Holding a one-point lead heading into the final event, and entering just one 400 free relay team, the Pioneers needed a win to hold off visiting CV Thursday, January 14. Ryan Smecker, Nathan Eberly, Kyle Spaulding and Andrew Reidenbaugh not only defeated both CV relays but did it with their fastest time ever, sealing an 82-79 team win and moving their record to 2-0.

"They were cool and collected," said head coach Kylie Turner of the relay team. "I have never seen them swim these split times! You would have never guessed there were no spectators in the building. The place erupted when Andrew finished.

"We have nine boys this season, helping to create more relays and fill empty lanes," the coach continued. "New additions to the team, junior Owen Keeler and freshman Christian Rota, plus returning senior Nathan Eberly have made the difference these last two meets. The boys may very well have a winning season."

That 400-relay team gave L-S a boost when they opened the meet with a win in the 200-medley relay. Reidenbaugh went on to claim the 50 and 100 free events and Eberly doubled in the 100 back and 200 IM.

"Cooper Honert (3rd - 500 free), Owen Keeler (4th - 200 IM), Mitchell Livengood (4th - 100 breaststroke, 3rd - 200 free) and Christian Rota (3rd- 50 free) added key points in their races," Turner noted.

The girls' team also moved to 2-0 with a second 100-points plus win, dumping CV 119-49.

Liz Horner led the way with top times in the 500 free and 200 IM and swam the opening leg of the 400 free relay with Bre Fluhr, Zara Paisley and Kara Scranton wrapping things up. That same group took the 200-medley relay as well.

Fluhr added a win in the 50 free, Scranton posted the fastest 200 and Paisley led the 100 breaststroke. The Pioneers also won the 200 free relay with Krista Lambert, Ashley Prouse, Sidney Brinkman and Abby Welchans cruising past CV.

At Ephrata Tuesday, Jan. 19, the lady Pioneers won just two events and suffered a disappointing 98-72 loss to the Mounts. Fluhr, Horner, Scranton and Paisley opened with a win in the medley relay and Horner earned a win in the 200 IM to account for Lampeter's first place finishes.

The boys' squad was denied a single first place finish and dropped a 121-48 result.

GIRLS' BASKETBALL

Friday, Jan. 15 in Quarryville, Jenna Daveler tossed in a career-high 16 points and anchored a pivotal fourth quarter with scrappy defense that frustrated Solanco and led to a 51-39 Pioneer win over the two-time reigning section champs.

"Jenna's defense swung the game," said head coach Tony Fink. "And Emma Drouillard made some big buckets in the fourth."

Holding a 35-30 lead heading into the final quarter, Solanco's Jade Eshleman converted a traditional three-point play, providing momentum and cutting the lead to two. L-S never flinched. They ran off ten straight points, including a trey by Drouillard, pushing out to 45-33 lead with 4:49 left. Both teams traded buckets down the stretch and Lampeter's 12-point advantage stood.

The Pioneers also dropped in eight treys on the night with Daveler, Drouillard (11 points), Kiersten Hostetter (11 points) and Hailey Leaman (6 points) sharing the wealth with two each.

"We are very balanced," Fink said. "We weathered some early foul trouble with scrappy play by Kiersten and Maggie Swarr."

In non-section play Monday, Jan. 18, the Pioneers earned an impressive 55-50 win over Section Five leader Lancaster Mennonite.

Despite holding the lead for most of the game, this one came down to the wire. The Blazers knotted the score at 44-44 with 4:40 left but L-S scored the last eight points of the game, including four straight free throws by Hostetter that clinched the victory.

LMH's Mariah Wilson poured in 27, including 12 of her team's 15 fourth quarter points but Lampeter's balance could not be denied. Katie Ranck netted 16, including eight in the third quarter and Hostetter added 14. They both connected on 6-of-7 free throws where L-S nailed an impressive 14-of-16 attempts. Drouillard's 11 points rounded out the double-digit scorers.

BOYS' BASKETBALL

Posting a season-high 60 points, the Pioneers survived a scrappy Solanco squad, pulling away for a 60-44 Section Three win Friday, Jan. 15.

A 17-6 run through the second quarter erased a 17-15 first quarter Solanco lead and a 13-5 fourth quarter extended an eight-point advantage going into the final frame.

"We switched defenses midway through the third quarter and they had 14 straight possessions where they came up empty," noted head coach Ed Berryman.

Ty Burton exploded for a game high 26 points and Isaiah Parido followed with 9.

In non-section play Monday, the Pioneers poured in a season-high 70 points, held the Blazers to 50 and moved to 4-0 overall.

"We broke the game open with a season-high 24-point third quarter," Berryman noted, as L-S outscored the hosts 43-26 in the second half.

Burton's 19 points led a trio of double-digit scorers with Luka Vranich, in his first start of the season, netting 15 and Nick DelGrande adding 13.

"Nick was a factor in the paint and Ben Wert did a nice job on defense guarding Camden Hurst," said Berryman. "We focused on Hurst and Cole Fisher, who both averaged 19. We held them to 11 and 12 respectively.

WRESTLING

The Pioneer mat men secured their first win of the season, 39-33, despite forfeiting five bouts against Cedar Crest on Jan. 14. The Falcons gave back 24 points in four forfeits. L-S won three of the four bouts wrestled. Connor Erb (120) opened with an 8-4 decision. Arik Harnish (132) earned a fall in 5:05 and Austin Reiff (113) rounded out the scoring with a 1:46 pin.

A diminished lineup did not help the Pioneers in a quad meet at Manheim Township Saturday, Jan. 16. L-S faced Solanco in their opening match and dropped a 60-15 result after forfeiting seven bouts.

Arik Harnish pulled out a 5-3 ultimate tiebreaker thriller over Jackson Houghton at 132 and Josh Heisey followed with a 5:31 fall over Andrew Smith for a short-lived 9-6 lead. Austin Reif's forfeit win at 113 accounted for the Pioneers final points.

The Pioneers also suffered a tough 39-36 loss to Manheim Township. L-S forfeited four bouts, the Streaks three. Six bouts were wrestled and all were determined by bonus points. Josh Heisey needed just 35 seconds to win the opening bout at 138. Then came the string of forfeits leaving the score tied at 24-24 with five bouts left. The Streaks collected three tech falls while Reiff did not break a sweat in his 16 second pin and Harnish needed just 59 ticks to cap the scoring.

BOWLING

On Jan. 20 the Pioneers, despite a 463 series by Nick Burkowski, dropped a 7-0 final against Manheim Central.