Title Time for Mountaineers

There was plenty of incentive for Ephrata’s swim teams when the Mountaineers hosted Elizabethtown and Conestoga Valley in a rare Lancaster-Lebanontrimeet at Ephrata recCenter on Saturday.

After all, both the Mountaineers and the Bears entered unbeaten in the boys standings and only one game separated the teams on the girls side. Wins over both Elizabethtown and CV meant Section Two regular-season titles, and Ephrata earned both those crowns by topping the Bears (105-65) and Conestoga Valley (128-60) in the boys meet and 106-64 against Elizabethtown and 140-29 versus the Bucks in the girls.

As junior Colby Simes said, repeating as sections boys champs was a major part of the discussion entering the meet.

“We were going for the section title at the beginning of the year,” he said. “We talked about it at the end of last year, thinking we can all do this again next year. It was definitely at the top of our minds all season.”

Senior Alyssa Fedorshak had a chat with her team prior to the meet, helping her younger teammates prepare to take a league crown.

“Some people were like, ‘I don’t know about this meet,’ and I said, ‘We absolutely have it.’ Just bring the energy and we saw a lot of people drop times,” she said. “This is a very special group.”

Ephrata coach Mickey Molchany agreed.

“On both sides. We have the perfect amount of topend speed but the depth to back it up each and every meet,” he said.

Simes did his part to support, winning both the 200yard freestyle in 1:50.88 and 100 butterfly by nearly 11 seconds in 54.22. The freestyle win was a part of a 1-2-3 sweep for the Mounts, helping them open a 21-9 lead.

Senior Thomas McGillan also won a pair of races, the 50 and 100 freestyles in blazing 21.29 and 47.21 times respectively. Youth came through as well, as freshman Ethan Lloyd scored a pair of individual wins, in the 200 individual medley (2:02.11) and 500 free (4:56.96). All three were a part of two winning relays. “We won the last two years and that was the way to send off the seniors. We had to do it again,” Simes said. “We have a lot of talent coming back in all events. This can absolutely continue.”

The girls displayed similar prowess with Fedorshak winning both the 50 free (25.29) and 100 back (1:01.30). Freshman Kauri Parson did the same in the 200 IM (2:26.21) and 100 free (57.85).

The Mounts girls took an early 28-18 lead by sweeping the IM and the momentum kept on going, buoyed by notching first and second in three other events.

“Coming into this meet, we focused on taking care of business and having the energy,” Fedorshak said. “What matters is not the people that win the race, it’s the swimmers that come in second, third and fourth. They are just as important and as you can see that made the difference today.

Molchany added that both of his squad were ready for the meet and afterward both teams — including the coach in his street clothes — jumped into the pool for a celebratory photo.

“I don’t there was the pressure. We just made sure we had the energy and that we really wanted it,” he said.

Elizabethtown ended the boys section season in second place with a 5-1 record after topping the Bucks, 132-35. The Bears girls squad also won, 132-37, closing with a 4-2 mark.