Shamrocks have paybacks on their minds

Trinity knocks off Columbia to reach District 3 AA final against Delone
By Gorden Blain
HERSHEY – Trinity saw its undefeated football season come to a crashing end when it lost the PIAA District 3 AA championship game to Delone Catholic at Hersheypark Stadium back in November.

The Shamrocks are eager to settle the score. Only this time it will be across the parking lot at Giant Center.

Trinity (17-8) defeated Columbia 59-50 in the PIAA District 3 AA semifinal at Giant Center on Wednesday night to get their crack at Delone (24-3) in the District championship game Friday night at 6:45 p.m. back at Giant Center.

Columbia (25-4) will face Milton Hershey in a third-place game. Milton Hershey (20-7) lost to Delone earlier in the evening 58-46.

Delone’s last district championship game was in 2006 when the Squires lost to Reading Central Catholic. Trinity last played in the championship game in 2005 when it lost to Milton Hershey. Trinity won four straight district AA titles from 2001 through 2004.

The Shamrocks are the dominant AA team in District 3 over the years. The have won eight district AA championship games and lost three others. This is their 12th final in AA since 1987, sixth since 2001.

Trinity sophomore Eric Kindler continued his torrid scoring in the district tournament with a game-high 27 points. Kindler is averaging 24 points per game in three playoff games. Christian Kuntz scored 16 points for the Shamrocks.

Columbia led after the first quarter 15-14 but Trinity dominated the second quarter, outscoring the Crimson Tide 15-8 to take a 29-23 lead. When the Tide hit a cold spell to begin the second half, its chances to reach its first district championship game since 2001 when it lost to Trinity had all but slipped away.

Columbia didn’t score in the second half until Adam Pittman drilled a three-point basket with 4:50 left. The Tide still trailed 33-26. Back-to-back three point baskets by Mike Seibert trimmed the Trinity lead to 43-40 in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter.

But the Tide would get no closer. Seibert, who scored 16 points in the first half, finished with 22 points and Pittman had 12 for Columbia.