By Lauren Zedlar
Elm Staff Writer
On Wednesday, Dec. 1, the Washington College Shoremen faced the Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays away at Goldfarb Gymnasium. This was their second Centennial Conference game.
The first score of the competition was made by sophomore Sam Corrao. The Blue Jays managed to score the next 10 points, earning a strong lead early in the game.
The Shoremen fought to come back, but were unable to take the lead. At halftime, the score stood at 42–25.
The second half began with a basket for the Shoremen by Corrao, bringing the score to a 15-point margin. The Shoremen were unable to decrease the lead anymore and the game finished at 92–61, Blue Jays.
Senior Ethan Sommer scored nine points throughout the game, which was his career-best.
Two additional Shoremen achieved career-bests throughout the contest: freshmen Zach Skrocki and Zach Genther each scored seven points.
On Saturday, Dec. 4, the Shoremen played at Gettysburg College against the Bullets for their third Conference game of the 2021 season.
The Bullets gained the first lead of the game, but the Shoremen went on a six-point run, capped by a free throw by senior Tray Wright to gain their first lead, 9–8. The Bullets responded with a run of their own to make the score 18–13, Bullets.
With 5:18 left in the first half, the Shoremen pulled ahead again 20–18 after a seven-point run completed with a layup by senior Dilyn Becker.
The second half began with a 14–7 run by Gettysburg, lengthening their lead to 42–29. The Shoremen scored another basket, but were unable to gain more traction against the Bullets, who increased their lead to 46–32.
With 14:32 left in the game, the Shoremen responded with a 10-point run completed with a three-pointer by Becker. The Shoremen continued to fight back, shortening Gettysburg’s lead to 59–53 with 6:11 left.
After a free throw by Sommer, the Shoremen went on an 8–1 run, gaining a 61–60 lead with 2:44 left in the contest.
Just under 30 seconds later, the Bullets responded with a basket that allowed them to take a 62–61 lead that won them the game.
“We have an extremely resilient and talented group of guys that never quit on each other, and although we haven’t started the season how we had hoped, I know we are going to turn it around and have a successful year,” sophomore Dillon Smith said.
Becker scored a career-best of 24 points, beating his previous record of 15 points from playing Franklin & Marshall College on Feb. 1, 2020. Becker also had six rebounds, two steals, and was 10-for-17 from the floor, and 4–6 from the three-point line.
“The game was a back and forth game, but we just didn’t get stops down the stretch and they capitalized on every possession,” Becker said. “Tough game for us all, but a good learning step for us to use to come together as a team.”
The Shoremen’s Conference record stands at 0–3 in the Conferene and 1–6 overall. The Shoremen’s next game is Dec. 7 against Neumann University.
“We are really starting to gel as a team and figure out our roles on the team which is really important,” sophomore Kedrick Frink said. “We can compete with anyone in this Conference as long as we buy in and believe it can be done. It’s a long season ahead and I’m excited for it.”