All three SOL boys’ volleyball teams saw their seasons came to an end in Wednesday’s opening round of the PIAA Class AAAA Tournament.
#3-3 HEMPFIELD 3, PENNRIDGE 0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-23)
It was hardly a secret that Wednesday’s opening round state match would be the ultimate litmus test for a Pennridge squad with its sights set on a trip to the state title game.
The contest was not only a battle of a pair of teams consistently in the top five in the state rankings, Hempfield also represented the lone team in the state field the Rams had not beaten.
“They are a great team,” Pennridge senior Devon Rice said. “Unfortunately, we got to play them in the first round, which kind of stinks because we battled them all year in tournaments.
“They came out third in their district, but they’re really number one. They have a great defense, great serving and good blocking.”
Although the Rams battled gamely, it was Hempfield once again prevailing.
“They’re just so fundamentally sound,” coach Dave Childs said. “We were not, and they were. I think it goes back to the fundamentals. Blocking – they’re just very sound, and defensively – they made the right adjustments, and they earned it.
“We know they’re a good team, we know we’re a good team. It’s just about execution.”
In the opening set, Hempfield jumped to an 8-2 lead, but the Rams rallied to knot the score 21-21 before falling just short. The second game followed a similar pattern. This time Hempfield turned an 18-18 tie into a 25-20 win.
“I thought we started off game two pretty well, but then we let it slip away,” Childs said. “We were there with them for a while, and then they just pulled away.”
It looked as though the Rams might be on their way to a win in the third set. A block by junior Aaron Nelson gave the Rams a 13-10 lead, and they opened up a 15-10 lead after back-to-back points by Rice – the first on a kill and the second on a block.
Hempfield refused to go away, trimming the Rams’ lead to 18-16 after a pass fell between a pair of Ram players, and the Black Knights went on top 19-18 after back-to-back blocks.
“Maybe a little nerves on our side – I don’t know,” Rice said. “When we pushed, they pushed back, and they got the better of it.”
The Rams knotted the score 19-19 after a block of their own, and it was still a 22-22 game after another Rice kill, but that’s as close as they would get.
“I always say – make them earn their points,” Childs said. “We gave them a couple in that third game to help them get back in it, and they took advantage of that.”
Setter Bradley Nase had 36 assists. Rice (15 kills, 14 digs) and Ben Chinnici (16 kills, three blocks) led the Rams at the net. Nelson (four kills, two blocks) and Henry Savage (three kills, two blocks) also made contributions. Jesse Smith (eight digs) and Max McVaugh (eight digs) contributed defensively.
“It’s very disappointing,” Rice said. “We were hoping to go a lot farther than this.
“It stinks that we’re out in the first round, but they’re a very good team too. I think they’ll go to the finals. It’s unfortunate to play them first round, it really is. We had a hard side of the bracket.”
Pennridge closed out a successful season with a 19-1 record.
“We won a league championship, we won a district championship," Childs said. "We weren’t able to get our ultimate goal, which was a state championship."
#11-4 PARKLAND 3, #1-2 COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2 (20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 15-7)*
*Game one is not included in individual game stats.
The Indians gave the District 11 champions all they could handle and then some in Wednesday’s state opener, winning the opening set and then evening the match with a win in the fourth set. They fell in the fifth and deciding set, but the loss could not detract from a memorable season for the Indians.
"Our coaching staff is very proud of the effort that the boys in our program put forth in the first round of the PIAA State Tournament,” coach Greg Marchetti said. “We feel quite privileged to have the opportunity to work with such a group of hardworking young men, who competed with great pride in tonight's match for their school, their family and their team.
“One of our goals this year was to bring our program back to being recognized at the state level. We leave tonight's match with no regrets and we have no doubt that we met and exceeded that goal."
John Hinton had a big night at the net, finishing with 19 kills to go along with three digs. Will Stollsteimer (nine kills, seven digs), Nick Reich (four kills, one block, one dig) and Jason Yakimiv (four kills, one dig, one ace) also made contributions at the net. Eric Van Thunye had six digs, five assists and one ace.
Logan Fulgestad (17 assists, three digs) and Dalton Abrahamsen (13 assists, two digs) split setting duties.
Will Desautelle had three kills, one block, one dig and one ace while Sean Lyon (one block) and Aaron Knotts (two digs) also contributed.
"Parkland played a complete match,” Marchetti said. “Congratulations to their players, coaches and everyone who supports their program.
“For anyone who attended the match, it was one of the most exciting volleyball matches I have ever been a part of as a coach. Both teams showed so much emotion on every point that it is hard to describe in words. It was what playoff volleyball is all about.”
The Indians closed out the season with an 18-4 record.
#3-1 PENN MANOR 3, #1-3 NORTH PENN 0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-14)
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