(The entire Lancaster team shaved their heads for the cancer fundraiser 'Bald for Bucks')

 

A lot of hard work over the last couple weeks, combined with an inspired performance from the boys varsity basketball team, made it a special night in Lancaster on Thursday.  Senior class advisor, Lynne Ruda, organizes an annual cancer fundraiser at the high school.  At halftime of the varsity basketball game against Frontier last night, the total amount raised was announced – over $19,000.

 

The varsity boys team at Lancaster all participated in the 'Bald for Bucks' fundraiser yesterday, as each member of the team had their head shaved.  The coaches also got in the act, with head varsity coach John Otto taking a seat at center court prior to the game where all in attendance could watch his locks fall to the ground.

 

"They did the 'Bald for Bucks' last year, but it was just a school thing.  Lancaster head coach John Otto said.  "We tried to incorporate our team into it and make it a whole day event.  It worked out really well and we're going to try to keep this going".

 

With a fresh new look, Otto and his team took on Frontier in a rematch of a game the Redskins had lost earlier in the season when they visited the Falcons.  This time around, Lancaster set the tempo and got contributions from several players on its deep and athletic squad, to pull away with a convincing 76-58 win.

 

The teams played a super fast-paced first quarter.  The Redskins relentless energy was matched by some hot shooting from the Falcons.  Lancaster got scoring from eight different players in the game's first eight minutes, while the Falcons connected from downtown on three different occasions during that span.  Lancaster built an 11-point lead at one point in the second quarter, but Frontier's Jake Gleason closed out the half by completing a three-point play, cutting the Redskin halftime lead to 36-29.

 

Midway through the third quarter with the Falcons trailed by eight points, Jay Bergmann drilled consecutive 3-pointers to get Frontier to within a bucket, 44-42, prompting a Lancaster timeout.  The Redskins found the right adjustments during that session and closed the quarter on a 14-2 run, highlighted by a trey from Collin Murray and six points over the stanza's final two minutes from sophomore LG Castillo.  Lancaster took a 58-44 lead into the final quarter.

 

"They made a little run in the third and got it to within two, so I called timeout and we went over some easy adjustments against their press and just made stronger passes and protected the ball", Otto said.

 

The closest Frontier would get the rest of the way was within 12 points, as Lancaster's depth was on full display with fresh bodies continually checking in and persisting with a full speed pace.

 

The Redskins got scoring from 12 different players on the evening, led by 13 points from Tyler Lis.  Alex Konst & Castillo each scored 11 points, while Murray added 10 points.

 

Bergmann, Dave Estrada, and Jake Gleason alll netted 13 points each for the Falcons in the loss.

 

-centercourt