The Ferndale Yellow Jackets will face off against the Johnstown Christian Bluejays at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The timing isn't great for Ferndale: they have been struggling with three straight losses at home, while Johnstown Christian has snatched up four consecutive wins on the road.
Last Wednesday, Ferndale lost to Blacklick Valley at home by a 59-43 margin. While losing is never fun, the Yellow Jackets can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Pennsylvania basketball rankings (they are ranked 425th, while the Vikings are ranked 204th).
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Maisen Sechrengost, who posted nine points and eight rebounds. Deajah Chatman was another key player, dropping a double-double on 11 points and 14 boards.
Even though they lost, Ferndale smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 17 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in 13 consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, a well-balanced attack led Johnstown Christian over Great Commission in every quarter on their way to victory on Tuesday. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that Johnstown Christian blew Great Commission out of the water with a 46-10 final score. The Bluejays have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won six games by 23 points or more this season.
Johnstown Christian's win came from a few key players Ferndale will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Lily Lushko, who dropped a double-double on 11 points and ten rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Noel Lushko, who put up six points in addition to eight boards and five steals.
Johnstown Christian's victory bumped their record up to 8-0. As for Ferndale, their loss dropped their record down to 8-5.
Ferndale came out on top in a nail-biter against Johnstown Christian in their previous matchup back in February of 2024, sneaking past 41-39. Does Ferndale have another victory up their sleeve, or will Johnstown Christian turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
