Tom Robinson | Abington Journal
SCRANTON — Shawn Theodore took control of the net early and, with support from Dan Beck and Shane Brower, maintained it Thursday night to lead Abington Heights to a four-set victory over Delaware Valley in the District 2 Class 3A championship match at Scranton High School.
The Lackawanna League champions won the first two sets, then held off a late surge by the top-seeded Warriors, who finished second in the Wyoming Valley Conference. Theodore finished with 20 kills as the Comets won by set scores of 25-15, 25-19, 20-25, 25-23.
Beck added 10 kills while Brower added seven kills and four blocks. Ryan Horutz contributed 35 assists, four kills and two blocks.
Delaware Valley led 4-2 in the first set before consecutive kills by Theodore, followed by another from Brower, started a streak of five straight points that put Abington Heights ahead to stay. Chase Beerman served the last four points of the streak.
The Comets won 10 out of 13 points in the middle of the set to open a 21-11 lead. Theodore had two more kills and Brower two blocks during that stretch.
Beck’s kill put Abington Heights ahead to stay in the second set at 11-10 and was the start of a stretch in which he finished off four of the nine Comets’ points on the way to a 19-15 lead.
Theodore accounted for the last three points of the set with two kills and a clinching service ace.
With a chance to sweep in the third set, the Comets led until the Warriors ran off three straight points for a 9-7 lead. From there, Delaware Valley built its advantage to 15-9. Abington Heights got back within three point five times, but Delaware Valley held on to force a fourth set.
Abington Heights scored five of the first six points of the fourth set and built the lead to 19-12. The Comets never trailed, but the Warriors did manage to force a 20-20 tie.
Theodore’s last kill and Brower’s last block helped the Comets put the win away.
The Comets reached the final with a pair of four-set wins. They defeated Hazleton Area May 21 at home by scores of 25-13, 21-25, 25-17, 25-20, then topped Wilkes-Barre Area Tuesday at Delaware Valley 25-21, 24-26, 25-21, 28-26.
