, and who should be starting at each position. I can’t ever be satisfied with how I perform, because I know I can always do better. Yet, I did pretty well and earned my starting spots at offensive tackle and defensive end.

The school bell rings for the first day of school on August 30, and our season begins. The first week of regular practice begins and we are also in class, which is part of our responsibility. One of our goals as football players is to not only be leaders on the field, but off the field as well. As a team rule, we must sit in the first three rows of our classes, and we have to maintain passing grades to continue to play. Having to do well in my classes as well as maintain focus on football is a real challenge.

As Friday night football approaches, the tension increases and so does the intensity. Everyone buckles down. We know we have a job to do, to win on Friday night. Every day goes by  like a flash as it gets closer and closer, and soon enough it will be Friday night, my senior and last year of Penn Manor football, what I have been waiting for my entire life.

by Jessen Smith

To learn more about the team, read this story: https://www.pennpoints.net/?p=5784