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LEHIGH VALLEY WEATHER

Parkland repeats as D-11 champ

All season long the Parkland boys basketball team has been guided by the leadership of its seniors. Starting four of them, and having two as vital contributors off the bench, head coach Andy Stephens could rely on the experience of these eight guys to win a lot of games in 2013-14. Last Saturday night was no different.

Three Trojan seniors all reached double figures, and Parkland (20-5) took care of Emmaus rather easily, 60-33 in the District 11 4A final at Freedom high school.

Seniors Jimmy Hahn and Nick Rindock led the way with 15 points each and classmate Justin Zajko scoed 11 points as the Trojans earned their second consecutive district championship.

"There are times during the year when you don't think something like this is going to happen," Hahn said. "But we pushed through and we're peaking at the right time. We all remember coming here to championship games as little guys and hoping it happens for us. Now that it has happened, it's absolutely amazing. It's a dream come true."

After an opening dunk off the tip by Nate Feiertag, the Green Hornets has some momentum. But a 14-2 Parkland run to end the first quarter slowed down any inklings of an upset.

In fact, Hahn, Rindock, Zajko, and fellow senior Nick Selvaggi did all of the scoring for the Trojans in the first half, combining for 25 points.

"Our seniors aren't fazed by being in these big-game environments," head coach Stephens said. "You could have heard a pin drop on our bus on the way over here. It didn't come from me saying that we need to focus. They were just all business from the start. As a coach, you love to experience things like that."

Parkland dominated Emmaus on both ends of the court.

Leading 22-16 heading into the final minute of the first half, Hahn nailed a three-pointer at the halftime buzzer.

The Trojans went on to make their first eight shots of the third quarter, extending their advantage to 44-22 after three.

After a miss to end the third period, the Trojans also made their first two attempts of the fourth, giving them a stretch of 11 made field goals out of 12 attempts.

"We wanted to come out and win it again," said Selvaggi. "It feels amazing. It's an awesome feeling having two gold medals."

Now Parkland heads to the PIAA to face District 1's eighth-place team, Central Bucks West, Saturday at Freedom high school at 7:30 p.m.