Exeter's Ashton Wilson and the rest of the Eagles celebrate match point following the Eagles' win over Manheim Central in the District 3 Class 2A championship Thursday in Exeter. (Bill Urich – Reading Eagle)
The perfect season continues for Exeter.
The top-seeded Eagles defeated third-seeded Manheim Central, 3-0, in the District 3 Class 2A boys volleyball championship game Thursday night at Leifton.
The scores of the match were 25-22, 25-20, 25-18.
“It feels 10 times better (than the county championship),” said senior co-captain Chase Nugent on how he felt about winning the district championship. “We came back this year looking for revenge and we really wanted this win. We weren't nervous at all coming into this game and just knew we had to go for it.”
The Eagles (21-0) put together a dominant overall performance against the Barons (15-1), ending their 17-year drought for a division title.
“Words can't describe it,” Exeter coach Matt Hadley said, “I'm just so proud of the work our kids have put in all year. Every time they step on the court, I feel like we're getting better and we're growing. And words can't really describe the feeling and the emotions. I'm so proud of what they've accomplished. We're not done yet.”
Just a year ago, these teams met in the semifinals, with Manheim Central taking a 2-0 lead.
That's when Exeter staged an incredible comeback, winning the final three sets to advance to the final against Lower Dauphin, where the Eagles ended up losing 3-0.
But with another year of experience under their belt, this year turned out differently for the Eagles.
In the first set, both teams traded points with the Barons leading 19-18 before the Eagles went on a 5-0 run to regain momentum.
Exeter, who had not lost a set this season, fought hard and won the first set 25-22.
In the second quarter, the Eagles found themselves at their biggest disadvantage of the season and after taking a timeout to regroup, they found themselves down 14-7.
“He (Hadley) just told us to stay focused on what we're doing,” Nugent said. “Not so much this year, but we were in a similar situation last year. We were down 10-1 and came back to win the set. We just stay confident and play as a team.”
The timeout worked, as the Eagles came back and outshot the Barons 18-6.
“They had a good touch there and played good volleyball,” Hadley said. “I had full confidence in them and I never once thought they were out of a set… It just shows their dedication, their focus and their willingness to never give up.”
A TJ Gibb kill secured the set as the Eagles bench stormed the court in excitement.
Gage Gabriel had 14 kills and two aces, Nugent had nine kills and Ashton Wilson had six kills for the Eagles.
Exeter last won a district title in 2007 when it beat Northeastern 3-0 by game scores of 25-16, 25-19, 25-20.
According to Hadley and his team, the Eagles' season isn't over yet, and they have their sights set on the PIAA Class 2A boys volleyball championship.
Exeter will face the No. 3 team from District 12 in the first round of the state playoffs on Tuesday, June 4.
“We're very confident, but we've got to stay calm, play together and get the job done,” Nugent said.
“They know what they can do if they control their side of the court,” Hadley said. “I want to see them continue to grow as a team. We're very fortunate to have six or seven of the best players in the state at each position, so I just want to see them go out there with confidence and get the job done on our side.”
