From the first week of the Lackawanna League season, when it dropped a grueling five-set match at Blue Ridge, the Abington Heights boys volleyball team was giving chase.
The Comets kept themselves in range with each victory, then pounced in their league finale.
Abington Heights used a five-set victory over visiting Valley View on April 28 to knock the Cougars out of the lead.
The Comets finished 9-1, a half-match ahead of Valley View, which will need a win in its finale against a challenging opponent in Western Wayne in order to force a playoff for the title.
If that playoff is needed, it is tentatively set for March 11 at a site to be determined.
Ben Reese and Nolan Moore had 19 kills each as Abington Heights outlasted Valley View, 23-25, 25-21, 25-20, 27-29, 15-12.
Dan Beck added 13 kills in the win, which clinched no worse than a tie for first place in the final league standings.
Ryan Horutz had 53 assists, Chris Cummins had 26 digs and Billy Johnson had four blocks.
Moore leads the team in kills on the season, while Beck ranks second and leads in blocks.
Horutz is first in aces and also the runaway leader in assists.
Cummins is the team leader in digs.
On the way to the first-place showdown with Valley View, Abington Heights won all seven of its league matches in that stretch with three-set sweeps.