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COVINGTON TWP. — Wilkes-Barre Area kept improving right to the end of its boys volleyball season Thursday night.
The Wolfpack followed up their upset of second-seeded Abington Heights in last week’s semifinals by becoming the first District 2 team to take a set off Wyoming Valley Conference champion Delaware Valley Thursday night.
The top-seeded Warriors recovered to finish off the Wolfpack, 25-18, 25-20, 23-25, 25-13, in the District 2 Class 3A championship match.
“That’s the first set we lost all year,” said Chris U’Glay, who had 11 kills for Delaware Valley. “They have heart. They dive on the floor. They do anything they can to get the ball back over.”
After losing the first two sets to 14-2 Abington Heights in the semifinals, the Wolfpack rallied to win three straight sets.
Down two sets again in the district final at North Pocono, the Wolfpack again fought back.
Wilkes-Barre Area jumped in front, 8-3, kept turning back Delaware Valley surges until the third set was tied once late at 23-23.
The Wolfpack came up with the next two points to extend the match into a fourth set.
Tommy Parker’s early blocks and U’Glay’s late serves allowed Delaware Valley to control the fourth set and advance into the state tournament with just one non-league loss.
The Wolfpack finished 8-7 with the help of a win over Berwick, a team it trailed in the standings, in the next-to-last match of the regular season.
“That win over Berwick was huge,” first-year coach Huy Nguyen said. “It gave us a little momentum going into the playoffs.
“The boys peaked really well going into the playoffs. I’m proud of them. We’re still a young team. The whole lineup is juniors and sophomores.”
Jesus Vazquez Jr. led the offense with 12 kills and four aces.
John Carlo Banegas had 27 digs. Julio Amigon had 19 assists and eight service points. Joaquin Prado had nine digs, four points and three kills. Vincent Garret had four blocks.
Parker led Delaware Valley with 12 kills and four blocks. Aidan Papula had 34 assists and 12 points.