The Potomac Highlands Dispatch - the online newspaper

Spartans send Trojans packing in 79-52 shellacking
* Hawley nets 17 points, Quincy Redmon tallies 15 points, 15 rebounds
* Bishop Walsh leads by as many as 37 points in dominating victory
JV: BW finishes off Hampshire with 13-5 run in last four minutes

By The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
CUMBERLAND, Dec. 20 - Top-ranked Bishop Walsh broke huddle at the start of the third quarter with a very real - and poignant - message.

"Don't let up!" they screamed in unison as five players headed to the court; the others to the bench coach Bob Boyle used liberally this night.

One might figure, being up by 19 points at the time, that the Spartans had nothing to worry about. Decidedly still on the team's collective mind, however, was the 16-point lead they held over Allegany about 72 hours prior to that point.

The Campers rallied - Bishop Walsh was limited to a measly four points in the fourth quarter - and forced the game into double overtime, only to lose by four points.

This time, there was nothing for Boyle to worry about as No. 1 Bishop Walsh on Monday trounced visiting Hampshire, 79-52, in an Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference game in Cumberland.

The Spartans (2-1, 2-1 AMAC) opened the third quarter with a 10-0 run over the first three minutes and 34 seconds. The need to stay focused was realized when Boyle called timeout a minute later - after Hampshire (2-2, 1-1) had scored only its second field goal of the period.

"We cut down on turnovers," Boyle said. "That's been plaguing us the last two games."

That wasn't an issue Monday. The Spartans had only 11 turnovers - and those opportunities were not converted into points for the road team. In addition, Boyle noted his team's fast break-style offense finally hit its stride in the third game of the season.

"We are an excellent fast-breaking team," Boyle said. "And tonight, they really proved it."

Boyle said the Spartans returned to the court the very next day after their 60-56 double overtime win at Allegany. There's a reason for that. Boyle said his team needs to "learn to finish the game."

"My team's young," said Boyle, whose Spartans have just four seniors - team leader Dylan D'Atri and Richard Mann along with reserves Dylan Dunn and Adam Rossi. "We only have one, sometimes two seniors on the floor most of the time together. So they have to learn to win. They have to learn to finish the game. I think that's what we worked on Saturday."

Mann, who finished with 14 points and four assists, said the Spartans came into Monday's game with "a lot of energy."

"We took that straight into the first half," Mann said. "We learned from our mistakes in the last game."

Boyle said his players were pumped for Hampshire's arrival despite the emotional and physical output in the previous 72 hours.

"They knew this team beat Allegany by 20," Boyle said. "We had to go out and make a statement."

No. 1 Bishop Walsh 79
No. 2 Hampshire 52
HAMPSHIRE (2-2, 1-1 AMAC)
Davis 3 2-2 9, Moreland 3 1-3 7, Shockey 1 0-0 3, Nelson 7 3-5 18, Wilson 2 0-0 6, Hott 0 1-2 1, Smelser 3 0-0 6, Crawford 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 7-12 52.

BISHOP WALSH (2-1, 2-1)
D'Atri 1 0-0 2, Dunn 4 0-0 11, Mann 5 1-2 14, Jones 4 4-6 13, Hawley 8 0-0 17, Hendershot 1 0-0 2, Powell 2 1-1 5, Q. Redmon 7 1-3 15. Totals 32 7-12 79.

Hampshire 11 17 11 13 -- 52
Bishop Walsh 21 26 17 15 -- 79
3-pointers-- Hampshire 5 (Davis, Nelson, Wilson 2). Bishop Walsh 8 (Dunn 3, Mann 3, Jones, Hawley).
JV--Bishop Walsh, 59-49. Hampshire led 26-25 at halftime.