LANCASTER – No L-L League girls' basketball teams clinched section championships on Thursday night.
But there were a couple of items settled.
Here are the highlights …
SECTION 1
Manheim Township 68, Penn Manor 44
Hempfield 47, Cedar Crest 33
McCaskey 40, Warwick 39
Manheim Township improved to 13-0 in league games and has clinched at least a tie for its third Section 1 championship in a row. The Blue Streaks (16-2) have a 3-game lead over Hempfield (10-3, 14-4) with three games to go in the regular season. One more Streaks' win or one more Knights' loss and Township locks up the section title outright. More impressively, the Streaks are angling for their third undefeated section championship in a row. With its victory Thursday, Hempfield clinched no worse than second place, so the top two from Section 1 are settled for the league playoffs: Township and Hempfield. Just down to the order – and seeing if the Streaks can make it 48-0 over three seasons.
SECTION 2
Cocalico 61, Conestoga Valley 25
Ephrata 49, Elizabethtown 34
Solanco 42, Lebanon 40
Cocalico (11-2, 14-3) inched closer to at least clinching a tie for the section title, winning its fifth game in a row, while Ephrata (10-3, 14-5) remained right on the Eagles' heels, just a game back. Ephrata visits Cocalico on Friday, February 1, and that's looking more and more like it'll be for all the Section 2 marbles. An Ephrata win and we could be staring at a 1-game playoff. Hey, a long way to go. This has been the most fascinating race, and it'll likely go down to February 5. Stay tuned. FYI: Solanco (8-5, 11-7) and Elizabethtown (7-6, 9-9) are both still mathematically alive.
SECTION 3
Lampeter-Strasburg 51, Elco 28
Northern Lebanon 47, Garden Spot 38
Manheim Central 32, Donegal 27
Lampeter-Strasburg (12-1, 17-1) maintained its 2-game lead over Northern Lebanon compliments of a 23-point runaway over Elco (8-5, 11-8), which slipped 4-back in the race. The Vikings (10-3, 13-6) continue to hang in there with Emily Brandt and Morgan Phillips out with knee injuries. With its win over Elco, L-S wrapped up a league playoff spot; the Pioneers can finish no worse than second in the race. FYI: Northern Lebanon at L-S on the last night of league play on February 5. Circle that one.
SECTION 4
Lancaster Catholic 64, Lebanon Catholic 43
Annville-Cleona 44, Pequea Valley 28
Lancaster Mennonite 59, Columbia 43
Lancaster Catholic (13-0, 17-0) locked up the outright Section 4 title on Tuesday, leaving the Section 4 race for second place. Annville-Cleona (8-5, 11-8) locked up at least a tie for second place on Thursday compliments of its win over Pequea Valley and Lancaster Catholic's win over Lebanon Catholic (5-8, 9-9). One more A-C win or one more Beavers' loss and the Little Dutchmen clinch second place outright.
JEFF REINHART: jreinhart@pennlive.com
ON TWITTER: @JeffReinhartPN