Valley View led the Lackawanna League standings for much of the boys volleyball season, but Abington Heights knocked off the Cougars in the Comets’ final league match, then used its balance to repeat that victory in a May 11 championship match at North Pocono.
Dan Beck led the team in kills and service points with 11 of each as Abington Heights won the title match in four sets.
The Comets beat the Cougars by scores of 27-25, 25-16, 14-25 and 25-18.
Valley View rallied late in the first set to force ties at 23, 24 and 25.
Nolan Moore, the team’s season leader in kills, provided one of the biggest of the season off a Ryan Horutz set to put Abington Heights ahead. Moore then served the clinching point of the first set.
Valley View put together a strong third set, but Abington Heights was in control most of the way in the decisive fourth.
Chase Beerman served the last four points of a five-point streak to a 10-4 lead. Valley View got as close as 12-11 before Abington Heights pulled away for good.
Moore finished with nine kills, while Ben Reese had eight and Billy Johnson added six. Johnson led the team with six blocks and Reese contributed nine digs.
Horutz ran the attack with 31 assists to go along with eight digs, five blocks and nine points of a team-high six aces.
Beerman served nine points while Chris Cummins produced eight. Cummins also had 12 digs, five assists and three aces.
Beck chipped in three blocks.
Abington Heights and Valley View were each 9-1 in the league, finishing ahead of Blue Ridge and North Pocono, which were each 8-2. Blue Ridge handed the Comets their only league loss early in the season.
