By: BRUCE MORGAN Review Staff, Staff Writer

Ephrata senior field hockey player Mackenzie Ruth has given her verbal commitment to play at Division One St. Francis University next fall. (Photo by Preston Whitcraft)

At one point, Saint Joseph’s University was number one on Mackenzie Ruth’s wish list.

However, the Ephrata High School star field hockey player never gave a commitment to continue her career with the Lady Hawks.

Today, she’s happy that she didn’t rush to a decision.

As things progressed over the summer, Saint Francis University, another Division-One school, entered the mix for Ruth and grabbed the inside track.

The Ephrata senior visited the campus, located in Loretto (just east of Pittsburgh), at the end of September, sat down with Red Flash Coach Stacey Bean and never looked back. Last month, Ruth made a verbal commitment to accept a partial athletic offer to play field hockey and study elementary education at Saint Francis. The Red Flash play in the Northeast Conference.

"I almost went to St. Joe’s," she said, "but I waited and I’m glad I did. I was actually talking to D-II schools and then one day, the St. Francis coach emailed me and I totally forgot I even talked to them (previously). I went on my visit and I really liked Saint Francis and (coach Bean). It just worked out."

Ephrata is getting the reputation as being a tough defensive club. And Friday night in Quarryville, that was on full display in a key early season showdown with three-time Section Two champion Solanco.

The Lady Mounts put the clamps on the Mares and star Gillian Glackin, the L-L League’s leading scorer. In a low scoring affair, Ephrata held Glackin to 15 points while outscoring the Mares 20-16 in the second half to earn a big 34-29 victory.

Solanco dropped to 2-2 in league play (5-2 overall).

Sarah Haddon paced Ephrata (3-1 section, 5-2 overall) with a game-high 16 points as the Lady Mounts pulled into a three-way tie with Cocalico and E-town heading into the holiday break.

Cocalico also forged the three-way tie with an impressive 59-53 win Friday at E-town, which came into the game all alone in first place.

Cocalico junior forward Marissa Gingrich helped pave the way, scoring a season-high 29 points as the Lady Eagles (3-1, 5-2) erased an early nine-point hole, outscoring the Bears 36-21 in the second half.

Natalie Sukanick added 10 points for the Lady Eagles while Megan Gingrich contributed eight.

By: JOHN CRAWFORD Review Correspondent, Staff Writer

Chase Weik scored a hat trick to lead the Ephrata ice hockey team to a 3-3 tie against Palmyra on Friday at Klick Lewis Arena. Steven Zuziak and Trevor Seibel each picked up two assists while goalie Logan Pogwist had 27 saves.

The tie gives Ephrata a 4-5-2 record and a three-game unbeaten streak going into the Christmas break.

"We’ve been playing well," said Coach Kevin Davis. "The things we’ve been trying to accomplish, we seem to be accomplishing."

Thanks to an 8-3 win over Palmyra on Dec. 12, Davis knew that their opponent would not take the Mounts lightly Friday.

"We knew (the Cougars) were going to come out as hard as they did tonight (because) we beat them pretty badly the last time. We knew it wasn’t going to be that easy tonight."

As if to make the point, Palmyra started the game with an early flurry that began when Josh Buohl blocked a shot that went back to Palmyra’s Zachary Yingst. After several chances, the Cougars reacted as they scored but a goal was never credited.

Ephrata senior Todd Dumas (top) is in control of his opponent in the 126-pound bout vs. Elizabethtown. Dumas went on to record the fall as the Mounts prevailed in the overall match. (Photo by Stan Hall)

The Ephrata wrestling team breezed to its first Section Two win of the season last Thursday at home with a 49-28 victory over Elizabethtown.

The Mounts (1-1 Section Two) earned bonus points in the first four bouts of the night to open up a commanding 22-0 lead. E-town (0-1) followed suit by taking the next four to tie it up before closed it out by winning six of the final seven weight classes.

Todd Dumas (126), James Welch (138), Ethan Sipe (145) and Cameron Eisenhauer (195) all earned falls to lead the way for Ephrata. Riley Eidemiller added a 12-3 major decision victory at 132 while Charles SanMartin picked up a 6-5 decision at 220.

The Mounts also picked up 18 points via forfeit wins to help clinch the victory.

After the holiday break, the Mounts will compete in the Donegal Tournament which is scheduled for Friday.

Cocalico also was in action last Thursday as the Eagles traveled to Conestoga Valley.

By: TODD RUTH Review Sports Editor truth.eph@lnpnews.com, Staff Writer

Ephrata's Matt Herbener (right) makes a pass to a teammate in front of Solanco defender Damon Kreider during Friday's 59-50 loss to the Mules. (Photo by Stan Hall)

One step forward, two steps back.

That is the plight of the Ephrata boys basketball team, which after earning their first win of the season in an impressive 55-53 victory over Penn Manor last Monday, the Mounts followed up with a pair of disappointing league losses, including a 59-50 setback to Solanco at home Friday night.

Wednesday’s loss at Township came on the road against a traditionally strong Blue Streaks’ squad. That one was understandable.

Friday’s, however, was a head scratcher. What appeared to be a winnable home game against a fellow one win team in Solanco, turned into a game filled with turnovers and missed opportunities for Ephrata (1-3 section, 1-6 overall).

"It’s a step back for us," Ephrata Coach Jason Coletti said of Friday’s loss. "And Wednesday night (vs. Township) was a step back too. Wednesday we felt we were the better team, eventhough Township has a great program over the years. But we let one get away there, and then to come out and do that tonight was bad. It was a poor performance, which is very disappointing."

Some of the children and parents participating in the Cocalico School District pre-K workshop practice identifying different feelings that students may experience.

The Cocalico School District hosted its third pre-k workshop of the school year Nov. 29 at Denver Elementary. This workshop focused on the social and emotional needs of incoming kindergarten students and their parents. Parents had the opportunity to listen to the district’s three elementary school counselors address some of the common concerns and questions of parents and students when children are entering kindergarten.

Lion Chuck Blattenberger (far left) congratulates Layne Gable on being selected East Cocalico Lions Club Student of the Month. Proudly accompanying Layne are her parents, Heidi (next to Layne) and Greg Gable.

Recently, the East Cocalico Lions Club honored Layne Gable as a Student of the Month.

Layne is the daughter of Greg and Heidi Gable and is a senior at Cocalico High School. She is a member of the Eagles’ Varsity Swim team and participates in the Future Business Leaders of America. She is also a member of the National Honor Society.

In addition to receiving this honor from the East Cocalico Lions, Layne has been recognized as a Student of the Month for the school’s Math and English departments. Even though she is very active in school, she believes in the Lions Club’s motto, "We Serve," by volunteering and helping at the Lititz Senior Center.

Her future plans include attending Dickinson College or Lafayette College.

By: ALICE HUMMER Review Correspondent, Staff Writer

Denver Mayor, Adam Webber (right), administers the Oath of Office to Jr. Council Person, Rachel Young on Dec. 17. (Photo by Alice Hummer)

Denver Borough Council unanimously adopted their proposed 2.5 million dollar budget on Dec. 17. Resolutions maintaining the 3.0 millage rate and the increase in water and sewer rates followed.

With a 5.3 percent increase each in water and sewer, water rates go from $4.75 to $5 per thousand gallons and sewer rates from $9.50 to $10 per thousand gallons.

Real estate taxes peg the average bill at $390.39 for a home assessed at $132,787.

Mike Hession, Denver Borough Manager, announced "the (bell-shaped, hard rubber) bollards have arrived and will be placed in front of the light pole at S. Fourth and Main Streets, and none too soon."

"The light pole was hit again by a tractor trailer making the sharp turn on Dec. 17," Hession said. This is twice this month the pole sustained being hit. "This time, the aluminum pole was bent and pulled toward the road."

In other business:

Garland M. Huffman, 82, formerly of Bowmansville, died Saturday, Dec. 15 at Union Hospital in Elkton, Md.

Born in Konnarock, Va. he was the son of the late John F. and Mahalia (Francis) Huffman.

Garland was a machine operator for many years. He served in the Army during the Korean War and was former Commander and life member of the Adamstown VFW and the Morgantown American Legion Post #537.

Surviving are three siblings: Garnie Huffman, Moneita, Va, Mary Walters, Howard N.Y., and Irene Hammond, Lancaster as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by eight siblings.

Services were held Dec. 19 at the Eckenroth Home for Funerals, Terre Hill with the Rev. Dr. Allen P. Dickerson officiating. Interment followed in Bowmansville Union Cemetery.

Arrangements entrusted to Eckenroth Home for Funerals, Terre Hill.

By: ALICE HUMMER Review Correspondent, Staff Writer

Denver Council recently agreed to permit the 100 Monroe Street business, Fruit- tastic, to be open on Sunday, Dec. 16 and again this coming Sunday, Dec. 23

Owner/operator, Tim Chenworth, said that people are asking him to do this. The timing of Zoning Hearing Board meetings does not permit the business to go through them for an answer.

Citizen Gary Read, who sits on the Zoning Board and was in the audience, was asked for his opinion.

"I cannot speak for the (Zoning) Board, but I don’t have a problem with him opening on a Sunday for two days only," he said. "If he wants to be open more on a Sunday, then he would need to come before the Zoning Hearing Board."

In other business:

? Borough Manager, Mike Hession, reported, "The traffic pole at Main and S. 4th Street was hit again tonight (12-10-12). I’ve called Denver Cold Storage, from where this driver came, and asked them to direct trucks out to route 272 which is the approved route into the borough. The bollards (bell-shaped items placed on the sidewalk to protect the pole that gets hit about every three weeks) should be here in two to three weeks."