When gas prices averaged $1.43 per gallon, the Cove was home to the Perry County Boys Championship. Since their previous championship in 2002, the long-struggling Susquenita program has actually finished 10-30 overall in PeCo tournament games.
With a decisive 52-32 victory over the Mustangs, the Blackhawks took their fury out on West Perry and won the County Crown.
Brandon Steckley, whose team is off to an 8-2 start and has already recorded the most wins since the 2005–06 Blackhawks finished 10–14, said, “We started with a few guys who wanted to put the work in, and that is all it takes.” You take talented athletes and shape them into what you want. Although I have only been head coach for two years, I say that it has been a lengthy process that requires a great deal of dedication from both parties. My guys have my utmost pride.
Dylan Trimmer had a crucial role in winning the elusive crown. During the Championship tilt, the senior guard scored 26 points, pulled down nine rebounds, and blocked one shot. Trimmer established the tone early on, scoring the first nine points for the Hawks and fourteen by the end of the opening quarter, giving Susquenita a 17–5 lead.
“It felt good,” Trimmer added. I am grateful to my teammates for getting me involved as much as they could, and I did my best to create opportunities for my teammates, score, rebound, and make everyone look good.
King County Following their victory over West Perry, the Blackhawks celebrate. (Photo by Veronica Dillman)Times of Perry County
Tom Smeigh, the captain of West Perry, praised Trimmer’s performance. At the half, he was scoring more points than the rest of us (16–12). Overall, Susquenita performed admirably. I thought we were ready, but we didn’t shoot very well—we only made 3 of 27 shots from beyond the arch, which is much worse than our season average of 25.5%. We also allowed our offensive problems to spill over into our defense, which has carried us most of the way this season, but our team is young and will grow from it. Overall, West Perry’s shooting percentage was 11 for 44.
By halftime, Susquenita’s lead had grown to 26–12. By the end of the third quarter, the Blackhawks had increased their lead to 38–20 by maintaining the pressure. Colton Fry (six points, seven rebounds), Jacob Vega (seven points, six steals), and Ryan Schoppy (nine points, six rebounds, two steals, two blocks) all contributed well to the championship run.
Coming off the bench, sophomore Jaxson Bower scored 14 points, including all 12 of the Mustang’s points in the fourth quarter. In addition, he pulled down seven rebounds, four swipes, and two blocks.
With a 6-4 start, West Perry has already amassed the most wins since the 2021–22 team’s 9–14 finish. Casey Sutch pulled down seven rebounds, and Micah Weaver made three 3-pointers. Despite being hampered by foul fouls, Mustang lead scorer Braedon McKeever recorded six points, eight rebounds, and two steals.
According to Steckley, “I have a lot of respect for what West Perry has done with their program; they are on the up.” Our rivalry is far from over, and I am aware of what will happen when we play them again. On February 1, West Perry and Susquenita will reunite at Elliottsburg’s yearly Chuck-a-duck fundraiser.
On the first night of the tournament, Susquenita defeated Greenwood, the reigning Perry County champion, 68-63. After a quarter, Susquenita jumped off to a 17–11 advantage, which they increased to 34–26 at the half because to the Blackhawk onslaught led by Trimmer (23 points), Schoppy (21) and Fry (12). Halfway through the third quarter, the lead would balloon to 46-31, but Greenwood wasn’t going down easily. The Blackhawks held on despite a late comeback by the Wildcats. Noah Weller and Ben Brinser each scored 15 and 11 points, while Dylan Womer, who had recently earned a spot in the starting lineup, recorded a double-double with 11 points and rebounds.
After recovering, Greenwood defeated Newport 53-44 in the consolation match. The Wildcats broke open a close contest with a second-quarter score of 22, leading 35–17 at the intermission. In the stanza, reserve Grant Davis scored all eight of his points. Womer pulled down 11 rebounds, while Brinser scored 17 points and dished out six steals.
Troy Gantt, coach of Greenwood, whose team is now 6-3, stated, “Womer has done a great job on the glass for us.” We are experimenting with various combinations.
Evan Fleisher scored eight points and pulled down six rebounds, while Tyler Gardner scored 16 points for the Buffaloes. In the loss, Landon Zaring pulled down 14 rebounds.
West Perry thrashed Newport 55-31 to start the tournament. Weaver added 13 points, while McKeever scored 26. Zaring gave Newport a score of 12.
More from the Perry County Times
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!