This one had more movement than one of those giant swings on the boardwalk.

 

And swing was the operative word Monday, as the Ephrata girls' track team took command of the Section Two title race by getting by host Conestoga Valley, 84.5-65.5, under the lights on senior night.

 

Both coaches pointed to the sometimes volatile swings in the meet -- and the fact that the Mountaineers (4-0 L-L, 5-0 overall) claimed two of the three relays -- as the difference in the final outcome.

 

"We rose to the challenge several times," said Ephrata coach John Keller, whose girls' team is in line to claim its first section crown since 1987.

 

A victory from Sondra MacNeal, Vanessa Hurst, Andrea Castillo and Nicole Wilkerson, whose terrific kick helped her overtake CV's Rebekah Stoltzfus out of the final turn in the meet-opening 3,200 relay (9:58.2), gave the Mounts a huge boost.

 

However, senior Kirsten Bass answered immediately for the Buckskins (3-1, 3-2), bursting out of the blocks in front and never relinquishing the lead as she outraced Ephrata's Mary Witmer (15.5) to victory in the 100-meter high hurdles in a CV school and stadium record time of 14.9.

 

"Right from there, we knew we were in for a battle," added Keller, who saw Witmer outrun Bass for the Black Knights Invitational title in the same event Saturday.

 

"That was hard, but we told Mary that you can't let one event ruin the night," said Ephrata senior Abby Binkley, who took second in the pole vault (9-0) and ran on the victorious 400 relay (51.2)

 

Witmer bounced back, crushing the field in the intermediate hurdles in 44.5, which is the fastest time in the state to date in that race. She also won the 400 (61.0) and triple jump (36-6).

 

Sophomore Crystal Hartman was also a triple winner for Ephrata, taking the shot put (34-6), discus (110-7) and javelin (107-2), while freshman sprinter Kelly Liebl won the 100 (12.2), 200 (26.0), long jump (15-9 1/4) and teamed with Binkley, Yasi Davis and Natalie Flaim for a season-best 51.2 in the 400 relay.

 

"We lost both those relays by a few steps, and that was the key to the meet," said CV girls' coach Mike Craighead. "I certainly can't complain about my kids' performances, because we had (personal bests) in almost every event. We battled hard. They're just really sharp."

 

Ephrata is also deep, and that showed in a runaway victory by senior Melyinda Beam in the 3,200 (12:29.1), whose victory in her only event of the day clinched the win.

 

"This feels so good," Beam said of the Mounts positioning themselves to grab the section crown with just Cocalico (2-2 L-L) and Lampeter-Strasburg (2-2) left on the slate. "We've really come together this year, and now we're doing some great things."

 

Meanwhile, the CV boys (4-0, 5-0), fresh off winning the team title at Saturday's Black Knight Invitational, were dominant in a 117-33 triumph over Ephrata (0-4, 0-5).