The top two teams in Lackawanna League boys volleyball remained the same this season, but in an opposite order.
Abington Heights will be trying to make sure the same is not true in District 2 Class 3A.
The Comets finished April with an 8-2 league and 11-2 overall record.
Both losses were inflicted by Blue Ridge in a meeting of defending District 2 champions.
Abington Heights ended the month in second in the league standings where Blue Ridge had clinched no worse than a tie for first place with two matches remaining. The Comets were also second to District 2’s other unbeaten, Delaware Valley, in the District 2 Class 3A seeding race.
It was Delaware Valley that Abington Heights defeated in straight sets in the 2022 district final.
The 2022 league title was the result of handling Blue Ridge twice.
After an early-season loss in New Milford, Abington Heights went into the April 20 rematch at home with a chance to force a first-place tie.
The Comets seemed to be making progress toward that goal before Blue Ridge rallied to win in four sets.
Abington Heights won the first set and led well into the second set before Blue Ridge pulled out a 21-25, 29-27, 25-12, 25-23 victory behind 26 kills from Connor Cranage and 43 assists and 13 digs from Carson Gallagher.
James Brust led Abington Heights with 34 assists, four digs and two blocks.
Nico Bossi had a team-high 14 kills while Jack Burke added nine kills, six digs and four blocks in the loss.
Burke leads the senior-dominated team with slightly more than three kills per set with Bossi coming in just below three.
Brust has most of the team’s assists, is the clear leader in service aces and is just behind James Dadey for the team lead in digs.
Eric Barbrack leads in blocks with Brust and Bossi tied for second.
Recap
Abington Heights ran off six straight wins between the Blue Ridge matches and three straight following the second loss to the Raiders. … In addition to their league victories, the Comets also defeated Bethlehem Liberty, Lackawanna Trail and Northampton in non-league matches. … All eight Lackawanna League wins were by 3-0 sweeps while only District 11 members Liberty and Northampton took a set off the Comets in defeat. … Balance helped get Abington Heights through the April 11 visit to third-place Mountain View where it emerged with a 25-23, 25-19, 25-22 victory. Bossi had eight kills, Brust seven, Burke and Barbrack five and Dane Johnson and Michael Cummins four.
