Manheim Central’s boys volleyball team is simply sizzling.
Caution: Flammable.
There has been no slowing down the Barons over their previous five matches, which have all ended with dominating 3-0 victories.
Three of those came in the District 3 Class 2A tournament, when Central slayed Northern Lebanon, Linville Hill Christian and York Suburban by a combined 9-0 to nab their second district title, and first since 2019.
That district crown came on the heels of Central winning its third straight Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 2 championship, before the Barons reached the league finale for the third year in a row. But after winning two straight L-L crowns, they were tripped up by Cedar Crest in the title match this time around.
That loss has motivated Central, which has been sharp in all facets since that setback against the Falcons. Defense in the back? Check. Setting prowess? Check. Serve game? Check. Front-row play, including piling up kills and blocking everything left and right? Check and check.
The Barons bagged a pair of PIAA Class 2A playoff wins last week, both via shutout, over Academy at Palumbo and Dock Mennonite Academy. Saturday’s victory in the quarterfinals against Dock Mennonite served as some payback for the Barons, who were knocked out by the Pioneers in the state quarterfinals in 2022.
Central (22-1 overall) is set to square off against a familiar foe in Tuesday’s state semifinals; the Barons will clash with York Suburban for the third time this season, and for the second time in 13 days. The Barons and the Trojans will duke it out at 5 p.m. at Penn Manor in Millersville.
Central held off Suburban 25-23, 27-25 and 25-22 in a hotly contested nonleague match back on May 5 in York. In the rematch, on May 29 in Manheim, the Barons scarfed up a 25-21, 25-17, 25-19 win for district gold.
“We’ll have a lot of confidence going into the game,” Central defensive wizard Colin Rohrer said. “You always want to be confident, and I’d say we’re pretty confident right now. As long as we can stay consistent — getting our serves in, playing good defense, hitting the ball — we feel like we can probably beat any team in the state.”
In Central’s first encounter with Suburban this spring, Dylan Musser teed up 35 assists, Reagan Miller blasted 14 kills and Landon Mattiace had seven blocks to spearhead the Barons.
In the district finale, Musser was everywhere with 34 assists, eight kills, five aces, five digs and a pair of blocks; Miller waffled 11 kills with 11 digs; Mattiace had 10 kills and a couple of blocks; Rohrer had 18 digs; and Weston Longenecker (8 kills, 9 digs) and Caleb Groff (5 kills, 8 digs) came up big from their outside hitter spots.
That kind of balance has been the Barons’ calling card.
MC-YS III will be for a spot in Saturday’s state championship match, set for 11 a.m. inside Penn State’s esteemed Rec Hall.
Central and Suburban are both 0-2 in PIAA championship matches. The Trojans bounced the Barons 3-1 in the state semifinals in 2019.
Tuesday’s other Class 2A state semifinal is another dandy matchup, with District 10 winner and reigning PIAA champ Meadville taking on District 7 champ Shaler.
Meadville, which features 6-foot-7 junior middle Luc Sorensen, a Team USA member and a Penn State recruit, beat Central 3-1 in last year’s state finale. Shaler won the PIAA Class 3A crown last spring compliments of a 3-0 win over Parkland — after the Titans eliminated Warwick in the semifinals.
Shaler dipped down to Class 2A this season, and finds itself right back in the state semifinals.
Central is in the state playoffs for the eighth season in a row; the 2020 campaign was canceled because of COVID-19. Since 2017, the Barons are 15-7 in PIAA matches, with finals trips in 2018 (a loss to Northeastern York) and last spring (a loss to Meadville).
Central reached the quarterfinals in all eight trips, with semifinal appearances in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024 and this spring. The Barons are a chiseled bunch, piloted by a veteran coach, Craig Dietrich, who knows how to steer a team through a playoff bracket.
“It’s an exciting time,” Central middle Blake Neiles said. “We got to play in the state finals last year, and not many people get to experience that. Now we want to go back.”
It is chalk across the board in the PVCA Class 2A state rankings; Meadville is first, Central is second, Shaler is third and York Suburban is fourth.
TRIPLE TROUBLE IN TRIPLE-A
Three of the four teams still standing in the PIAA Class 3A bracket call District 3 home. That’s pretty impressive.
Tuesday’s semifinals will pit undefeated District 3 champ Cumberland Valley against District 3 third-seed Governor Mifflin, and District 3 runner-up Central York against WPIAL kingpin North Allegheny, which is angling for its 10th state crown.
Central York, which has captured 25 District 3 and seven PIAA titles, KO’d Governor Mifflin, the Berks County champ, in the district semifinals.
North Allegheny was tripped up by Warwick in the first round last spring, so the Tigers are plenty motivated to get back in the winner’s circle this time around.
It is also chalk in the PVCA Class 3A state rankings; Cumberland Valley is first, North Allegheny is second, Central York is third and Governor Mifflin is fourth.
X: @JeffReinhart77
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