This Tuesday, Jan. 30, Lower Dauphin (9-7) are set to square off with Palmyra (4-13) in their second matchup of the year with the Falcons needing another win in their playoff quest and the Cougars looking to respond from their earlier 47-27 defeat.
For the Falcons, claiming another victory over their rival will bolster their odds of district qualification with the team still sitting on the bubble as the #13 seed as of Jan. 29. The top 14 schools will advance to the postseason, meaning LD need to secure routine victories, such as this against the Cougars down the final stretch of their season, especially with a more difficult contest vs. Mechanicsburg looming.
Leading the charge for the Falcons will certainly be junior point guard Brady Hofsass, whose incredible play and 16.1 average points-per-game (ppg) have been vital for the team all season. Alongside Hofsass, junior forward Nico DeFrank, who tallied nine points and nine blocks against Hershey last Monday, plays a huge role in the team’s success, especially on the defensive end due to his 6’6″ size. Senior and captain Nick Fry rounds out the trio that headlines the LD team.
For the Cougars, be on alert for Tyler Burgess, a junior shooting guard that recorded seven points, two rebounds and three steals in the previous outing with LD. Also playing a big hand is the lone Cougar senior Hunter Mayer, a player that registered 12 points in that earlier matchup.
LD are the heavy favorites in the game after winning against Palmyra on the road and sitting ten spots higher in the PIAA District III AAAAA standings. Sophomore forward Luke Brown said of the game, “I think that we will do good.”
Sophomore guard Seby Heagy commented, “I think we will win tomorrow against the Cougars because we are [fresh] off a nice road win against Mifflin County and I think that momentum will carry into this game and we will win in a dominant fashion.”
To catch all of the action between Lower Dauphin and Palmyra, watch live on the FBC Sports Network on YouTube beginning at 6:55 P.M. est.
Senior Ethan Kurtz will be commentating the match and bringing viewers all of the live play-by-play.
