Central York sweeps Red Lion for York-Adams League boys' volleyball title

As the Central York boys’ volleyball team raced toward the sweep, the roars swelled from the Panthers’ side of the bleachers. The cheers escalated from the fans in orange and pink, and the bench became more animated with every point. 

The quality of rival Red Lion left room for a shred of doubt. But on Tuesday night at Dallastown High School, the Panthers were inevitable.

Central York secured its second straight York-Adams League title, sweeping Red Lion 25-19, 25-23, 25-18 in the county final. The Panthers improved to 15-0 overall with their second league tournament sweep in as many nights.

It was a far cry from the first meeting this spring between Central York, ranked No. 3 in PIAA Class 3A by the statewide coaches’ poll, and No. 6 Red Lion. On April 18, the Lions took two of the first three sets — the only sets Central has lost in an official match all season — before the Panthers pulled out a victory in five. There was no such drama on Tuesday.

“We’re thrilled not to go five,” Central York co-coach John Feldmann said. “The team played awesome. We executed the way that we wanted to tonight. The boys were really engaged for the duration of the match, and we were able to play well and put a good performance out there.

“To win in three is great because Red Lion’s a phenomenal team and we know that they’re gonna be a tough out for anybody in the next couple rounds. So we’re thrilled that we played as well as we did and thankful for the W.”

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Both squads swept their way through Monday’s semifinals, with Central York’s 3-0 rout of tournament host Dallastown preceding the Lions’ takedown of No. 2-seed Northeastern. Red Lion’s blockers shined against the Bobcats, but Central York used its size and strategy to control Tuesday’s match throughout.

“We worked really hard on the scout, making sure we fronted their big attackers like Tyler (Good, a reigning all-district honoree) and their middles,” Panthers junior outside hitter John He said. “And we took it to them.”

He was all over the place for Central, finishing with eight kills, seven digs and a block. Christian Bucks and Patrick Siewert tallied 12 and 10 kills, respectively, while Trevor Ketrick also had eight for the balanced attack. Libero Ryan Roberts notched 20 kills and setter Lance Shaffer had 39 assists.

Bucks, Ketrick, Roberts and Shaffer were all crucial pieces for Central York’s state semifinal squad in 2023. He, meanwhile, knocked on the door of the rotation last year but was blocked by all-state outside Mason Boyer. After a strong club season and brilliant winter with the Panthers, however, He has fit in seamlessly during Central’s unblemished spring.

“He’s just really dynamic,” Feldmann said of the junior. “You see him out there — he’s just so fast-twitchy and able to hit any zone, any ball across the net, and he jumps through the roof. And so we utilize his athleticism and his abilities and we try to highlight that … and the guys do a great job of setting him up.”

Both of Tuesday’s first two sets were close, with Central York pulling away late. Red Lion trailed just 18-16 in the first before the Panthers scored seven of the final 10 points. The Lions made a late push to get within 23-22 in Set 2, but Central scored two of three points out of a timeout to clinch the frame.

Set 3 looked like a Panther runaway early on, as Central York held leads of 7-1 and 12-3. But the Lions didn’t roll over, answering with five straight points and ultimately closing the gap to 15-14. They never came all the way back, though, and the Panthers closed the match on a 9-3 run to bring out the gold medals.

Both teams have a full week off before beginning their District 3-3A tournament run next week. Red Lion is in line to be the No. 3 seed and open at home on May 21, while No. 1 Central will earn a bye to the quarterfinals May 23. The Panthers will face plenty of pressure by virtue of their perfect record, but they’re embracing the challenge ahead.

“It’s big, but pressure is a privilege,” He said. “And that’s what our coach, Todd Goodling, who passed … he always said that.”

Goodling, who coached the Panthers from 2016-22 and had been part of the program since 1984, died in January 2023 at age 63. Central York has honored him in myriad ways since — Goodling was inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame last fall, and much of the team’s gear features an orange heart with the initials “TG” inside. But Feldmann believes his longtime mentor would be proud, more than anything, of how selfless the Panthers have been throughout the spring.

John He never got discouraged while battling for playing time. Jakob Bohannon accepted his changing role as Greg Guidinger joined the team following a state championship run in basketball and found a rhythm in his second sport. Plenty of talented young players are still waiting their turn. When the final point was scored Tuesday night, however, the Panthers celebrated as one.

“Ever since I’ve been around the program … one of the things that was always preached is, for us to be successful, we’re gonna have to put ourselves aside for the betterment of the team, ” Feldmann said. “These guys knew Todd really well, but he set that tone for them, and I think that’s a way that they really try to honor him with their play.

“It means the world to me.”