Eagles cruise past Mounts

They filled the purple bleachers at Ephrata Middle School on Wednesday evening, waves of white-clad Mountaineer Maniacs alongside dozens of fans and parents, ready to roar after the home team’s opening weekend.

But the Maniacs and fans waited and watched as visiting Cocalico to command in the first half, pulling away early for a 54-29 nonleague girls’ basketball victory.

Making their season debut, the Eagles (1-0) soared to a 32-8 lead at the break, powered by points from six different players.

Meanwhile, a torrent of turnovers and errant shots plagued the Mountaineers (2-1) all the way through Hannah Raezer’s field goal with 55 seconds to go in the first quarter.

Cocalico answered 12 seconds later, as Emily Fassnacht knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner for three of her nine first-half points.

She finished with a game-high 17 points.

Kelly Liebl brought the home crowd off the purple bleachers with a drive for a basket-and-one with 3:28 remaining in the half. She finished with five points.

The Eagles continued their first-half march, answering Liebl’s attack with an 11-2 run to the first-half buzzer, including four of Emily White’s 13 points.

The Mountaineers came out shooting in the second half, scoring four quick points on baskets from Liebl and Kenzie Horst, but the Eagles netted the next 10, a run capped by a White 3-pointer and a long bucket from Natalie Sukanick.

Ephrata heads to Millersville to take on Penn Manor Friday in a Section One/Section Two crossover game to open its league schedule.

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