YAIAA 2023-24: Everything you need to know about the winter sports season from A to Z
December is here, and that means it's time for high school sports to move inside for the winter season.
Here's a look at the upcoming season from A to Z:
A - Adams alike
Twin brothers Tyler and Justin Adams have differences. Tyler is going the military route at the United States Naval Academy and Justin will be taking a different path. Still, the similarities go beyond their looks. They hunt and fish together. They run a landscaping business together. Oh, did we mention they both wrestle? The York Suburban seniors have combined for 153 career wins, and both have a shot to reach 100 on their own this winter. Tyler is hoping to repeat as a district champ, while Justin wants to join him there for the first time.
B - Ballin' Bearcats
The York High girls' basketball team hasn't won a division title since 1989 and a league title since 1998. Could either of those droughts end this season? The Bearcats bring back virtually the entire lineup from a team that went 16-6 and won a district playoff game last year. York High has improved from zero to one to three to six to nine and then 16 wins since Kevin Glover took over as head coach. Will the Bearcats cut down any nets next?
C - Canners celebrate old with the new
The Biglerville wrestling program is celebrating its 70th anniversary this season. The Canners have a new coach who is familiar with the program's history. 2016 Biglerville grad Nate Newberry won 146 matches, two District 3 titles and two state medals with the Canners before competing for Bloomsburg in college. He takes over for legendary Adams County wrestling figure Ken Haines, whose son, Levi, is a national title contender at Penn State.
D - Diving into gymnastics
Dover senior Taylor Tuohy is the defending District 3 Class 3A diving champ. She finished 13th at the state meet and would like to improve that position in her final year of diving. Next winter she will be on the mats instead of on the board, competing in gymnastics for West Virginia University.
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E - Eight ball
Littlestown is fielding a girls' basketball team with just eight players. The good news ... there are only two upperclassmen on the team.
F - 50 years of hoops
Kennard-Dale vs. Littlestown on Dec. 18 isn't just a regular-season game. The Rams will be celebrating 50 years of their girls' basketball program, which began after the passage of Title IX.
G - Great Guidinger
There are four schools in the YAIAA with older boys' basketball scoring records than Central York — Bermudian Springs, New Oxford, Red Lion and West York. But 1986 Central grad Rob Keller will almost certainly see his career mark of 1,251 topped this season. Greg Guidinger reached the 1,000-point mark early in the postseason last year and needs around 200 points to set the school record. The 6-foot-7 stretch forward scored over 500 points last year so he will likely surpass Keller around midseason.
H - Hoops for Harmony
High school basketball fans should mark Jan. 12-14 on their calendars. Some of the top teams from around the state will play in a three-day Stand Against Racism basketball showcase. York Tech will host boys' games Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and York High will host girls' games on Saturday.
I - Inside track
It's not an official PIAA sport − yet − but indoor track and field seems to be picking up steam. As the girls' basketball team practiced on the floor below, dozens of York County Tech students stretched, worked on technique and ran drills on the indoor track on the first official day of winter workouts. There is no District 3 meet, but the Pa. Track and Field Coaches Association hosts indoor state championships each year.
J - Just the stats, please
Are you curious about who scored the most points in last night's basketball game? Or how about that wrestling match, who had the quickest pin? Or the latest swimming and bowling results? The York Daily Record has you covered with our online YAIAA stats database.
K - Kickin' it
Basketball shoes have come a long way. They used to be one color with a swoosh or some stripes. But that has all changed. Imagine using a sneaker as a canvas to produce a piece of art and you are getting warm. Some of the shoes are quite eye-catching. They don't match school uniforms and sometimes the right shoe doesn't match the left. We can't wait to see what's out there this season.
L - Love of country
South Western junior Dagim Cross would love to swim for his birth country. But Ethiopia doesn't offer dual citizenship. Cross, who is adding the 100 breaststroke to last year's 200 and 500 free races, came to the U.S. at age 9 when he was adopted.
M - Major rule change
The one-and-one free throw is no more, and fouls will reset at the start of each quarter instead of just in the second half. Players will be awarded two free throws when the opposing team reaches five fouls in a quarter. The national federation rules committee made the change in May, saying it "saw this as an opportunity to reduce opportunities for rough play during rebounds."
N - New coaches
Several basketball programs have rookie coaches at the helm this season. In boys' basketball, Matt Showers takes over at Biglerville, Dan Overmiller is at Dover, Troy Sowers is at Eastern York and Jay Hughes Jr. is at South Western. In girls' basketball, Kevin Schieler is at Central York, Jared Donmoyer is at Fairfield, Zac Carrick is at Hanover and Nate Edwards is at New Oxford.
O - One hundred
Wrestlers who could reach 100 wins this year include Littlestown's Cameron Mingee (nine away), York Suburban's Tyler Adams (10 away), Central York's Eli Long (13 away), Central York's Wyatt Dillon (21 away), Central York's Carter Davis (21 away), Dallastown's Isaiah Feeney (24 away), York Suburban's Justin Adams (30 away) and Spring Grove's Michael Hershey (32 away).
P - Possible milestones
Reaching 1,000 points is a big deal in basketball. That milestone is within easy reach for Eastern York's Arianna Seitz and York Suburban's Janay Rissmiller, who need 107 and 205 points, respectively. On the boys' side, Littlestown's Zyan Herr is 230 points away and Eastern York's Carter Wamsley is 260 away. A number of other players could reach the mark with big seasons.
Q - Quality lessons
New Oxford swimming coach Ben Olewiler isn't super concerned about winning and losing. He is more interested in building a culture of acceptance. "If the culture is good, the rest will come," he said. That includes accepting athletes who are learning to swim. Last year the coaches taught four students how to swim and prepare them for competition. This year Olewiler is working with two foreign exchange students, one from France and one from Sierra Leone.
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R - Reelin' it in
Central York senior wrestler Wyatt Dillon qualified for states last season and needs 24 wins to reach 100 for his career. He'll be competing for Lock Haven in college. But Dillon is also an accomplished bass fisherman. He's been a member of the Hawghead Junior Bassmaster Community Club for six years and frequently competes in statewide fishing tournaments. He recently earned a $5,000 scholarship from Hawghead Marine and Tackle.
S - Starting tall
A boys' basketball coach would be thrilled to have a couple players over 6-feet tall. Central York, Hanover and New Oxford will have entire starting lineups of these players. The Panthers have six returning players ranging from 6-0 to 6-8. Hanover returns three starters at 6-3 and 6-5 with two newcomers over 6 feet. New Oxford has at least five players 6-3 or taller on the roster and a handful more between 6-0 and 6-3.
T - Tough stretch
Teams have one one week when they play three league games. That week isn't kind to the top Division I girls' teams, but it's a treat for basketball fans. On Monday, Jan. 15, Red Lion hosts Central York and Dallastown hosts York High. On Wednesday, Jan. 17, Central York hosts Dallastown and York High hosts Red Lion. On Friday, Jan. 19, York High hosts Central York and Dallastown hosts Red Lion.
U - Unusual selection
Most people find the freestyle to be the easiest to swim when they are learning to swim. Not West York freshman Fiona Myers. She tried all of the strokes when she was learning at age 5, but the only one that clicked with her was the breaststroke. She couldn't swim any of the others ones. And now it's her go-to stroke. She'll be swimming the 100 breast and 200 IM for the Bulldogs this season.
V - Varsity, too
Bowling isn't just beer leagues and date nights. It's a growing varsity sport in the York-Adams league. Schools east of the Susquehanna River have been fielding bowling teams for years. York County Tech was the first area school with a bowling team, and the addition of Eastern York this year brings the total to eight teams.
W - Wrestle like a girl
This is the first season that girls' wrestling will be an official sport in the PIAA. There are five YAIAA schools with official girls' teams — Spring Grove, South Western, Dallastown, York Suburban and Kennard-Dale. Those teams will compete in a mix of tournaments and dual meets against other schools (mostly in District 3) that have started girls' teams. While there won't be a team postseason tournament this season, there will be a PIAA girls' wrestling championship held alongside the boys' tournament at Giant Center from March 7 to March 9.
X - X-ray's clear
South Western junior Chloe Albrecht is already ahead of the game compared to last year. The district qualifier in the 100 breaststroke started her sophomore season with a fractured hip. The injury came while she was stretching. This year her goal is to better her times, she finished 24th at districts, by staying healthy and taking advantage of the strength she gained while running cross country.
Y - You can't have too many
York County Tech senior Mason Smith usually has eight or nine in the trunk of his car at all times. York Suburban senior Miles Zamot-Garland has more than 25 because he loves to buy them. Spring Grove senior Griffin Stevens has one, but is planning to buy two more. Red Lion junior Kailynn Jones bought her first one when she was 8 and now has 13 or 14. What are these athletes collecting? Bowling balls. They all bowl on high school teams and have different balls for different lane conditions.
Z - Zebras are people, too
A statement is read before the start of every high school athletic event where referees are used to remind fans to be good sports. Keep in mind that officials do not have the benefit of instant replay, and even though you might have a video of the play in question, it can't be overturned. Be nice to the zebras, because without them, there are no sports.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: YAIAA winter sports 2023-24: Everything you need to know from A to Z
