Tide boys battle state power tough

On any team's schedule, no matter the sport or level of competition, there are rival games and games against teams who have lofty expectations.
Saturday, was one of those games for the Columbia boys' basketball team -- a game against a rival and a team that has higher expectations in Eastern York.
Eastern, who almost went to the state finals last season, returns two of the top players in the state in big man Andrew Nicholas and Austin Tillotson. Across the river, there are big expectations and despite an injury that will cost Tillotson six weeks of his season, the Golden Knights are still good.
Saturday in the marquee match-up in the Day of Basketball between Eastern and Columbia, the Knights had their hands full against an inspired Tide team, pulling out a 54-46 win.
The did it in part because of Nicholas, who put the Knights on his back, scoring 30 points, and the Tide's failure to score for about five minutes in the fourth quarter. Columbia went into the fourth quarter leading 42-38, but scored just four points in the fourth quarter.
Columbia had the joint across the river rocking early, leading11-2 at one points and 19-15 after eight minutes. The Knights finally caught up in the second quarter and the game was tied at 29 at the half.
The Tide had a strong third quarter and looked poised for a major upset until they went cold.
Nick Nobile led the Tide in scoring with 20 points, followed by Michael Burke with 12.
Also last week, the Tide lost its league opener at L-S, 60-53 as they were outscored 20-8 in the third quarter.
Nobile had 22 points in that one to lead the Tide.
Columbia opened the week with an easy 65-28 win over Mount Calvary. Tre Simms scored 20 for the Tide.

Tide wrestlers dominate at Upper Dauphin

The December part of the Columbia wrestling team's schedule has been anything but an early Christmas present.
There was a season-opening match with Hanover traditionally one of the top programs in York County and three league matches with some of the top teams in Section 3 of the L-L League and a trip to the northern parts of Dauphin County for a day of dual meets.
The Tide enters the week before Christmas with two more league matches with Annville-Cleona and Elco. Last week, the Tide opened Section 3 play with a heart breaking loss to Donegal, but bounced back in a big way Saturday to win the Upper Dauphin Duals.
Saturday in Elizabethville, the Tide went 4-0, beating the home team,  Upper Dauphin, 44-36 in the last match of the game.
That one pitted brother against brother as the Tide's Scott Rupp beat his older brother Todd, the UDA  coach.
In that one, the Tide got five pins from Todd Lingafelt, Jotrdan Halter, Byran Flory, Marcus Fischer and John Markley to score the win. Derek Zercher also won his match by a tech fall and Nate Warner was a winner by forfeit. Josh Elliot was a winner by decision.
The other three matches for the Tide were relatively easy one. Columbia beat Trinity, 66-11; Twin Valley, 60-14 and Camp Hill, 69-6.
Against Trinity, the Tide won eight bouts by forfeit and got pins from Ezar Bush and Byron Germer. Johnny Vazquez won his match by decision.
In the Twin Valley match, Columbia picked up six wins by forfeit and got pins from Markley and Fischer.
In the Camp Hill match, the Tide got eight wins by forfeit.
In the league opener, Donegal topped the Tide, 42-35.
Columbia led the match 23-12 after getting Zercher and Elliot, a tech fall from Warner and decisions fro Halter and Lingafelt before Donegal won five of the next six bouts to take command of the match. The lone win during that tie was a pin by Fischer. Columbia also won the final bout of the night when Rachael Knighton won by forfeit.

Tide girls finish tough week

When you are a young team, still trying to learn the game and how to win, the last thing you need is a four game week.
That's what happened to the Columbia girls' basketball team last week. Columbia played non-league games Tuesday and Wednesday night, a league game Friday and a non-league encounter across the Susquehanna with Eastern. And it won't get any better for the Tide this week as they have league games Monday and Wednesday.
So that's six games in nine days Even NBA teas get more time off.
So let's start with the good news. The Tide girls did get their second win of the year, when they opened the week at Mount Calvary. Coach Gary Sutton's team scored a 41-8 win leading 15-2 after eight minutes and 25-2 at the half.
Freshman Megan Seibert scored a career-high 15 points for the Tide, followed by sophomore Jenna Plastino with 13.
A night later, the Tide was on the road again at Christian School of Lancaster and were beaten 42-31.
The Tide was limited to 11 points in the first half.
Plastino was the leading scorer for the Tide with 19 points.
Friday, the Tide girls opened league play with a crossover game, at home, against Lampter-Strasburg.
The Tide girls struggled the entire night and lost 70-16.
Columbia scored four points in the second half and only scored one field goal.
Seibert and Jenai Plowden led the Tide with five points each.
The Tide girls will travel to Donegal on Monday and host Elco on Wednesday. Columbia has already beaten Donegal once this season.