Abington Heights seeks unbeaten league record – Scranton Times-Tribune

Abington Heights looks to complete an undefeated league season in boys volleyball this week.

The Comets (10-2 overall, 9-0 in league) play at Valley View (9-3, 8-1) on Tuesday in their Lackawanna League finale.

Abington Heights has only lost one set in league play this season. Shawn Theodore leads the team with 97 kills, and Shane Brower has 93. Ryan Horutz has 256 assists, and Chris Cummins fuels the defense with 107 kills.

“We are really looking forward to playing Valley View, because we know a lot of the guys who play there,” Cummins said. “We are locked in at practice and excited to get back into it.

“We have had a lot of cooperation and a lot of communication this season. We are getting better by being positive and working together as a team rather than six individual players.”

The Comets will play three Wyoming Valley Conference opponents in nonleague contests before the District 2 Class 3A playoffs start. They have home matches against Crestwood on May 8 and WVC leader Holy Redeemer on May 9. Their final contest is at Hazleton Area on May 13.

“We have Crestwood and Holy Redeemer, and a lot of this season we had a lot of matches that were 3-0 and 3-1, so facing really good teams is exciting to test how well we can play,” Cummins said. “We know that we have to reach higher levels and have to play higher-level teams.”

Valley View, which is in its second varsity season, is in second place in the league standings. The Cougars have won three matches in a row by 3-0 sweeps and have clinched a spot in the District 2 Class 2A playoffs.

“It’s been great, and we are excited to play in such a big match in just our second year,” Valley View’s Jagger Roe said. “I just came out for the team last year, and I didn’t really know the rules or anything. We have worked hard, and we have a great coach (Joe Vitali).

“We came together last year in our first season, and we have come together. I have made a lot of friends and am having a lot of fun playing as a team.”

After the showdown with Abington Heights, the Cougars play at Elk Lake on Thursday to complete the league schedule. They also have a nonleague home game against Crestwood on Saturday.

D2 Class 3A

Defending District 2 Class 3A and WVC champion Delaware Valley suffered its first conference loss this season against Holy Redeemer last week.

The Warriors (4-3 overall, 4-1 in WVC) have dropped to third place in the District 2 Class 3A power rating standings with five matches remaining. They play at Dallas on Tuesday and at Wyoming Valley West (5-4), which is in fourth place in the standings, on Thursday.

Abington Heights has seized first place in the power ratings, while Wilkes-Barre Area (7-3, 5-1) is second. The Wolfpack also has five matches remaining, including one at Delaware Valley on May 9 to complete the regular season.

All seven teams in the class qualify for the playoffs.

West Scranton (4-4) is holding the fifth seed and has two matches left, and Scranton (4-5) is sixth and will finish the regular season on Tuesday at home against North Pocono. Hazleton Area is seventh with five matches remaining.

The Class 3A quarterfinals start May 21.

D2 Class 2A

Holy Redeemer (11-0) will be the overwhelming favorite in Class 2A.

The Royals swept Delaware Valley, 3-0, last week, are ranked fifth in the state by the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association, and have won all 11 matches by 3-0 scores.

Josh Rocha has 603 kills in 59 sets played this season. Jack Wasiakowski is second on the team with 71. Jack Wasiakowski has 611 assists, and Rocha leads the team with 76 digs.

Holy Redeemer has a home match against Hazleton Area on Wednesday and a nonleague match at Blue Ridge (8-3) in a rematch of last season’s District 2 Class 2A final on Thursday.

Crestwood (8-2) holds second place, Nanticoke Area (7-4) is third, and Berwick (8-3) is fourth.

Blue Ridge (9-3) has won five straight since a 3-1 loss to Crestwood on April 14. The Raiders are fifth in the power rating standings and fighting for a home match in the district quarterfinals. They have an important match at Western Wayne on Tuesday.

Valley View (8-3) is sixth, Western Wayne (9-4) is seventh, and Dallas (4-5) is eighth.

The top eight teams and any team with a .500 record or better qualify for the playoffs. If a play-in match is necessary, it will be played on May 15. Quarterfinal matches, which will be held at the home site of higher-seeded teams, start May 20.

Times-Tribune top 5

1. Abington Heights (10-2)

2. Delaware Valley (4-3)

3. Valley View (8-3)

4. Blue Ridge (9-3)

5. Western Wayne (9-4)