After going 3-2 at the Octorara Duals on Saturday, January 7, the Mules hosted Penn Manor in a typically entertaining Section One match on Wednesday, the 11th. This year's contest had a little more meaning as the two squads were battling for possession of the inaugural "Miller Mallet", a trophy named in honor of the late Jared Miller, a big supporter of both Solanco and Penn Manor wrestling. Miller's son, Troy, wrestled for the Mules back in the 90's and his daughter, Tanya Grassel, has two sons, both wrestled for the Comets.

"Dad would have loved this," said Tanya Grassel after the match. "He loved both of these programs so much."

This one proved to be another thriller as the Comets pulled out a 38-33 victory with a second period fall by Carter Rachor at heavyweight.

Caden Rutt (106) put Solanco on the board with a 1:58 fall but Gavin Boland answered with a tech fall at 113. The Comets forged ahead with a fall at 120 and a tight 5-3 decision at 127 for a 14-9 lead.

The Mules roared back. Andrew Smith (133) earned a tight 6-0 decision over Ethan Farmer while Jared Fulton (139) and Justin McCauley (145) secured back-to-back falls before forfeit points at 152 pushed the lead to 27-14.

Not to be out done, the visitors countered with the fastest fall of the night, 39 seconds at 160, before a first period fall by Blaine Plastino (172) over Chris Hubbs pushed Solanco's advantage to 33-20.

But then the Mules forfeited at 189 and 215, leaving the Comets in striking distance, 33-32. Jamar Moore worked a first period takedown and nearfall points for a 5-0 advantage and appeared to have Rachor pinned in the second period before a flurry saw the Comet grappler scramble to the top and secure the victory.

"It's a little disappointing because we were missing two starters who got injured at Octorara," said head coach Tony Mendez. "It's tough without a full lineup. And I kind of thought Jamar had the fall but that's the way it goes. The guys wrestled hard and now we move on.

"It's nice to have the Miller Mallet trophy now to continue our rivalry with Penn Manor," he added. "We work with them a lot in the off-season. This will help continue to build the sport."

At Octorara on Saturday the Mules topped Unionville (42-31), Archbishop Ryan (39-29) and New Oxford (39-29) and before slipping against Wilson (42-23) and Oxford (42-36).

"Even in the two losses, I thought we wrestled well," said Mendez.

Fulton, Ben Williams and Rutt all went 5-0 on the day with Plastino finishing 4-1.

"Blaine lost a 3-1 decision to Wilson's Blaise Eidle," noted Mendez. "That's a tough kid with a 24-4 record and Blaine held his own."

GIRLS' BASKETBALL

The girls' basketball team broke its six-game losing streak with a 32-27 thriller at Elizabethtown Friday, Jan. 6.

Holding a slim 11-10 edge in the first quarter, the visitors gained some separation in the second frame, holding the Bears to three points while taking an 18-13 lead into halftime. The second half was nip-and-tuck with both teams knocking down 14 points.

Jenna Ehlers' 12-point performance was a game-high effort. Arianna Seiberlich and Paige Althoff chipped in with six points each.

One night later the girls traveled to the West York Showcase where they came up short against the hosts, 43-26. Solanco held an 8-6 lead in the first quarter but couldn't solve the Bulldogs after that. WY outscored Solanco in each of the next three frames, including a 13-3 fourth quarter.

Both teams knocked down 11 two-pointers, but the hosts canned three more treys and five more free throws to pull away.

Sarah Landis netted a season-high 10 points. Seiberlich added 8 and Josie Janssen finished with six as the top Solanco scorers.

Back in action Tuesday, Jan. 10, the Mules, behind a season best 18-points from Ehler's got off to a 17-10 first half lead against Section Two leader Manheim Central. But the Barons outscored the hosts 32-17 after the break to remain on top of the standings at 5-0.

The Baron's top gun, Maddie Knier (21.4 ppg avg) was held to 15 but the visitors used a 13-for-20 effort and the free throw line and outscored the hosts 16-8 in the fourth to pull away. Seiberlich and Paige Althoff backed Ehler's with five points each.

BOYS' BASKETBALL

Looking to extend its three-game winning streak, the boys' basketball team struggled through the middle two frames and came out on the short end of a 44-39 final against visiting Elizabethtown, Friday, Jan. 6.

"I felt like it was one of those games where, no matter what we did or what we tried, nothing was working," said head coach Anthony Hall. "It was a tough loss, and even though we struggled, I really felt it was a game we should have won. We missed 13 layups, and we were 1-of-13 from behind the arc. Even shooting like that, we were right there at the end."

The Mules led by as many as six, 11-5, in the first quarter and a bucket by Elijah Cunningham in the second made it 13-8. The Bears battled back and took their second lead of the night, 16-15, with 1:07 left in the half. Both teams traded buckets after that, and the Bears clung to an 18-17 lead at the break.

Burger turned a steal into a layup and after Etown buried a trey, Noah Baber tied the game before Jaydon Yoder's bucket put Solanco in front with 2:30 left in the third. The Bears ran off seven straight for the biggest lead of the night, 28-23.

Both teams traded threes to start the fourth and three different times the Mules cut the lead to four, the last coming on a Baber steal and Yoder bucket with 45 ticks remaining, but the Bears had the last say.

"I honestly felt we were the better team, despite our lack of weakside help on defense," Hall stated. "If we could have executed over the final minute, we could have won. But we are competing and that makes me happy. We're 6-6 now and I don't think anyone expected that. We're also ranked 17th in the district and the top 14 go. That's a lofty goal, but it could be reachable."

Bailey tied Brandon Andrews with 15 points. Burger chipped in with 10 as the double-digit scorers.

Tuesday the Mules traveled to section leader Manheim Central (4-0) but didn't have an answer for Trey Grube and fell short 58-43. Grube, who averages 24.5 ppg, poured in 31 and canned six treys, pushing his total for the year to 45, as the Barons pushed out to a 28-16 first half lead.

Solanco buckled down after the break, playing even with Manheim in the third (14-14) but couldn't overcome the first half damage.

The Mules, without point guard Tyler Garber (concussion) led with a 16-11 edge in two-point field goals but Manheim dropped in 8 treys, held Solanco to two and were an impressive 12-of-14 from the charity stripe.

Baber, with 15, was the only double-digit scorer for the Mules. Bailey followed with eight.