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 "Rowing Against The
Odds"
Mounts Resolved to Reverse Outcome of a Season
Ago
In 2007, a young and inexperienced Mounts team lifted anchor and departed
from shore eager to defend a Section Title captured a year ago, the
program’s third in four seasons. However, before the team could realize
it, they were headed into troubled waters. The current was rough, the
tide was strong, and the shore grew distant, and by season’s end, they
were caught drifting too far out at sea; not waving, but drowning. The
young squad dropped nine of their last twelve games, finishing fourth in
Section 2, and ended the season with Ephrata’s worst finish in eight
seasons. “Once we got out there, we didn’t navigate the waters very
well,” remarked Mounts head coach Adrian Shelley. “And before we knew it,
the sharks were circling us.” Those sharks included fellow Section 2
opponents Conestoga Valley, who claimed their first Section Title of the
decade, and Section runner-up Solanco, who caught fire in the postseason to win
both the
Lancaster-Lebanon League Championship and the District 3 AAAA
Championship.
Learning How to Row
If the Mounts expect to see a reversal of fortunes in 2008, a returning
group of now-veteran players will have to turn things around by learning
from last year’s humbling adventure. The first step toward preparing for
this spring started in the offseason and continued with
the start of practice, as the Mounts went back to basics in order to right
the ship. “We had a number of voluntary workout sessions during the
winter months, and then we used the month of March to focus solely on the
fundamental aspects of the game,” commented Coach Shelley. “We broke down
hitting, pitching, and fielding mechanics for each of our players and then
retooled swings, release points, and glovework. And as soon as the season
arrived, we stressed throwing more strikes as a staff, making the routine
play in the field, and consistently putting the ball in play offensively.
I guess you could say it was a series of lessons in learning to how to
row.”
Those lessons were a result of the need to correct a number of
deficiencies that led to last season’s sub-standard record. A year ago,
the Mounts pitching staff averaged more walks per game than strikeouts,
and when they did throw the ball in the strike zone, they surrendered nine hits a
game. In the field, where solid defensive play had become a staple of
the Mounts’ program, the ’07 squad committed nearly three errors per game,
the highest on average since 1999. And on offense, the batting order
was plagued by strikeouts, averaging over seven a game, just shy of the
7.5 hits per game they collected. Unfortunately, those numbers
overshadowed one of the best offensive seasons by a Mounts player in
recent history. While Ephrata quietly faded into the Section 2
background, senior shortstop Reid Martin concluded his four-year career
with a bang, finishing the season with a team-best 35 hits; including 11 doubles, 2
triples, and 3 home runs; while collecting 22 RBI’s, and posting a .486 batting average.
Although the Mounts return a number of starters from a season ago, players
like Martin, third baseman Alex Weaver, catcher/infielder Dan Hagey, and
outfielder Joel Hertzog will need to be replaced after being lost to
graduation. All four of those players logged a considerable amount of innings over a
two-year span and were contributing members of the 2006 Section Title and
League runner-up team, so finding suitable replacements will be another
challenge for Ephrata’s coaching staff. “We have nine seniors returning,
so there is a nucleus to build from, however, we are also going to have to
fold a freshman or two into the mix in order to fill in some of our gaps.
Similar to a year ago, inexperience in some key positions will continue to
raise questions as to the ultimate destination of this team,” suggested
Shelley.
Shark-Infested Waters
Preseason prognosticators have accurately acknowledged that, although the
Mounts are returning a veteran squad, so too are several other teams who
figure to play a leading role in competing for the Section 2 crown. First
and foremost is Elizabethtown. The Bears find themselves as the unanimous
coaches’ choice to contend for first place, with the defending League and
District Champion Solanco Golden Mules following close behind. Although
the Mules were impacted by graduation losses, the pundits understand the
residual effects of winning in the postseason and expect them to battle
the Bears for one of two playoff spots reserved for the league playoffs.
And, one would be remised to include Conestoga Valley in the fray after
the Buckskins took home first prize in the Section a year ago, defeating
Solanco in a one game, winner-takes-all, championship tie-breaker. A
much-improved Garden Spot team, along with the Cocalico Eagles, also have
plans to contend, giving Ephrata plenty of reason to enter the 2008
waters with caution. With that many sharks still swimming around the
Mounts will focus on a close-knit team concept to steer through a
challenging non-league and league schedule. “We cannot expect to be able
to swim out there and tread water all alone waiting for a star player or
two to keep us afloat,” stated Coach Shelley. “Once we set sail, we
must all row together.”
Against The Odds
Not many teams can rebound from a 7-12 record a season ago and rise to the
top of their respective divisions. Not many teams can hold their
collective breaths under the water that long and return to set sail the
following year without adequate time to rebuild and reload. And, more
importantly, baseball minds know that most teams can not return a pitching
staff with a six-plus ERA, a .277 team batting average, and a fielding
percentage barely above .900, and expect to do damage a season later with
similar personnel. It goes against the odds. However, the 2008 Mounts
are determined to do just that. “Our team’s goals are not going to change
because of what happened last year. In fact, our resolve is greater
because of the bad taste left in our mouths from a season ago,” remarked
the Mounts’ head coach. “It’s a brand new season. We are better
equipped, better conditioned, and better weathered. We are looking
forward to raising the anchor, knowing that you have to sail into the
stormy sea, if you ever want to find out what’s on the other shoreline.”
What’s on the horizon for this year’s Mounts will remain to be seen,
however for nine seniors and a crew of newcomers, the forecast is not
favorable. Perhaps, that’s just the way these sailors want it.
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