Parkland Press

The Parkland boys lacrosse team won the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference title and a District 11 championship last season, their second district title in a row. The Trojans won their first state playoff game in school history, but fell to eventual Class 3A state runner-up LaSalle College High School in the state quarterfinals.

Yes Parkland graduated some talented and experienced players from that roster, but more importantly it brings a good amount of talent back. That includes the EPC MVP in senior attack James Cipolla, an Ohio State University commit.

The Parkland girls lacrosse program has been the class of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and District 11 over the last five-plus years, and it will look to continue the winning trend in 2019.

The Trojans have won three consecutive district championships and four of the last five, and have continued to reload, even after the graduation of some key contributors each and every season.

The Parkland boys volleyball program had a run of three consecutive years from 2014-16 where it won multiple Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and District 11 championships. But over the last two years, it has seen its rival Emmaus take over and do the same thing.

But the Trojans, who are led by 18-year head coach Scott Trumbauer, have a lot to look forward to this season.

It was another state tournament game for Parkland boys basketball. The Trojans had been there before. Eight times in the last 11 years to be exact. The stage was not too big.

But Chester proved to be too big with its size in taking control of the second half and defeating Parkland 55-41 last Saturday in the PIAA Class 6A first round game at Freedom High School.

“That was our eighth state tournament in 11 years,” said head coach Andy Stephens. “Kids expect to make it there and work hard to make sure it happens. We have great kids and they work hard for everything.”

It wasn’t the District 11 Class 6A championship game that area basketball fans had anticipated. But fifth-seed Allen met the seventh seed Parkland in the final last Saturday night at Freedom High School.

The Canaries raced out to an early double-digit lead in the first couple of minutes and did not give the Trojans (15-10) much of a chance at a comeback as Parkland fell to Allen 76-50 to finish runner-up in the district, but still advanced to the PIAA playoffs.

It was not like Parkland. Before last year, the boys basketball program had made it to the District 11 final and a spot in the state tournament each of the last six seasons. But last year the Trojans bowed out before the district semifinals.

The Trojans did not stay away long. They’ll return this year after a quarterfinal win put them back in the district’s final four this season.

The Parkland boys basketball team has not been swept in a regular season by Emmaus in quite some time. But the Trojans were on the wrong end of things last Thursday night as the Green Hornets came out on top of the rivalry game 60-51 in Eastern Pennsylvania Conference action at Parkland High School.

Jared Kucharczuk and Jake Melady both recorded double-figures in points for Parkland (13-8 overall, 9-6 EPC), who lost for just the second time in its last five games.

The Parkland boys basketball team was playing its best basketball of the season, sporting a season-long six game win streak entering its weekend game with Freedom.

It looked as if the winning was going to continue as it held a sizeable lead against the Patriots. However, offensive struggles in the final quarter led to a come-from-behind win for Freedom over Parkland, 61-57, last Friday night at Parkland High School in an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference game.

The Parkland ice hockey team was back under the bright lights on the big stage, and it sure did impress. The Trojans scored three goals in the first period and the first seven of the game in defeating Nazareth 7-1 last Monday night at the PPL Center in Lehigh Valley Scholastic Ice Hockey League action.

The win was a welcome sight to a Parkland team that was searching for one after its game last week.

Parkland boys basketball senior Gabe Khalife has been a Swiss army knife when it comes to his role with the basketball program. He has started, come off the bench, played as a defensive stopper and has been a top scorer.

Last Friday night, Khalife was the main man in helping to lead the Trojans to a 58-54 win in the Allen High School Holiday Classic championship game at Sewards Gymnasium to give them some momentum heading into the new year.