MOUNTS FAN'S NOTE: This was an article written for the Lancaster paper, so if you were hoping to read about some Ephrata player ... just the smallest blurb or mention about someone that did something, or said something, that was from Ephrata and not Manheim, this is not the article for you, you will not find it here. Feel free to look at the box score [here]; as it will include names from both teams. Thanks!

 

Oh!! and in case you're curious "take measure of" means to make a judgment or form an opinion about someone or something. Used correctly like this: "The Barons quietly observed the Mounts, taking the measure of this team they had heard so much about."

 

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It's Homecoming weekend in Manheim and must-win football has already begun for the Barons.

 

Entering Friday night clinging to the 16th and final position in the District Three Class AAA Power Rankings, the Barons essentially needed to win their three remaining L-L League Section Two games to have a shot at postseason play.

 

The Barons looked to be in postseason form Friday night as quarterback Colin Fry accounted for five touchdowns and Manheim Central rolled over Ephrata 56-0 in their Section Two clash.

 

"We're in that must-win mode, because we're ranked 16th, last week we beat a pretty good football team (Lampeter-Strasburg) and didn't even move up in the rankings," Barons coach Mike Williams said.

 

The Barons (4-1, 6-2) who are still in the Section Two title hunt, will visit Conestoga Valley next Friday night.

 

The night started with a bang for both teams. After Ephrata (1-4, 1-7) converted 4th-and-1 from its own 29 on the game's opening drive, the game was suspended at 7:06 p.m. with 9:13 left in the first quarter. Play resumed at 8:43 p.m. following the 1-hour, 37 minute lightning/storm delay.

 

Central capitalized after the break when Fry hit Cole Proffitt on a crossing route that resulted in a 37-yard catch-and-run for the Barons' first score of the night with 2:50 left in the first quarter.

 

Marc Royer gave the Barons a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter. Following a nice cut at the line of scrimmage, the junior tiptoed down the left sideline and dove into the end zone for a 55-yard TD run.

 

Later in the quarter, after a 12-yard Royer run to the Ephrata 3, Fry delivered a three-yard score on the quarterback keeper to give the Barons a 21-0 lead.

 

On the Barons' next possession, they drove the field and Fry punched the score in from four yards out to give Manheim Central a 28-0 lead at the break.

 

Fry was 6 of 7 through the air for 117 yards and a touchdown in the first half and added two rushing scores. Royer added 98 yards on the ground in the first half on six carries.

 

Fry finished 8 for 10 with 225 yards in the air and three TD passes.

 

"Colin is a journeyman quarterback," Williams said. "He's not big, not fast, but gets the job done and is smart, has a good concept of the game and has a pretty good group of receivers (Taylor Geib, Andrew Seiverling and Proffitt).

 

"I think he threw the ball exceptionally well and guided our team like a solid quarterback."

 

The top offense in Section Two, Manheim Central is averaging 416 yards a contest which is also tops in the L-L League. The Barons finished with 455 total yards Friday night.

 

"We're in a situation where personally I don't think we've reached our potential yet. We wanted to play a good sound football game and improve off a good week of practice," Williams said.

 

"We hit on all cylinders tonight offensively; our offense has been pretty potent all year."

 

The Barons didn't punt all night and scored on every drive except one that ended with a Barons fumble.

 

Geib, a tight end, hauled in four catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns while the Manheim defense clearly wasn't affected by the long lightning delay and held Ephrata to 160 rushing yards on 50 carries.

 

"(The delay) was nerve-racking," Williams said. "We're ready to go, the adrenaline is pumping then we have to wait and wait. I think the referees made an awesome decision (to resume the game).

 

"I thought our players handled it very well, I think they handled it a lot better than the coaches handled it," Williams said with a smile. "As it turns out, it's a pretty nice evening."