Barons eliminate Mounts

Despite being handcuffed for much of the night by Ephrata's reworked, five-midfielder defense, Manheim Central got a goal from Jeremy Binkley with 11:04 left in the first half and held on for a 1-0 Lancaster-Lebanon League semifinal victory over Ephrata Thursday night at Hempfield High School.

Despite outshooting Ephrata 10-6 and creating four quality scoring chances to the Mountaineers' one by game's end, the only real offensive success the Barons had came with 11:04 left before the break.

Leaving his position on the left wing to pick up a beautifully-chipped feed from junior midfielder Colton Kreider at the six-yard line, Binkley one-timed a chip shot inside the right post for a 1-0 Baron lead, which stood up the rest of the way.

"The last thing you expect to see is your opposite wing showing up on the near post, unless it's Jeremy," Schwartz said with a smile. "He's just got so much energy. He's all over the place ... like a gnat on a caffeine high."

Stifled by Central's defense for most of the night, Ephrata (13-4-4) did mount a mild surge in the final 5:00 of the match. But its hopes of forcing a tie evaporated when Tom Renko fired a 20-yard direct kick into the Barons' defensive wall with 1:17 left.

"I'm very pleased with our effort," Ephrata coach Rob Deininger said. "That's the best we've played in a month."