Mounts sweep Warwick
- 21 December 2022
Ephrata finished up its December schedule with a nonleague swimming sweep of Warwick on Tuesday afternoon. The Mounts won the boys contest 107-57 and the girls event 113-52.
With wins in nine of 11 girls races and eight of 11 boys races, Ephrata cruised to victory despite several swimmers participating in their “off” events.
“We can put people into a lot of different races, not necessarily their best races, but they’ll still race hard,” Ephrata head coach Mickey Molchany said.
One swimmer who took full advantage of being in different events was Ava Knopsnyder. The sophomore won the 50-yard freestyle in 23.35 and the 100 breaststroke in 1:09.07.
Megan Martin does not focus on the 200 IM, where Knopsnyder is more likely to compete, but Martin still won that event with a 2:26.23.
But there’s also something to be said for consistency. Kauri Parsons won her traditional distance races with a 2:03.86 in the 200 freestyle and a 5:35.23 in the 500 freestyle.
The only other solo winner for Ephrata was Allie Ludwig, who posted a 56.19 in the 100 freestyle.
Warwick won two individual competitions. Melanie Hahn took the 100 butterfly with a 1:02.21 and Tenra Adams took the 100 backstroke in 1:02.94.
Ephrata swept the girls relays. The 200 medley team of Addy Zimmerman, Knopsnyder, Bria Burk-holder and Ludwig touched in at 1:56.64, the 200 freestyle team of Martin, Burk-holder, Parsons and Knopsnyder recorded a 1:45.34 and the 400 freestyle team of Parsons, Martin, Burk-holder and Ludwig turned in a 3:53.45. The 200 medley relay and 400 freestyles both won by under 1.2 seconds when Ludwig edged the Warwick anchors.
On the boys side, Ephrata continued to have points and victories from swimmers in unusual events. The best finisher among the “off” swimmers was Chad Jones, who won the 100 breaststroke in 1:02.56 and the 50 freestyle in 23.35.
“Most people were not in their best events, but everyone swam hard,” Molchany said.
Joey Myer also won two events for the Mounts. He took the 200 IM in 2:03.58 and the 100 backstroke with a 56.24.
Ethan Lloyd added to Ephrata’s victory total with a 49.80 in the 100 freestyle.
Warwick did win three solo events in the boys meet as they continue to see where each swimmer will perform at their peak.
“I don’t know,” Warwick head coach Mark Daum said when he was asked what he’s learned about the Warriors so far this winter. “This is only our fourth week and we’ve had less than a month of practice.”
The high point for the Warwick boys was Brenden Stuhltrager setting a pool record at the Ephrata Rec Center with 51.79 in the 100 butterfly. He also won the 200 free with a 1:48.32, just .35 seconds ahead of Lloyd.
John Moll won the 500 free in 5:06.89.
Like the girls, the Ephrata boys built a margin by sweeping the relays. The 200 medley team (Joey Myer, Jones, Jack Martin and Caleb Zimmerman) won in 1:48.24, the 200 free (Martin, Jones, Lloyd and Peter Suhrbier) won by 0.1 seconds in 1:33.71 and the 400 free (Lloyd, Suhrbier, Zimmerman and Myer) won in 3:28.61.