Mounts top Cougars

PALMYRA — It’s an historic start, and a great position from which to build.

On a clear Friday night at Palmyra’s Buck Swank Stadium, the Ephrata football team used a strong opening half, as well as 135 rushing yards and four touchdowns from running back Andre Weidman, to post a 28-7 nonleague triumph over the hometown Cougars. Now 2-0 on the young season, the Mountaineers are off to their best start since 2000.

After each side returned kickoffs for touchdowns to start the game, Weidman scored on a pair of 4-yard touchdown bursts to give Ephrata a 21-7 advantage. Weidman’s fourth touchdown — a one-yard plunge — came on the final play of the first half and staked the Mounts to a three-touchdown cushion at the intermission.

The Mountaineers’ defense did not surrender a touchdown to the Palmyra offense. Neither team scored in the second half, as Ephrata came up with a pair of defensive stands inside the red zone.

Weidman returned the opening kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown. But on the ensuing kick, Tim Hall returned the favor for Palmyra, going 80 yards through the middle of Ephrata’s coverage.

Ephrata responded by driving 75 yards in eight plays to get the Weidman touchdown that put it ahead 14-7 just 3:46 into the contest.

With the result, Palmyra slipped to 0-2.

Turning point

Ephrata scored on the final snap of the first half to extend its lead to 28-7, and was never seriously threatened in the second half.

Star of the game

Mountaineers RB Weidman accounted for more than 200 yards of all-purpose offense and tallied all four of his team’s touchdowns.

Key statistic

Ephrata outgained Palmyra 310 total yards to 92.

Quotable

“The last time we started 2-0, none of these kids were alive,” Ephrata head coach Kris Miller said. “We’re headed in the right direction. We’re gritty. We’re tough. And we’re improving.”

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