The Central Bucks West volleyball team saw its season come to an end on Tuesday night in its PIAA Class AAA state semifinal volleyball match against Central York.
SPRING TWP – Christian Rupert had just started to explain what his four-year run with the Central Bucks West volleyball team had been like when he paused and looked down, unable to continue.
“Just thinking about the guys,” the Bucks’ senior middle hitter said, his voice breaking with emotion.
And thinking about the teammates he’d played his final high school game with easily stung far more than the fact that the Bucks had suffered their first loss of the season in Tuesday night’s PIAA Class AAA state semifinal match against Central York.
“That’s why it’s so disappointing,” Rupert said. “I love this group of guys. We’re all so close. It’s just emotional because I know it’s the last time we’re going to be playing with each other.
“We have a lot of great memories, and that’s what is getting me through it, just all the shared moments. We had a great team, great games, great memories and practices, just hanging out. It’s been a lot of fun.”
The Bucks – ranked second in the most recent Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association poll – suffered a hard-fought 3-0 defeat at the hands of Central York, the state’s top-ranked team (25-23, 25-18, 25-21), and although the ending was difficult to swallow, the seniors leave behind quite a legacy.
“I can’t believe it’s over,” senior Matt Hennigan said. “Christian and I have been here so long, and just to see the development of the program over four years is so great.
“We have a lot more guys, and the whole high school knows about it. I remember when I was a freshman, I’d get questions, ‘You play volleyball? We have a volleyball team?’ Now everyone knows, and it’s ‘When’s your next game? When are you guys playing?’ We were getting questions before the season even started, so that’s a big thing.”
The pride of the West faithful in attendance at Tuesday’s match at Wilson West Lawn High School was apparent as the special season was coming to an end. While it’s customary for the winning fans to stand and applaud as the match reaches its conclusion, it’s unusual for the fans of the losing squad to do that.
On Tuesday, the West faithful rose to their feet and began sustained applause as the Panthers reeled off their final points.
“When I first started out, volleyball was not that big at CB West,” Rupert said. “Over the years, we got a great crowd, a great following. The student body has been great, supporting us. And just getting the guys involved.”
This year’s squad put Central Bucks West volleyball on the map, and it looked like the Bucks could well be on their way to Penn State for Saturday’s final as they controlled play for much of the first set.
A Hennigan dump put the Bucks on top 10-8, and three straight Panther miscues stretched that lead to 13-8. Central York trimmed West’s lead to three, but a Hennigan kill was followed by a Fran Poeske kill, putting the Bucks on top 15-10. They still led 20-15 after a York hitting error, but a West hit out of play set the stage for a 10-3 Central York run that gave the Panthers the 25-23 win and, more importantly, momentum.
“I would say West, in general, the whole four years I’ve been here – we’re very inclined to be inconsistent,” Hennigan said. “We can come out playing amazing, making zero errors, having our best game, and then the next two points could change everything for us.
“It’s something I’ve noticed throughout my whole four years here. I’m not sure if it’s the mentality we play with, but I agree with my coach – we made a lot of errors that were very unfortunate.”
In the second set, West opened up an early lead only to watch the Vikings go on top 11-8 after a West hit out of play.
“We made a lot of mistakes,” coach Todd Miller said. “We gave them 30 points out of what they had. Take away those mistakes, and in all honesty, it’s a different match. Thirty mistakes – that’s a match.”
The Panthers went on to open up a 20-12 lead, and the Bucks would get no closer than six the rest of the way.
“They’re just a really disciplined squad, and they have a lot of talent,” Rupert said. “We always talk about our team chemistry – they had a lot on their side.
“They play year round, they have a club team, and they keep all of their guys together. They’re with each other so much, and they really have a feel for each other, and I think that helped a lot tonight.
“They deserved it. They won a couple of points that swayed the match. We didn’t close the book on them, and that was the difference really.”
In the third set, an impressive service run by Hennigan – that included a pair of aces and a Poeske block – gave the Bucks a quick 5-0 lead. They led 10-4 after a Joel Klapper kill and stretched that lead to seven (12-5) after a Rupert kill. The Panthers refused to go away, making it a 15-12 game after a West passing error. They knotted the score 17-17 after a Jeremiah Dadaboe kill. The two teams were still deadlocked 21-21 after a Rupert kill. Another Dadaboe kill gave the Panthers a lead they would not lose (22-21) as they went on to earn the 25-21 win.
“Guys played well,” Miller said. “You struggle with mistakes, and you’re going to pay for it. It’s unfortunate. They had such a great season. In all honesty, whatever would have happened here – they’re ranked (number) one in the state. Between them and two other teams, they have 20-some odd titles.”
Central York did something that few teams have been able to do consistently against the Bucks – they put up effective blocks at the net, but Hennigan wasn’t sure that had anything to do with his team’s unforced errors.
“I didn’t notice that as much as I did notice them being scrappy,” the Bucks’ senior setter said. “I think for our defense and our hitters, the fact that they were very scrappy and got a lot of touches on the ball – it wasn’t the same thing we’re used to where we can pummel the ball and it hits the floor.
“They were scrappy, they played through their errors, and whenever they can get a touch on it, they do and they try to turn it around. They did a really great job with that tonight.”
Hennigan contributed 22 assists, five kills, three aces and three-and-a-half blocks. Rupert had 10 kills and five blocks while Klapper added seven kills and six digs. Ryan Alu had five digs, and Jackson Cox (one kill, two blocks) and Keith Saunders (three kills, one block) also contributed.
“This is the first time West has been at this level,” Miller said. “In all honesty, I think they played fantastic. I think they overcame a lot. I think they worked hard as a team. You never saw them give up. They kept working for each other.
“In the scheme of life, it’s minute. It will be forgotten later on in life. In all honesty, everything you have in life wastes away. It means nothing, so what means everything is these kids’ families and everything that goes along with that. That is long lasting. That’s what lasts. This is temporal. It will be done in a heartbeat. Focus on what’s important.”
Central York will face defending state champion North Allegheny in Saturday’s title match at Penn State. North Allegheny earned a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Hempfield in the other semifinal match.
“They’ll run over whoever they play,” Miller said of Central York.
The Bucks closed out a historic season with a 24-1 record and SOL Continental and District One AAA titles to their credit.
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