Streaks Win to Stay on Bubble

Don’t look now, but local girls basketball teams are getting down to the nitty-gritty when it comes to accumulating all-important District Three power points.

The clock is counting down to the end of the regular season, and squads are now in final jockeying mode to earn an invite to the playoffs.

When Ephrata unloaded the bus at Manheim Town-ship on Wednesday night, both the Mountaineers and the Blue Streaks – who hit the week hovering around the cut line in Class 6A – needed a victory to remain in line for a bid.

Township got it, 51-41. Ava Byrne scored eight of her 18 points in the first quarter, Sarah Kraus chipped in 14 points, including a pair of must-have fourth-quarter jumpers, Brooke Weaver added 11 points, including a clutch 3-pointer and three game-icing foul shots in the waning seconds, and the Streaks held off Ephrata in a non-league clash in Neffsville.

In the Class 6A power ratings, Township (10-5 overall) came into the game at No. 12 – and the last team in, directly on the bubble – in the 12-team field. Ephrata (11-4) entered at No. 14 and on the outside looking in.

“After we lost that Cedar Crest game last week, we knew the ship wasn’t ready to sink,” said Township coach Sean Burkhart, whose club dropped a gut-wrenching 44-43 decision to the Falcons on Jan. 10.

“But we knew that each game from there on out was a playoff game. We’re trying to scratch to get into districts. So, tonight was huge for the district standpoint. Friday (at Lebanon) will be huge for the league and district standpoint. We know we have an opportunity in front of us.”

Burkhart, in his 12th season on the Streaks’ bench, picked up his 199th career coaching victory.

The Mounts’ four losses are against Township, Manheim Central and the league’s two undefeated outfits, Lancaster Catholic and Lebanon.

“We’re starting to run out of opportunities, and we haven’t been able to come away with that big win,” Ephrata coach Brian Cerullo said. “We have to take care of our business.”

Ephrata had one lead on Wednesday, 5-4 when Cara Tiesi drilled a 3-pointer. Byrne connected on consecutive layups, helping Town-ship grab a 16-12 lead after the first quarter. Neither team warmed to the task offensively in the second quarter. Tiesi hit another trey, but Kraus and Weaver had buckets to help the Streaks take a 22-16 lead at the half.

Byrne, Weaver and Kraus had buckets, keying Township’s 6-0 clip early in the third quarter. Leah Caldwell scored six of her 15 points in the third for Ephrata, as the Mounts kept it close. But Weaver hit a 3-pointer to stretch the Streaks’ lead to 32-19, and Township had a 36-25 cushion through three.

Ephrata made one last run. Jasmine Griffin, who scored 18 points, buried back-to-back 3-pointers, the latter whittling the Streaks’ lead down to 40-33. And the Mounts were within 40-35 on Caldwell’s fast-break layup. The closest Ephrata would get down the stretch was 42-37 on Griffin’s steal and bucket.

Kraus coaxed in a pair of back-breaking jumpers, Hailey Berk scored off the bounce, Byrne split the middle for a layup, and Weaver hit three foul shots in the final 31 seconds and Town-ship won it.

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