The Trojans couldn’t quite keep up with the top-seeded Barons, who captured the District 3 Class 2A title on Thursday night.
Ryan Vandersloot
| For The York Dispatch
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MANHEIM — The York Suburban boys’ volleyball team knew it was not that far away from knocking off a heavyweight like Manheim Central. The two premier heavyweights in District 3 Class 2A had already played May 5, with the Barons escaping with a narrow sweep of the Trojans.
That setback, while disappointing, opened the eyes of coach Oliver Good’s players to the possibility that, if they played better in a rematch, a reversal of fortune was within reach. And with a pair of district playoff sweeps, the Suburban boys earned that very chance. But they couldn’t flip the script.
With a district title on the line Thursday evening in Manheim, the the match was nip-and-tuck early on, with the lead being traded back and forth a handful of times. Just as they did back on May 5, however, the Barons showcased a late-game kick that the Trojans couldn’t match. The top-seeded hosts won Set 1 by a 25-22 clip and never let up en route to a 25-17 victory in Set 2. The teams kept things close again in the third set before Manheim Central pulled away to win 25-19, close out a second sweep of Suburban and claim the program’s second District 3-2A title.
“I think we have to continue to work on the mental part of our game,” Good said afterwards. “They certainly were able to execute at a higher level than us today.”
While the Barons (21-1) were far from perfect, the Lancaster-Lebanon League powerhouse had far fewer miscues, especially late in sets. Those points — one here, one there — can add up quickly.
“They played in a state final before,” Good said of the Barons, the 2024 PIAA Class 2A runners-up. “We’re still learning how to play at a really high level and just how much mental focus its takes to maintain that.”
When the Trojans (16-3) were able to get the ball to outside hitter Trent Weinstein, things typically turned out for the best. Weinstein showcased his domination with a few booming kills that left the Manheim Central boys little chance to dig it out, but he was only able to tally nine kills over the three sets.
On the other side, sophomore Reagan Miller stood out as a sparkplug for the Barons. Amid a lineup with much taller hitters, Miller was able to create problems for the Suburban defense all night. He registered a match-best 11 kills, leading a group of four Manheim Central players with at least eight.
“He just got rolling today,” Good said, “and we didn’t really have an answer for him.”
Landon Mattiace finished with 10 kills for the Barons, while Dylan Musser and Weston Longenecker tallied eight apiece. The Trojans’ duo of Josh Slade and Zac Perryman had five kills each.
While the Trojans were understandably upset with the reality of not winning a district title, solace could be found down the road from a familiar place. It was but last year that Manheim Central dropped the D3-2A final against Exeter Township only to gain the ultimate payback with a victory over the Eagles in the state semifinals. The Trojans and Barons are both two victories away from making that happen again
Manheim Central will host the District 12 runner-up on Tuesday, June 3, while Suburban will travel to the Philadelphia area and visit the District 12 champ that same night. With a win, the Trojans would likely see state-ranked Holy Redeemer in the quarterfinals, with the winner potentially getting Manheim Central in the semifinals if the Barons keep rolling.
“We’re going to go to Philly Tuesday and do the best that we can,” Good said. “And hopefully we’ll get a chance to play (Manheim Central) again, but Tuesday is all we’re going to focus on right now.”
