Berkshire photos click here.

The Berkshire Badgers boys volleyball team’s historic playoff run came to an end May 24 in the OHSAA Elite Eight at at Berkshire High School against the Nordonia Knights.

In a 3-0 defeat, the Badgers gave great effort against a challenging opponent.

Afterwards, Berkshire Head Coach Tim Percic spoke about the great energy his players demonstrated.

“There were some amazing plays (by the Badgers), going all the way to the bleachers, all the way to the center line, digging the ball out of the weeds and putting them back into play,” Coach Percic said.

It was this effort, energy and intensity that the Badgers demonstrated against the Knights that led to an extremely successful season.

“Last year there was a lot of kinks and we had to work out a lot of wrinkles,” Coach Percic said. “It was awesome this year to see the guys just gel again and take it so much further than we ever imagined.

“Credit to our guys for putting in the work, (and) being resilient in tough games. They should be proud, 1,000 percent, of everything they’ve done.”

As the Badgers improved over the past two seasons, Coach Percic described main factors leading to success. One crucial element was the Badgers’ ability to get better at defending and covering the floor.

“It’s our ability to be aggressive on defense, to cover the floor, to not let the ball hit the floor,” Coach Percic said.

In improving court coverage, the Badgers demonstrated excellent teamwork.

“The players are greater than the sum of their parts, is the only way I can describe it,” he said.

Learning to be resilient was also influential for the 2025 Badgers. In gaining the grit to overcome adversity during tough situations, Coach Percic said the Badgers began to show their ability to get past “third set slumps.”

“(We began) to push through those points where we lagged a little,” Coach Percic said.

Along with improving their defensive coverage, working together as a team, and showing resilience, a main turning point this season was the Badgers’ loss to the Villa Angela-St Joseph (VASJ) Vikings on April 22.

“I think that was the moment we stood at the crossroads,” Coach Percic said. “We were either going to go and be this team or fade off into obscurity. And they rallied, and made it what it is.”

Coach Percic said that having team meetings and implementing new drills helped the team overcome the adversity they faced after losing to the Vikings.

During the April 22 match against the Vikings, Coach Percic also noticed his Badgers’ offense needed to be more aggressive by taking swings at free balls, rather than just moving the ball to the center of the court.

The Badgers watched a particular play from the fourth set against the Vikings. In this play, there was a long volley which the Vikings won by taking an aggressive swing at the end on a free ball.

Said Coach Percic: “We went up in the conference room and watched that play in slow motion, charted where all the balls went and said, ‘What would have been different if we were the one’s swinging?’”

This moment led to the Badgers strengthening their offensive attack throughout the remainder of the season.

After that 3-0 loss to the Vikings on April 22, the Badgers went 6-1 leading up to their Elite Eight matchup with the Knights.

As the Badgers made their playoff run, the things they improved throughout the season would be relied upon in their Sweet 16 Regional Semifinal matchup with the Vikings on May 20 at Berkshire High School.

In their rematch with the Vikings, Coach Percic emphasized that the Badgers’ improvement in covering the floor made a big difference in their 3-0 victory. He expressed that the Badgers seemed to have an answer every time the Vikings sent the ball over the net.

Also, the aggressiveness on the offensive attack and the ability to move the ball past the Vikings blockers was important in the Badgers victory.

“That was our weakness in the prior matchup with VASJ: we couldn’t get past their blocks,” Coach Percic said. “We were able to figure it out this time.”

Overall, Coach Percic succinctly summarized the season: “It was awesome. It was a storybook season.”

CLASS 3A

2-Abington Heights (14-4) vs. 1-Delaware Valley (10-3)

When: Thursday, 5 p.m.

Where: Scranton High School

Tickets: Must be purchased online at https://piaad2.org/ticketbooth/. Select the sport, then select the championship doubleheader.

How they got here: Abington Heights is the Lackawanna League champion. The Comets defeated No. 7 Hazleton Area, 3-1 (25-13, 21-25, 25-17, 25-20), and No. 3 Wilkes-Barre Area, 3-1 (25-21, 24-26, 25-21, 28-26). Delaware Valley received a bye in the quarterfinal and defeated No. 4 Wyoming Valley West, 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-18) in the semifinals.

Up next: The winner plays again on June 3 against Bethlehem Freedom, the second-place team from District 11.

Players to watch: 

Abington Heights — Shawn Theodore (179 kills); Shane Brower (142 kills); Nolan Moore (118 kills); Ryan Horutz (459 assists).

Delaware Valley — Luke Peereboom (155 kills); Gino Gualandi (151 kills); Chase Peereboom (41 kills); Eric Choi (400 assists).

Noteworthy: Delaware Valley has won the last two District 2 Class 3A championships and last season reached the PIAA quarterfinals. … Abington Heights won its first District 2 Class 3A championship in 2022. … Delaware Valley defeated Abington Heights in last season’s District 2 Class 3A semifinals. … Abington Heights has gone 4-2 in matches against Wyoming Valley Conference opponents. … Delaware Valley defeated Hazleton Area, 3-1, and Wilkes-Barre Area, 3-0, which were the playoff opponents for Abington Heights, in the WVC season.

CLASS 2A

2-Crestwood (14-3) vs. 1-Holy Redeemer (18-0)

When: Thursday, 30 minutes after the Class 3A match.

Where: Scranton High School

Tickets: Must be purchased online at https://piaad2.org/ticketbooth/. Select the sport, then select the championship doubleheader.

How they got here: Holy Redeemer is the Wyoming Valley Conference champion. The Royals defeated No. 8 Dallas, 3-0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-11) and No. 4 Berwick, 3-0 (25-10, 25-11, 25-12) in the semifinals. Crestwood defeated No. 7 Valley View, 3-0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-22), and No. 3 Western Wayne, 3-2 (23-25, 25-18, 18-25, 25-16, 15-11).

Up next: The winner plays again on June 3 against the third-place team from District 12. The runner-up plays on June 3 against District 11 champion Southern Lehigh (13-7).

Players to watch: 

Crestwood — JJ Stec (364 kills); Thomas McLaughlin (241 kills); Mark Ferdinand (110 kills);  Zach Koons (686 assists); Luke Joseph (368 digs).

Holy Redeemer — Josh Rocha (844 kills, 110 digs); Max Mohutsky (105 digs); Jack Wasiakowski (864 assists, 90 kills).

Noteworthy: Holy Redeemer is the fifth-ranked Class 2A team in the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association weekly poll. … Holy Redeemer has lost only one set during the regular season and playoffs. … Holy Redeemer’s last District 2 Class 2A championship came in 2021. … Holy Redeemer swept Crestwood, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-11), in the WVC regular season. Josh Rocha had 37 kills and Jack Wasiakowski had 37 assists to lead the Royals. JJ Stec had 10 kills and Luke Joseph had 15 digs for Crestwood.

Originally Published: May 28, 2025 at 11:20 PM EDT

The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.

With the school year winding down, the Lakewood Athletics department honored their seniors committed to playing at the next level on Tuesday in the auditorium. 

The event has grown since the first time Athletic Director Mike Wadley hosted the festivities. From three athletes back in 2005, the Lancers celebrated more than 25 athletes that are continuing to play their sport in college. 21 of those athletes participated in Tuesday’s ceremony.

“It’s put out there for them,” Wadley said. “Really get them celebrated coming out here and the whole thing. It’s a combination of the kids working hard and then moving on.”

Among the seniors is Lala Hall, who will be continuing her volleyball career at Fresno State, following her sister Fatima and Keke who both play D1 ball.

The Lancers’ Cecil Xavier Smith, who had lightning speed on the football field, is heading to Detroit to play at Wayne State. 

“Today is a great day,” Xavier Smith said. “I’m very thankful for everything my coaches put for me and my family. Today we’re going to celebrate it. I’m looking forward to it – to get out there in Detroit and ball. I’m ready to go now.”

Here’s a full list of Lakewood signees: 

Lala Hall (volleyball, Fresno State), Emily Nanez (volleyball, LBCC), Jayla Nelson (volleyball, Cypress), Cecil Xavier Smith (football, Wayne State), Jaxson Bonsall (football, Lindenwood),  Jojo Apisala (football, Cerritos), Khalea Pahulu (rugby, Lindenwood), Gabriel Rojas (cross country, LBSU), Esper Sanchez (wrestling, Missouri Valley), Nyemah King (basketball, Cal State Fullerton), Amy Rubio (basketball, LBCC), Drake Merrill (baseball, El Camino), Hunter Gershen (baseball, LBCC), Isabella Rueda (softball, Grand Canyon), Arianna Ayala (softball, LAHC), Ivan Mandujano (volleyball, LBCC), Christian Newquist (volleyball, LBCC), Amaya Rice (track, Cal State Northridge), Tinaya Campbell Howell (track, Cal State Dominguez), Mikkelson Francis Reyes (track, Cerritos), and Keyvel Sowell (track, LBCC).

CSCAA Releases Proposal to ‘Modernize the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championship Format’

The College Swim Coaches Association (CSCAA) has released a document outlining changes it hopes to implement with the NCAA Championships, the sport’s signature event on the college level held each March. The aim of these changes would be to protect swimming’s place in the revenue-obsessed world of college athletics, particularly with the House settlement likely to the effect next season.

The full proposal from the CSCAA on championship changes can be found here.

The document’s introduction states: “This two-part proposal is designed to support collegiate swimming and diving by modernizing the championship format to better align with broadcast needs, while expanding institutional access through an updated qualification process — all without imposing additional financial burdens on institutions or the NCAA.

The first section of the proposal changes the format of the women’s and men’s Division I meets held each March “by creating a high-stakes, heavyweight experience — where every session matters and every race or dive has the power to shift the standings, elevating both the intensity and visibility of the championship and the sport.” The second section discusses qualifying procedures, introducing a modification where all conference championship winners meeting the prescribed qualifying standard would earn automatic qualification for the NCAA meet.

The new model would eliminate consolation finals and score places nine through 16 directly based on results from prelims. Relays would return to a prelim-finals format after moving to timed finals during the 2021 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Only the 1650 freestyle would remain as a timed finals event, with the top-eight seeds racing in the evening, but both possible event lineups would move the distance race to the meet’s opening day.

Under this new model, all awards ceremonies would be held at the end of the session “to allow the finals competition to flow more smoothly, minimizing interruptions and improving the viewer experience.” Only the winner of each event would receive their awards immediately. Further, diving finals would be split into two segments, with the top-eight divers from prelims in each event diving three times during one swimming break and three more times later in the session.

Additionally, the CSCAA recommends instituting new event orders to “place the fastest and most exciting events on the final days of the championship and allow for stronger storytelling, narrative buildup and viewer engagement, as recommended by ESPN producers.” The two proposed event orders are listed below.

Sample Order of Events – A:

• Day 1: 1650 freestyle, 200 medley relay, 800 freestyle relay
• Day 2: 400 IM, 200 freestyle, 1-meter diving (Rds. 1-3), 200 butterfly, 1-meter diving (Rds. 4-6), 400 medley relay
• Day 3: 500 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 3-meter diving (Rds. 1-3), 100 freestyle, 200 backstroke, 3-meter diving (Rds. 4-5), 200 freestyle relay
• Day 4: 100 butterfly, 200 IM, platform diving (Rds. 1-3), 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke, 50 freestyle, platform diving (Rds. 4-6), 400 freestyle relay

Sample Order of Events – B:

• Day 1: 1650 freestyle, 200 medley relay, 800 freestyle relay
• Day 2: 100 butterfly, 400 IM, 1-meter diving (Rds. 1-3), 200 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 1-meter diving (Rds. 4-6), 200 freestyle relay
• Day 3: 500 freestyle, 50 freestyle, 3-meter diving (Rds. 1-3), 200 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, 3-meter diving (Rds. 4-5), 400 medley relay
• Day 4:, 200 IM, 100 freestyle, platform diving (Rds. 1-3), 200 butterfly, 100 breaststroke, platform diving (Rds. 4-6), 400 freestyle relay

As for the revised automatic qualifying procedures, the NCAA would no longer have “A” and “B” standards for the meet. Instead, there would be one standard approximating “the average 80th-place time over the past three years.” Any swimmers winning their conference title in an event while meeting or exceeding that qualifying time would receive an automatic bid to the national meet. Once all conference champions were selected, “the remainder of the championship field is filled with those who meet or exceed the qualifying standard following the same process that is currently in place.”

According to the CSCAA proposal, this radical change would result in “increased institutional representation,” bringing further conferences and teams into the national mix while keeping the competitive aspects that are the highlight of the NCAA Championships. The changes would not result in any additional costs.

The organization wrote that the new format would help the meet remain “cost-neutral or better,” “meet the needs of broadcast media,” “retain its competitive integrity and prestige” and “increase accessibility and representation.”

In a section of frequently asked questions, the CSCAA writes that it does not recommend combining the women’s and men’s championships or changing the current dates of the event, although it would reconsider based on impact from stakeholders and broadcast partners. The presentation does not put forth the addition of new events, such as 50-yard stroke races.

One further radical development is suggested: “On behalf of its membership, the CSCAA recommends that the NCAA Committee explore a long-term partnership with a consistent host site for the Division I Swimming and Diving Championships.” Indianapolis is raised as a leading contender for the site, although the next three years of meets have already been assigned to Atlanta and Austin, Texas.

CSCAA Executive Director Samantha Barany released a statement (posted below) explaining her group’s process for developing this proposal. A town hall meeting with coaches meant for discussion of these changes is scheduled for Friday.

This proposal is the result of extensive research, data analysis, and thoughtful collaboration among Division I swimming and diving coaches, key stakeholders, and industry leaders. Guided by the CSCAA, and shaped through meaningful dialogue with coaches, administrators, and strategic partners, this model reflects a modern, equitable, and forward-thinking approach to the NCAA Championships.

We are proud to submit this proposal with the unified support of Division I coaches, along with endorsements from national and international governing bodies. This recommendation marks a timely and essential step forward for collegiate swimming and diving—one that acknowledges the current challenges facing college athletics. It presents a cost-neutral solution for the NCAA and member institutions, while offering a compelling opportunity to elevate, modernize, and enhance the overall value of the sport.

This proposal is crafted to meet the demands of broadcast media, positioning the championship for greater linear exposure while preserving its competitive excellence and historic prestige. It enhances accessibility and representation across programs without adding costs for the NCAA or its member institutions. Critically, it maintains the existing four-day format for both the men’s and women’s championships, while allowing flexibility for future innovation.

We believe these thoughtful updates will strengthen the future of NCAA swimming and diving. Thank you for your consideration and continued support of our sport. I remain available for any questions, recommendations or thoughts you may have.

This announcement continues a big week of news from the CSCAA. Earlier, the organization released an open letter defending its “leading from the front” position during the ongoing upheaval in college sports, and the organization is sponsoring a mid-season, four-team dual-meet tournament next season.

JOHNSTOWN — Central boys’ volleyball coach Ken Streilein was hoping to find a way to move points in the other direction in his team’s District 6-9 Class 2A championship against West Shamokin.

In the prior two match ups during the regular season, the Wolves and Scarlet Dragons were close, but the Wolves won both times.

Fast forward to Thursday night at Johnstown High School’s Doc Stofko Gymnasium, the Dragons were close, but the Wolves left them with a feeling of deja vu.

Central rallied back to make sets one and three close, and led late in set two, but in the end it wasn’t enough as the Dragons fell to West Shamokin 25-21, 25-23, 28-26. The loss ended their season at 8-7.

“I told the guys at the end they just made a couple more plays then we did,” Streilein said. “That was the difference in the match. We kept playing from behind in the first and the third set, we could never really get over the hump those two sets.

“The second set we were up, I think we just kind of started doing a little bit of scoreboard watching and we ended up giving them some easy free balls, and they took advantage of it.”

The Wolves jumped out to an early 14-5 run, led by a mix of their front as Travis Johns registered a pair of his 21 kills for the early advantage.

Braydon Gregg and Bryson Brooks combined for three kills late in the first set as the Dragons cut the deficit to 21-20, before West Shamokin pulled away for four of the next five points.

Brooks finished with nine kills, 10 digs and two aces while Gregg added seven kills.

“I knew Central got better as the season went,” West Shamokin Coach Scott Craig said. “We knew it was going to be a tight match. They did a heck of a job.

“We were expecting a fight. They’ve matured; their passings got better, and they’ve got two good outside hitters. We knew it was going to be a battle.”

The Dragons were ahead 23-18 late following a 5-1 run in set two as they capitalized on four Wolves attack errors, while getting a combo block by Christian Heuston and Hayden Smith.

Heuston registered six finishes while Logan Hummel added 23 assists and Blake Reynolds had 16 digs.

Braydn Rodgers, Johns, and Anderson Fowler, though, helped put the match away as Rodgers came up with a finish to tie the third set. Johns’ kill set up the Wolves with a late advantage in extra points before Fowler ended the night.

“They’re not afraid to swing, they come at you all day long,” Streilein said. “You’ve got to be able to match that attack, and we just weren’t able to do that.”

Rodgers finished with 18 digs and seven kills.

Streilein is grateful for the contributions of his seven seniors who are moving on. He is hoping they’ve helped build a strong future.

“I told them I hope they laid a foundation for next year,” he said. “We had a really good year. I know they’re disappointed, but everybody up in the stands on our side will tell you it was a great season for us. Hopefully we got enough coming back next year that we’re going to be able to take the next one.”

West Shamokin will advance to the state tournamentagainst the winner of the District 3 consolation match between Linville Hill and Brandywine Heights.

SERVICE POINTS

CENTRAL: Hummel 9, Brooks 4, Heuston 4, Reynolds 4, Grace 5, Aungst 2

Records: Central (8-7), West Shamokin (13-0)

The two-time state champion GBHS Lady Dolphin beach volleyball team were crowned Maxpreps’ National Champions on Thursday morning, becoming the first team in school history to win multiple national championships. Jason Thompson/Gulf Breeze News

It’s been nearly three weeks since the Gulf Breeze beach volleyball team repeated as state champions. Last Thursday, they repeated again — but this one was even bigger.

Maxpreps.com, a website that follows high school sports, released its final beach volleyball poll in the middle of the night on May 22. For the second straight year, Gulf Breeze was named its National Champion.

It marks the first time in school history that a GBHS team has won back-to-back national championships. The Lady Dolphin soccer team

“We are very proud of this unprecedented achievement, as it represents the team’s commitment, hard work, and dedication to their team and sport,” GBHS Principal Sarah Barker said.

“This team of phenomenal student athletes represents the best of GBHS and the Gulf Breeze community as a whole.”

The Lady Dolphins, who have eight Division I signees or commits, finished the season 21-3 after beating New Smyrna Beach 3-0 to win the Class 2A state championship May 10 at Florida State University.

Gulf Breeze beat Fort Myers 5-0 in the semifinals to advance to the state title match.

“It’s pretty surreal to see our schools name up there in that number one spot again. I don’t think we mentioned it once all season,” GBHS head coach Chelsea Kroll said. “We just kept our focus on where our feet were. It wasn’t until after states when I looked up and saw where that focus had gotten us. I feel proud that this group of girls gets to represent Gulf Breeze High school in a nationally recognized way.”

Florida’s three state champions held the top three spots in the final national poll’

Tampa’s Berkeley Prep, who beat Gulf Breeze twice over spring break, finished second, while 3A state champion Jupiter finished third.

GBHS, ranked second in Class 2A at the time, edged top-ranked Chiles 3-2 in the regional final in Tallahassee. It was their second win over Chiles this season, who finished fifth in the national poll (the highest spot for a non state champion).

Gulf Breeze also had wins this season over Jacksonville-based Bishop Kenny (11th), and Fletcher (12th), 19th-ranked Fort Myers, 21st-ranked New Smyrna Beach and 22nd-ranked Beachside.

GBHS, who had eight of its top 10 back after the 2024 title run, will have five of this year’s top 10 players back (juniors Estelle Reese, Sydney Sutter, Allie Hepworth and Peyton McDonald and sophomores Emma Stromsness).