Abington Boys' Basketball Falls to Truman

Ghosts squander 15-point first-quarter lead

  BRISTOL TOWNSHIP — For the first eight minutes of their foray into the Harry S. Truman gym, the Abington boys played flawless team basketball. The next 24? Not so much. After mounting a 15-point, opening-quarter lead and looking like the dominant Suburban One National League power they had become, the Galloping Ghosts slid to a 68-65 loss to the Tigers last night. "The first quarter, we came out and played team basketball," Abington head coach Charles Grasty said. "We got a good lead, then started taking bad shots. That's what happens. We put ourselves in the hole and tried to fight back. But we're not disappointed in these guys. We played well and will keep our heads up." Junior Jordan Simmons accounted for nine points in a first …

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Abington Boys' Basketball Takes the Altoona Classic

Ghosts hold on for 71-68 win in final; off to 7-1 start

  This was supposed to be the year the Abington boys’ basketball team transitioned from last year's collection of senior shooters to a solid unit of relentless passers. The youthful Galloping Ghosts appear to have caught on quickly, returning from Western Pennsylvania with a 71-68 overtime win to take the Altoona Classic Basketball Tournament. Anthony Durham's 29 points led the sterling effort over Allentown Central Catholic in the final, and Mike Griffin hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to send the game into overtime. With that win, over a team that included nationally ranked sophomore Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman (No. 10 in the country), Abington moved to 7-1 overall, or two wins from their 2010-11 total. "We feel like we can beat any …

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Former Abington QB Morton Thriving at Kutztown

Morton holds all of Abington passing records and is close to doing the same at Kutztown.

  By the time Kevin Morton left Abington in 2008, he had secured all of the high school's passing records and become the most prolific thrower in Suburban One League history. Despite such incredible accomplishments, Division 1 colleges passed on the 6-foot-1, 180-pound quarterback, fearing his size wouldn't play at that level. Disappointed but determined, Morton joined Division II Kutztown with plenty to prove. By the time he graduates next fall, after his redshirt senior season, Morton will have also shattered Golden Bears records. A two-time PSAC East Offensive Player the Year, Morton has 11 career 300-yard passing games, including two of 400 or more. He already holds the marks for passing yards (3,633 in 2010) and touchdown passes (38 …

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Ghosts Boys' Basketball Survives Scare in Neshaminy

Abington improves to 3-0 behind key baskets from Morrisey, Durham and Simmons

  NESHAMINY — The sequence played out as needed for an Abington boys' basketball team searching for momentum, and a trio of Ghosts juniors led the charge. Jiere Morrisey, Anthony Durham and Jordan Simmons each made key buckets during the closing minutes at Neshaminy, and Abington held off the Redskins, 43-41, Thursday night. "We look at it as trying to step up and be leaders," Durham said. "We want the ball in our hands." Abington trailed 23-9 at halftime of the Suburban One League contest, falling into the bad habit of taking quick three-point jumpers instead of moving the ball around the perimeter to create better scoring opportunities. During the break, Abington's second-year head coach Charles Grasty reminded his team of the importance…

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New Abington Boys' Lacrosse Coach Working with Wet Bandits

Ryan Greer comes to the Galloping Ghosts from St. Joe's Prep

  In the nearly two months since becoming the Abington High School boys’ lacrosse coach, Ryan Greer has learned about a juggernaut that has won five straight Suburban One League Championships. That kind of success starts with Wet Bandits Lacrosse in the fall. "The big thing for them to realize, especially in the fall, is that it's about developing and creating good habits," Greer said. Though unlisted on the coaches’ page, Greer has spent much of the autumn working with the Bandits, which includes some key upperclassman who will make up the Galloping Ghosts for the high school season, and taking notes on player skills and mental approach. Greer arrives from St. Joseph's Prep, where he served as the associate head coach for the 2011 state …

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Ghosts Football Pummels Truman

QB Ken Cropper throws for two TDs ... and runs for another two.

If Ken Cropper, Ray Schreiner and Josh Lee were fatigued from playing their third football game in 11 days, they had a funny way of showing it. Looking fresh, the Abington Galloping Ghosts trio romped through four dominant quarters to coast to a 48-12 win over Harry S. Truman in Suburban One National Conference play. "It was a great effort," Abington head coach Tim Sorber said. "Three games in [11] days is a lot for high school kids. That's a lot for anybody. We got things done early and got kids rested." With an arsenal of weapons, quarterback Cropper's toughest decision can sometimes be what play to run. Though the undefeated Ghosts were expected to cruise past the winless Tigers, they still had to play the game. The schools traded first…

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Abington Girls Tennis Loses SOL Crown to CR North

The teams could meet again in districts.

Seniors Tamara Hass and Kathy DelBaccaro remember their freshman seasons vividly, and are perfectly fine with a repeat. As rookies in 2008, the girls were part of a tennis team that finished second to Council Rock North in the Suburban One League National Conference, then rose up to take the PIAA District 1 Championship and earn a trip to states. 

So, following a rain-shortened 4-1 loss to North, Hass and DelBaccaro hope for déjà vu. “After we saw what happened my freshman year, I can tell this year's freshmen that it's not over yet," said Hass, who lost in straight sets to North's No. 1 Chrissy Gaul. "Winning districts was unbelievable and the bond created was unbelievable." In addition to playing, Hass and DelBaccaro have taken on …

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Abington/Neshaminy Football Game Moved to Monday

Concern over field condition prompted scheduling change

As severe storms douse the area, elevated concerns over field conditions forced the postponement of Friday night's football game between Suburban One League National powers Abington and Neshaminy. The game will be played Monday night at 7 p.m. at Schwartzman Stadium. "The Abington School District made the decision to cancel our Friday home football game in order to provide the best possible field conditions for our athletes and our scheduled opponents," Abington athletic director Cosimo Fiorino said. "The forecasted rainfall created a concern for playing conditions. We are hoping for better weather conditions next week." As SOL teams opened the conference portion of the regular season, no game had more sizzle. Both schools are 3-0 and …

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Quest Over — Ghosts Lacrosse Crushed by Conestoga

After defeating Boyertown and Great Valley, the Ghosts fall to Conestoga 14-1, ending their bid for a district championship

The pre-game Norwegian chant, used as motivation for the Abington boys’ lacrosse team, includes loud wails and words that sound like gumala, bistee, nana, kundiaa, walumpa and walumee. It's probably best not to make sense of it, as long as it works. "I can do some parts," junior attacker Ryan Ambler said. "It's a weird chant, but I love it."  Of many possible translations, one that seems appropriate for the Galloping Ghosts is "Go further," after a series of postseason disappointments that have followed a relatively easy five-year run of Suburban One National championships. Abington's quest for a district championship ended soundly Saturday afternoon with a 14-1 loss to Conestoga in the PIAA District 1 Class AAAA quarterfinals. The …

Abington Volleyball Team Celebrates Playoff ... Appearance

Ghosts steal a game from CR North, but fall

NEWTOWN — Handshakes, hugs, high-fives and some tears punctuated the scene in Council Rock North's gym, as Abington players climbed over each other in celebrating the school's first PIAA District 1 tournament volleyball appearance. Imagine if Galloping Ghosts had won. Abington lost 3-1 in a four-game set on Tuesday night — 25-15, 23-25, 25-16, 25-16 — but those details were wholly insignificant to the seven excited seniors and outgoing coach Jaeson Han. "We didn't expect to win," senior Steve Woll said. "We knew it was our last game and we just wanted to have fun." Fun has been the year-long mantra in a season without expectations, and Abington remained true to that ideal. One of 12 Suburban One League teams in the 16-team field, the 15th …