Last Tuesday at Meadia Heights, the Mules (18-1) suffered its first loss of the season, dropping a tiebreaker to Elizabethtown (15-4). Both teams carded 365 totals but the Bears won when their sixth player recorded the lower score.

Logan Wagner again carded the low score of the day with a 79. Brayden Herr (89), Nathan Tucker (98), Andy Teaman (99), Jeffrey Martin (100) and Wyatt Landis (112) also chipped in.

Wagner fired a match-low 75 at Honeybrook Thurs., Sept 2, and Solanco improved to 14-0 with a team-low 323, holding off the hosting Spartans by 24 strokes (347).

"This has to be the lowest team score for Solanco in a long time, at least in my 15 years of coaching," said Greg Minnich.

Teaman followed Wagner with a 78, while Herr (82) and Martin (88) round out the top four with Landis (95) and Hudson Brown (98) challenging.

SOCCER

With seven returning starters, Solanco's boys' soccer team has put up competitive numbers despite opening the season with a pair of losses.

Friday morning, Sept. 3, the Mules dropped a 4-1 count to visiting Lebanon but were not without opportunity, especially in the first half. Brady Janssen was just wide on a breakaway and was denied on a free kick while Trent McDowell sent a couple over the crossbar.

The Cedars, who scored on a PK with just seconds left in the first half, went home with a 4-1 win. Braden Jarabak, assisted by Janssen, put Solanco on the board.

"This group gets better every time they step on the field," said head coach Brandon Smith. "They are striving for excellence and beating the average performance. The improvement is taking place."

Playing at home again Saturday, the Mules took a step closer to a win, falling short 3-2. Muhlenberg held a 2-1 lead in the first half which proved to be the difference as both teams scored after the break.

Janssen was credited with both of Solanco's goals.

Wednesday the Mules suffered a 5-0 loss to Lancaster Mennonite (2-0).

TENNIS

With a 5-2 win over Annville on Aug. 31, their second of the season, Solanco was looking to pull off a win over McCaskey, Thursday, Sept. 2 but fell just short. The Section One Red Tornados won three straight singles matches to escape with a 3-2 nod. Kara Armstrong and Ava Peiffer, winning 6-0, 6-1 and Wendy Lehmann and Reagan Mendez (6-1, 6-7, 10-5) provided the point scoring for the visitors.

Last Tuesday proved to be another tight match for Solanco who dropped a 4-3 final against Garden Spot.

Lehmann and Mendez earned an 8-5 doubles win while Langley and Armstrong battled before bowing out 9-7.

In singles play, Pursel pulled out a 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 win at No. 1 and Adrienne Dolan fought for a 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 marathon win at No. 2. Armstrong put up a good fight at No. 4 but lost 6-3, 4-6, 13-11.

FOOTBALL

After opening the season with a 33-14 win over Palmyra, week No. 2 saw the roles reversed as Solanco dropped a 33-15 result at Kennard-Dale, Friday, Sept. 3.

The Rams led from start to finish, taking a 14-0 lead before Solanco got on the board. Zach Turpen's six-yard run in the second quarter cut the lead in half but the Rams scored the only TD of the third, and extended the lead to 26-7 with an early score in the fourth. The Mules closed the gap with a 4-yard run by Elijah Reimold, who also added a 60-yard kickoff return, and a two-point run by Turpen, who spearheaded Solanco's offense with 151 rushing yards, but the hosts had the last say.

Robert Castagna added 73 yards, on 15 carries, to Solanco's 276 yard total and Colton Stoltzfus led a trio of double-digit tacklers with a dozen. Cole Gladfelter (11) and Aden Herr (10) also contributed.

GIRLS' SOCCER

The girls' soccer team opened the season with a 10-0 win over Lebanon Fri., Sept 3 and followed with a 2-1 nod over visiting Susquehannock one day later as a tune up for Section Three play.

Meg Bailey's hat trick sparked the triumph over Lebanon. The junior scored three goals in the first half as the visitors built a 7-0 advantage. Alanna Brown scored twice and Solanco led 5-0 after 14 minutes.

Addison O'Donnell and Aribella McComsey added to the first half barrage while Sarah Landis and Abby Landis added second half tallies.

Saturday morning Maya Dolan scored in the 26th minute of the first half and then, scoring 13 minutes in to the second half, provided a 2-0 advantage. The visitors cut the lead in half nine minutes later but couldn't split Solanco's defense after that.

Solanco moved to 3-0 when Rilyn Saner assisted Kara Peace for an overtime, game winner against Lancaster Mennonite last Tuesday.

FIELD HOCKEY

The field hockey team scored eight goals in less than 24 hours and finished with mixed results. Sept. 3 the girls dropped a 6-4 non-league outing against Lancaster Catholic but rebounded Saturday morning, nipping visiting Kennard-Dale 4-3.

The Crusaders led 4-0 heading into the fourth quarter when Solanco got its offense in gear. All four of the home team's goals were scored in that frame and by four different players. Haylee Byers, Rebecca Bruno (2 assists), Sadie Cook (1 assist), and Kate Underwood (on a penalty stroke) all found the back of the cage.

Caitlin Bennethum and Molly Seal combined for nine saves.

Saturday Solanco jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the first quarter. After a scoreless second, they, with a 17-11 advantage in shots on goal, added two more goals and led 4-2 heading into the final frame. K-D closed the gap but couldn't find the equalizer.

Bruno recorded twice. Byers and Sadie Cook also notched goals. Bennethum and Seal each recorded four saves.

"Last year we scored 13 goals for the season and we're already at eight," exclaimed head coach Whitney Hawkins.

CROSS COUNTRY

Last Tuesday in Lititz, the Mules placed three runners in the top 12 but couldn't pull out a win, falling to Warwick and Cedar Crest. Wyatt Tomison led the way, placing eighth (18:50). Anthony Solis-Morales (10th, 18:55) and Avery Jacobson (12th, 19:30.6) followed.

The girls team also came away without a win despite Emma Baxter's fifth place finish (22:27.38). Christine Wagner was 15th (24:09).

The teams were coming off a solid outing at the Northampton Invitational on Saturday. Tomison (44th), Solis (48th), Baxter (41) and Wagner (43) all finished in the top 50 with Wyatt and Wagner earning PRs.