Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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  • Mounts Claim George Male Trophy!

    Mounts Claim George Male Trophy!

    Jeremiah Knowles led all Mounts with 6 receptions. Read More
  • Expectations at Ephrata

    Expectations at Ephrata

    Taylor Haupt comes up with the dig. Read More
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Upcoming Varsity Events

  • 18 Mar 2024
    Girls Lacrosse at Schuylkill Valley 07:15 PM to 09:15 PM
  • 19 Mar 2024
    Boys Tennis at JP McCaskey 04:00 PM to 06:30 PM
  • 20 Mar 2024
    Boys Tennis vs Lebanon 04:00 PM to 06:30 PM
  • 20 Mar 2024
    Boys Volleyball at Schuylkill Valley 07:00 PM to 09:00 PM
  • 20 Mar 2024
    Boys Lacrosse at Muhlenberg 07:15 PM to 09:15 PM
  • 22 Mar 2024
    Boys Tennis vs Pequea Valley 04:00 PM to 06:30 PM
  • 18 Mar - 22 Mar
  • 22 Mar - 25 Mar
  • 25 Mar - 26 Mar
  • 26 Mar - 28 Mar
  • 01 Apr - 01 Apr

Ephrata and Manheim Township entered Thursday's L-L League boys' lacrosse contest as the only undefeated teams in league play.
 
The Mountaineers were the preseason favorite to win the league title while the Blue Streaks were the defending L-L champs.
 

Slump?
 
What slump?
 
Belying his .111 batting average, Shane Cochran stepped to the plate amid the gloaming Wednesday and stroked a two-out, two-run single in the top of the 10th inning, leading Ephrata to a 6-5 win at Cedar Crest in a matchup of first-place teams and the L-L League's most recent champions.
 

This one had more movement than one of those giant swings on the boardwalk.
 
And swing was the operative word Monday, as the Ephrata girls' track team took command of the Section Two title race by getting by host Conestoga Valley, 84.5-65.5, under the lights on senior night.
 

The calm expression belies the fiery personality boiling just below the surface.

Ephrata's Mary Witmer, a true Jill-of-all-trades in a track uniform, may appear quite tranquil when she steps onto the track (or runway), but as soon as she gets in motion, she's all business.
 


Being the favorite on paper means nothing.
 
Converting that hype to the field means everything.
 
Ephrata did just that with a dominating 13-4 win over Hempfield Friday afternoon. The Mountaineers, the preseason favorite to win the L-L League, improved to 3-0 in the league and 4-0 overall while the Black Knights fell to 2-1, 3-1.
 

Manheim Township coach Kyle Wimer has many "good" problems in his first season at the helm for the Blue Streaks.

Township's offensive depth is at the point where there's a different leading scorer in every game and the defense is so stingy that the Blue Streaks can choose between two different goalies.

It's a problem that most coaches would love.

Thursday night was much of the same as Township shut out Ephrata, 15-0, in an L-L League contest between two of the top three teams in the league.
 


This past Monday, Manheim Township rode some late-inning lightning to a win over L-L Section One rival Hempfield.

Friday night at Ephrata's wind-swept War Memorial Field, the Blue Streaks did it again.

J.D. Dornes, whose two-run home run in the seventh inning stunned the Black Knights, broke a 2-2 tie with the Mountaineers by grounding an RBI single to right. It was the first of seven hits in the seventh inning, and led to a seven-run outburst and eventual 9-4 [box score] Sections One-Two crossover win.
 


Ephrata opened defense of its L-L baseball title Monday in much the same fashion it won the league last May.

Relying on situational hitting, stingy defense and solid pitching, the Mountaineers beat Solanco, 7-3 [box score], in Section Two action amid balmy surroundings at War Memorial Field.
 


Chicks dig the long ball.

Or so we were told in those late '90s Nike commercials featuring Braves' aces Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine.

And as much as reigning Lancaster-Lebanon League champion Ephrata would like add to more glamour, glitter and gloss to their game by going yard, by scraping the sky over War Memorial Field with rain-inducing drives, muscling the ball is just not the Mountaineers' style.
 


Kevin Pletz and Rich Lefever both saw the game as a test.

Pletz's Ephrata boys' lacrosse team would have its confidence tested Tuesday, while Lefever's Manheim Township squad would have its character challenged.


Brandon Rutt's two-out bases loaded single in the bottom of the 6th inning plated the tying and go ahead runs as the Ephrata Mounts rallied for a 3-2 win Monday night at War Memorial Field.

Rutt's single between the outstretched glove of first baseman Adam Yunginger and second baseman Greg DePanfilis allowed Brooks Carr to score all the way from second base.


Matt Kujawski jokingly said that it's easy to tell him apart from twin brother Andrew, because he sees himself as the better looking one, the faster one and, probably, the smarter one.

Andrew Kujawski counters that, as the older of the brothers -- by 14 whole minutes -- he's more learned, probably more athletic, taller and is the one responsible for getting the two on the Ephrata track team.

Whatever the case may be, the Mountaineers seniors, in just their second season of competition, are having a huge impact on the L-L League.

During Monday's 80-70 Section Two victory over visiting Cocalico, Matt Kujawski won the 100 (10.9), 200 (22.1) and long jump (19-4 3/4) for Ephrata (2-1-1 L-L, 2-3-1 overall).


Those preseason question marks concerning Warwick's pitching staff?

They're now exclamation points.

Fronted by ace Adam Zipko, the reigning District Three Class AAAA champions have showed no sign of letup despite graduating a host of talent.


Side-by-side for three events, Kyle Fisher and Jordan Yarbrough took to the track.

On the line was not only a potential team victory in the Ephrata-Cocalico Section Two backyard rivalry series, but also early-season bragging rights for the fastest guy in the L-L Track and Field League.


We've got ourselves a pair of games happening in Elizabethtown [directions] tonight. Take the afternoon off and make a day of it.

The Mounts Baseball team and girls Soccer team both roll into E-town with a chance to leave town, back in 1st place in Section Two.

First up baseball; game time is set for 4:15.

vs.
6-5 Section Two, 7-6 Overall  7-4 Section Two, 10-4 Overall

2-4 versus Section One
losers of 4 straight.

Stingiest runs allowed in Section Two (39), but 19 of those have come in the last three games

 

4-2 versus Section One
gave MT their only loss

They've scored 79 runs in Section Two, but have allowed 69

 

Next up soccer, game time is set for 7:00.

 

vs.
9-2 Section Two, 10-3-1 Overall  9-1-1 Section Two, 11-1-1 Overall

6-0 since losing 2-1 to E-town, winners of 6 straight.

They've scored 38 goals, while allowing 8.

 

5-1 since beating Ephrata 2-1, winners of 5 straight.

They've scored 31 goals, while allowing 6.

 

Come out and support the Mounts as they fight to get back into first place!

Don't want to travel? Well you can always stay back in Ephrata and watch the Lady Mounts take on E-town in softball, as they turn back the clock to remember the 1988 team which won the state championship 20 years ago.


It took a while this season for the Ephrata girls soccer team to adjust to life without last year's play-maker Arielle Gordon.


With Gordon now a freshman starter at Lock Haven University, the Lady Mounts struggled to score goals out of the gates, and thus lost three of their first four contests including a 1-0 season-opening loss to Cocalico.

But things have begun to change for the better recently as Ephrata has settled into a balanced attack. And Tuesday afternoon, with Cocalico on their pitch for a rematch, the Lady Mounts continued that trend.


Manheim Township's vaunted baseball program has re-invented itself to a degree, and the Blue Streaks haven't missed a beat in the process.

The reigning L-L League Section One champs still dig the long ball, as Ty Stoltz proved when he powered a sixth-inning home run into the left-center field bleachers Wednesday at sun-washed War Memorial Field in Ephrata.

They still produce bulldog-tough pitchers, as right-hander Keith Bires demonstrated by going the distance in a 4-1 win over the Section Two-leading Mountaineers.

The Ephrata Mounts Track team had an impressive showing at the Hempfield Invitational this past weekend. The boys squad finished in 4th place overall, and the girls finished in 3rd place overall.

The Mounts were responsible for breaking 5 of the 17 meet records that were broken.

On the boys side Jordan Yarbrough set two meet records. Yarbrough finished first in the long jump (21-10.5), and also finished 2nd in the 100 meter dash (11.0). His long jump and time trial run in the 100 (10.5) were both record breakers.

Blake Crowther also had a good day, finishing 2nd in the 400 (50.2) and third in the 200 (23.2). Greg Forstater helped Ephrata go 1-2 in the long jump with his 2nd place leap of 20-1.25. Forstater was also 4th in the High Jump, clearing 6-0.

The boys 4x800 team also finished in 6th place with a time of 8:38.2.

On the girls side, Brynn Lyons was impressive setting two meet records as well, Lyons finished first in the 400 (59.6) and also first in the javelin (118-4), both were meet records. Katie Ream finished 2nd in the 300 intermediate hurdles (49.9) and tied for first with Garden Spot's Breana Caldwell in the high jump, where they both went 5-4, which was a new meet record.

The Mounts 4x400 team also finished 1st (4:18.0) and the 4x800 team finished third (10:29.1).

Emily Albright enjoyed two 4th place finishes, one in the 110 High Hurdles (16.0) and one in the Triple Jump (32-11.5). Callie Sweigart also had two 4th place finishes in the shot put (32-2) and the discus (103-2).

Also placing for the Lady Mounts was Alyssa Bunting (5th in the 400, 64.9), and Steph Lyons (6th in the 3200, 12:36.3).

If anyone knows who ran in the relays, please post it in the comments!

Congratulations Mounts! 


Brynn Lyons, like the rest of the Ephrata High School students, got her academic report card on Tuesday.

She said she's maintaining her B-plus average, which is important as she endeavors to study environmental science at Penn State in the fall.

What Lyons neglected to admit was that her athletic report card was even better. She's not just earning all A's, she's earning all raves.

"She's focused and ready to roll,'' said Ephrata head track coach John Keller. "She could be one of the top female athletes in our league meet.''

ImageIt was a battle for the Section II crown, and with each team starting 5 sophomores, it may end up being the first in an epic series. The Ephrata Mounts girls soccer team played host to the visiting Elizabethtown Bears last night. Both teams came in with equally impressive 10-1 records.

ImageThe Ephrata Mounts boys volleyball team continued their winning ways this past week. The Mounts (5-3) are pushing for a playoff spot in the section, while doing quite well in tournaments on the weekends as well.

ImageAll the members of the Ephrata Mounts starting five enjoyed a win in the first round of the L-L league playoffs, but unfortunately they all suffered a loss in the second round as well. And after the first two rounds of individual match play, and one round of doubles action, only Brad Sweigart and Shane Burridge remain alive in the league playoffs.

ImageThe Ephrata Mounts track team hosted the Pioneers of Lampeter-Strasburg on Monday afternoon. For the girls team it was a battle of undefeated section champ hopefuls. The match should have had the same implications for the boys, but recent injuries have recently further thinned the Mounts squad.

ImageThe Ephrata Girls Softball team rolled into Lititz on Friday night. With the smell of chocolate in the air and thoughts of upset on their mind, the Lady Mounts were hoping to keep this one close and surprise the section 1 leader. 

ImageThe Ephrata Mounts girls soccer team hosted the Solanco Mares on Thursday night. Things were looking the Mounts way for Senior night with the warmest temperature in weeks in the air, and the 1-7 Mares on the schedule. The Mounts hoped to jump out to an early lead in this match.

ImageThe Lady Mounts lacrosse team saw a significant increase in the amount of players participating this season, and the added numbers have brought with it improvements in the field. After recording a non-league victory earlier this year, this year's squad has done what no previous team can claim.

ImageThe Mounts travelled to Manheim Township on Wednesday (4/18) and narrowly pulled off an upset. After being no-hit and shutout by Penn Manor's Cameron Black the previous night, the Mounts were looking to pick up a cross-over victory.

ImageAfter suffering a shocking 2-0 loss to Garden Spot last week, the Lady Mounts were ready to begin the second round of section games versus cross-town rival Cocalico. Hoping to start the second half of the season, as well as they started the first half of the season. The Mounts had previously beaten Cocalico 5-2, but the conditions were certainly different this time around.

ImageHannah Hess signs letter of intention to attend the University of Richmond next year. Hess, currently playing lacrosse for the Lady Mounts this spring, will focus her athletic attention back to field hockey where she her talents have garnered national respect.

ImageA penalty-kick call in the 73rd minute was the key Monday afternoon (4/9) for Ephrata, which took sole possession of first place in Section Two of the Lancaster-Lebanon Girls' Soccer League with a 2-1 victory over host Elizabethtown.

The Mountaineers (5-0 Section Two), who entered the game tied with E-town (4-1) for the section lead, remain one of only three teams — along with Manheim Township (Section One) and Elco (Section Three) — with perfect section records.

After a goal by Ephrata's Leah Sipe with 10:00 remaining in the first half was answered by a score from E-town's Caitlin Markham 9:00 into the second, the Mounts' got the game-deciding break when an E-town defender was called for a hand ball in the box with 7:00 left in regulation.

Ephrata's Aly Goodman took the penalty kick, sending a shot just under the crossbar and over the head of E-town goalie Kyleigh Kauffman (four saves) for the gamewinner.

The Mounts, who held a 7-2 edge in corners, were outshot by E-town 12-9. 


ImageThe Cocalico girls lacrosse team doubled up Ephrata in the first half Tuesday in Denver and rode the lead out for a 17-10 victory over the Lady Mounts.

Cocalico (1-1 section, 1-3 overall), which slightly outshot Ephrata, 26-24 for the game, outscored Ephrata 10-5 in the pivotal first half to key the victory.

Kaitlyn Mitchell and Caribeth Shappell each scored four goals for the Eagles to lead the way. Courtney Reinhold added three scores while Xeni Barakos and Leah Stoner each added two goals for the winners. Allie Koser and Megan Leach rounded out the Eagles' scoring.

On the Ephrata side, Kira Shelley led the way with three goals while Morgan Hosler, Hannah Hess and Jamie Gerhart each added two goals apiece. Tonya Rutt rounded out the Ephrata scoring.

Ephrata fell to 0-1 in league play (1-3 overall).

Winning its pre-season scrimmage against Cedar Crest two weeks ago set the stage for a milestone in the history of Ephrata Girls Lacrosse. Now in its third season as a PIAA/L-L League sport, the program continued to move forward last week as the team recorded its first varsity win against Lower Dauphin 17-6 on Thursday afternoon.

Ephrata had 30 shots while allowing the Falcons only 14. Scoring for the Lady Mounts were Hosler six goals, two assists, Shelley six goals, three assists, Rutt three goals, one assist, Gerhart one goal, one assist and Steph Martin one goal. Hess also added an assist. Ephrata goalies Carly Reddig and Kelsey Radcliffe each had four saves on the day.

On Wednesday, March 28 the team came up short against a veteran Warwick squad losing 11-6 in its season opener. Hosler (3), Rutt (2) and Shelley (1) tallied goals for Ephrata. Hess (2), Rutt and Shelley assisted in the effort.

The Lady Mounts ended the week on a disappointing note at Lampeter Strasburg. Their 17 shots and four goals were no match for the Pioneer offense which recorded 39 shots and 12 goals. Hosler (2), Rutt (1) and Shelley (1) scored goals. Gerhart and Martin added assists.

After playing one season at the University of Albany, Meagan Rinier, a Conestoga Valley grad and former L-L All Star, has taken over the helm at Ephrata. Amber Wiley has returned for her 7th season as assistant coach. Home games are played at the Ephrata Middle School Athletic Field Complex.

ImageJust two games into the 2007 high school baseball season, Ephrata already has shown how good it can be and how bad it can get.

"We've seen Jeckyl and we've seen Hyde," Ephrata Coach Adrian Shelley said Tuesday.

The Mounts opened the season Friday with a 13-2 masterpiece over Lampeter-Strasburg.

Sophomore pitcher Doug Houtz, who was originally pegged to pitch on the JV level this season before injuries and other problems besieged the Mounts' varsity staff, got the opening day start on the mound and delivered in a big way.

Houtz went the distance, scattering five hits while striking out six en route to earning the victory. Offensively, the Mounts unloaded on the Pioneers as Adam Stahl led the way with a 3-for-3 day which included four RBI. Catcher Matt Woolley added a pair of hits and three RBI in the big win.

As good as the Mounts looked Friday, that's about as bad as they were Monday afternoon in a 15-5 loss to visiting E-town. The Mounts, who have prided themselves over the years with outstanding pitching and defense, had neither working Monday as the defense committed a whopping eight errors in the game. In addition, Ephrata pitchers walked eight batters as they failed to hold on to an early 3-0 lead.

Reid Martin had four hits including a pair of doubles to pace the Mounts' eight-hit attack.

"The bottom line is we got pitching and defense on Friday, and on Monday, we didn't," Shelley said. "It wouldn't have mattered who we played (Monday) because we beat ourselves. The thing is, this group will experience a lot of highs and lows. Our pitchers are so inexperienced that there are going to be some hit and miss outings. That's the way it will be. It's patience and perseverance at its best."

One big blow the Mounts already have suffered is losing pitching ace and starting centerfielder Steve Tretter for the season with a torn ACL.

ImageLast night at home and under the lights for the first time this season, the Ephrata Softball team knocked Warwick out of a first place tie in Section One, and moved into a tie for second place in Section Two, in front of their largest crowd on the season.

The Lady Mounts hung on for a 2-1 win (boxscore) over the Warriors, while Cedar Crest topped Elizabethtown, leaving the Bears and the Mounts with identical 8-3 league records.

Ephrata struck first in this one, taking advantage of a Warrior mental error. In the third inning, Ephrata's Keirah Hoerner laced a single to left-center field, but Warwick's centerfielder Pickel fired a strike to Martin to nail Ephrata's Caitlin Mull at third base for the second out of the inning. Hoerner would later advance to third on a wild pitch, and it looked like Warwick's Kreiter would get out of the inning when she induced Jen Keith to hit a ground ball back to her. Rather then going to first for the third out however, Kreiter went for the play at the plate and Hoerner's collision with Gabers jarred the ball free and the Mounts led 1-0.

Meanwhile, Christi Wise (8-5, 2.26 ERA) held the Warriors in check as she carried a no-hitter through 5 innings.


ImageThe Boys Tennis team is preparing for the League tournament. The pigtail matches are complete and unfortunately for Ephrata's Logan Auker, his singles season is over, as he lost to Elizabethtown's Michael Sweigart in straight sets 6-2. 6-0.

Surviving the preliminaries was Shane Burridge who dropped McCaskey's Joel Coble 6-1, 6-1. Burridge brought his singles record to an even 4-4.

Today in Flight One at Conestoga Valley, Brad Sweigart (6-8) will face Garden Spot's Zach Eberly. A week ago (4/20), Sweigart defeated Eberly 6-3, 6-2.

In Flight Five at Manheim Township, Burridge advanced to meet Jesse Blank from Annville-Cleona. Ephrata did not play Annville-Cleona this year, but look for Burridge to advance.

In doubles action, Sweigart and Cameron Auker (7-7) may have their hands full with Donegal's Derek Musser and Matt Hotchkiss. This may come down to the third set.

In Flight Two of doubles, Shane Burridge and Logan Auker have teamed up and will face Annville-Cleona's Max Winters and Jesse Blank. Burridge may help to defeat Blank twice today.

Good Luck to all the Mounts in action today!


ImageThe Ephrata girls soccer team just went through their least successful week of the season.

That's the bad news. The good news is despite an upset 2-1 loss at L-S last Wednesday, and a 2-2 tie with Manheim Central Friday, the Lady Mounts can still make a run at the Section Two title.

The Lady Mounts (6-2-1) are in sole possession of second place behind first-place Conestoga Valley (7-0-1), and if they take care of business this week their rematch with the Buckskins could be big next Monday night (7 p.m.) at War Memorial .

But back to this past week when the Lady Mounts were upset at L-S.

ImageFor three hours, the Cocalico and Ephrata track teams laid it all on the track, the pits and the field. Then, they spent a leisurely five minutes celebrating -- together.

That's how high school sports is supposed to be: Give it your best shot as athletes, then congratulate each other as students.

"They're our crosstown rivals, but it's also a friendly competition,'' said Cocalico senior Donnie Graybill, who won four events and scored 20 of his team's points as the Eagle boys toppled Ephrata 101-49 in a Section Two meet Thursday night in Denver.

"Coming into the season, we thought we would be able to compete for the section title,'' said Ephrata coach John Keller, after his girls' team grounded the Eagles 105-44.

After their win, the Cocalico boys (4-0 L-L, 5-0 overall) put themselves into position to capture their first Section Two title since finishing off a run of three straight championships in 2001. The biggest obstacle left for the Eagles is a season-ending showdown May 8 at Garden Spot (3-0 L-L). The Mountaineer boys dropped to 2-2, 3-4.



CJ Wilson sprints to victory

Ephrata's C.J. Wilson holds off Cocalico's Kyle Fisher to win the 100 in 11.0.
Wilson also won the 200 in 23.0 and anchored the winning 400 relay.
© Suzette Wenger—Intelligencer Journal


Likewise, the Ephrata girls (4-0, 7-0) remained unbeaten, but their biggest test will come Monday in New Holland and will also be at the hands of defending section champion Garden Spot (3-0 L-L). The Cocalico girls fell to 1-3, 2-3.

"We thought we would have a chance to win the section and now we're in position to do it,'' Graybill said. "We've all been gunning for it and we really want to get it.''

Graybill certainly did his part Thursday, recording personal bests in winning the high jump (6-4) and long jump (20-0.75), tying his best in the pole vault (13-6), and coming close to his best in the triple jump (41-9.75).

He came within a hair of breaking the school record when he tried to clear 14-1 in the pole vault. He barely grazed the bar on his way over on his final attempt.

All of this coming from a kid who was sidelined with a foot injury until last week.

ImageEphratamounts.com is proud to announce the launching of our third "sister-site". Sharp eyes may have already noticed along the left hand side the addition of "Mounts Softball". Clicking on that link will direct you to the Lady Mounts Softball home where you can find schedules, directions to away games, results, boxscores and more stats then you can shake a stick at.

The site is often updated the same night the game is played.

Although this site does open in a new window, you can trust that all pages are being generated by ephratamounts.com.

The Softball site joins the popular Mounts Football and Basketball "sister-sites". Speaking of which, both of these sites had their archive sections updated to reflect this seasons efforts.

ImageFor the players, the most nerve-wracking moment had nothing to do with the plethora of defensive stands they had been forced to make, or with any of the other close calls and near misses that are common in a game between two section powers.

Instead, it had everything to do with one tiny coin. More accurately, which side of that coin would be facing skyward once it finally completed its descent to the ground.

Aided by a coin toss that gave it a coveted wind advantage entering overtime, Conestoga Valley got the game-winning goal from Morgan Gerz 6:51 into the extra session, and escaped with a 3-2 Section Two victory over Ephrata Tuesday afternoon in gusty Witmer.

The win pushed the Buckskins (4-0-1 section, 5-2-1 overall) into first place in the section standings, one point ahead of Ephrata (4-1, 6-2).

"With the young team we have the biggest thing this (win) does, hopefully, is give us confidence in big games," CV coach Bob Scotten said afterward.

Unfortunately for Scotten, his confidence began wavering a bit after regulation, once he realized his team captains had suddenly disappeared.

"I was talking to someone on the bench and I turned around and our girls were already walking (onto the field)," Scotten said, referring to the coin toss that would decide which goal each team would defend in OT.

"I had told them earlier that I wanted to go with the wind. I was just hoping they remembered."

ImageLast week the Ephrata Boys Lacrosse traveled to Hempfield to take on one of the best teams in the state the last few seasons.

The game started out tough for the Mounts, who gave up their first goal just 15 seconds into the game. A tough, hard checking Hempfield defense, kept the Ephrata offense shut down in the first quarter, while Hempfield found the net a total of four times.

Ephrata finally got on the board in the second, with Jake Harley and Eric Petters each getting a goal from the outside to make the score, 7-2 in favor of Hempfield.

Ephrata was able to play the Black Knights even in the third, with both teams getting two goals. On the Ephrata side it was Harley and Brandon Rook getting the unassisted goals. A very deep Hempfield team took advantage of their fresh legs in the fourth, and outscored Ephrata 5-0 to close it out with a 14-4 Hempfield victory.

Despite the loss, Ephrata Head Coach Mike Ream felt his team played will.

"I was really proud of our kids," he said. "To have a score of 9-4 at the end of the third was a moral victory for us. We're playing with a total of 12 field players, where Hempfield is playing with about 24. They just wore us down in the fourth."

On Thursday the Mounts opened their home field play against a tough Hershey team. The past three years, the game was decided on one goal, and this one was no different.

Ephrata jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead, but Hershey came right back. Ephrata entered the fourth quarter down 5-4. Tough defense from the long poles: Adam Gerhart, Will Rabuck, Luc Felak and Casey Seibert, helped hold off a determined Hershey offense.

Ephrata managed to outscore Hershey 3-1 in the fourth to pull out an exciting 7-6 victory.

Scoring for Ephrata were: Harley 3, Rook 2, with Mike Summers and Petters each adding one goal.

ImageThere are times every season when you are presented with certain challenges ot validate your team.

And for the Ephrata girl's soccer team, theirs came Monday afternoon (4/2) at Manheim Central.

The Lady Mounts, who were looking for their fourth-straight victory to start the year, faced their first big test of the season in the Barons, who along with the Lady Mounts and Conestoga Valley are expected to battle it out for the Section Two title.

Well, Ephrata delivered the first big blow in the section race Monday with an exciting 2-1 decision over the Barons. With the score knotted at 1-1 early in the second half, Melissa Speros notched the game winner off a nifty "through ball" pass from teammate Leah Sipe.

Speros went in all alone on Baron keeper Emily Swarr and put the ball behind her to lif her team to the all-important win.
"It was just a great goal," Ephrata Coach Chris Dutton said of the game winner.

The win not only improved the Lady Mounts record to a perfect 4-0, but also put them in sole possession of first place with a 3-0 section mark.

"We try to treat every game like a championship game," Dutton said when asked about the importance of this early-season tussle. "We have to address each game that way, but it is really big on the confidence side."

Ephrata needed little time to gain the upper hand in Monday's contest. Arielle Gordon got the Lady Mounts on the board just 1:25 in when she scored on Swarr, who notched eight saves on the afternoon.

Aly Goodman earned the assist on the Ephrata goal, which was an important score in Dutton's eyes.

"That goal really set the tone for the rest of the game," the coach said.

Manheim did rally to tie the game late in the first half on a goal by Katie Gleason, but that set the stage for the Speros score early in the second.

While the Barons did get 10 shots on Ephrata keeper Becca Cetkowski (a former dodgeball champion), the Lady Mounts were able to control the ball down the stretch and pull out of Manheim with the big victory.

In addition to the win over Manheim, Ephrata also was in action last Thursday at home where the Lady Mounts pulled out a 1-0 victory over Lampeter-Strasburg.

Goodman scored the lone goal of the contest late in the first period off a Gordon assist.

Ephrata did dominate play, out shooting the Pioneers 18-5. Cetkowski turned back all five shots to record the shutout win in goal.

ImageBoth the Ephrata Mountaineer track & field teams won their Section two opener last Thursday afternoon (3/30) at conestoga Valley high School. The girls won 84-66 while the boys earned a hard fought 83-66 decision.

Taylor Fletcher led the Lady Mounts with two wins, copping both the 100 hurdles (17.5) and 300 hurdles (52.2). She also ran on both winning 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams.

Other winners on the track for the girls were Brynn Lyons in the 400 (62.5), Smantha Fink in the 800 (2:33) and Dana Haas in the 1600 (5:37.6). Winning relay teams consisted of the 4x800 relay team of Fink, Alicia Harbold, Haas and Kate Anderson (10:30.7); the 4x400 meter relay of Fletcher, Fink, Megan Royer and Karyn Noll (4:30.7); and the 4x100 meter relay of Deb Morrison, Fletcher, Amy Sherman and Noll (53.9).

The girls record is now 2 wins and 0 losses.

CJ Wilson once again led the boys team, capturing the 100 dash with a time of 10.9 and the high jump with a leap of 5 ft. 10 in. Cordell Oberholtzer won the 1600 in 4:45.4 while the boys captured two relays; the 4x100 relay (Mike Burkholder, Dallas Stauffer, Jordan Yarbrough and Wilson, 45.4) and the 4x400 relay (Kyle Sensenig, Dallas Stauffer, Oberholter, Derck Fritz, 3:44.2).

The Mounts also had a big day in the field.

Winners included Devon Williams in the shot put (45-9.25), Victor Volynets in the discus (118-6) and Dan Szabo in the javelin (158-1).

John Landis rounded out the win column for the boys with a victory in the pole vault (10-0).
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