HS VOLLEYBALL: Unbeaten Blue Ridge enters Class 2A playoffs on a roll; Delaware Valley is top seed in Class 3A

May 15—Blue Ridge dominated the regular season on the way to the Lackawanna League championship.

Now, the stakes are much higher as the playoffs begin this week.

The undefeated Raiders (18-0) are the defending champions and the No. 1 seed in the District 2 Class 2A playoffs. They have won 16 matches by 3-0 scores and are led by the powerful swing of Connor Cranage.

On Wednesday, Blue Ridge hosts Forest City (6-7), the eighth seed, at 6 p.m. During the Lackawanna League season, the Raiders swept both matches against the Foresters.

Cranage, a Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 2A all-state player last season, has 284 kills this season. Teammate Nick Laude has 185 kills, and Morgan Thomas has 109. Owen Martin leads the team with 177 service points, followed by Aiden Glasglow, who has 172. Laude also has 53 aces. Carson Gallagher runs the offense and has 544 assists for the Raiders.

The other quarterfinal on Blue Ridge's side of the bracket has No. 5 Dallas (11-5) at fourth-seeded Berwick (11-4) at 6 p.m. Berwick defeated the Mountaineers, 3-1, on May 5.

Dallas is led by outside hitter Alan Lisman, who has 202 kills, and setter Brandon Banks, who has 409 assists. Berwick's top playmakers are Blaze Croop, who has 118 kills, and Brock Seeley, who has 116. Croop had 21 kills and 28 digs, while Seeley had 13 kills and 24 digs in a win over Dallas in the regular season.

Tunkhannock (15-1), the runner-up in the Wyoming Valley Conference to Delaware Valley, is the No. 2 seed. The Tigers have won 14 straight matches, with only Hazleton Area able to win a set against them. They start the playoffs Tuesday at 6 p.m. against Mountain View (10-9) at home.

Brady Slacktish has 153 digs, 122 kills and 121 service points, which includes 41 aces for the Tigers. Shane Macko has 112 kills, 117 digs and 100 service points, while Marcus Binner has 190 assists.

In the other quarterfinal match, No. 6 Crestwood (6-8) plays at No. 3 Holy Redeemer (11-4) at 6 p.m. Holy Redeemer defeated Crestwood, 3-1, in the WVC on May 8.

JJ Strec has 68 kills, Anthony Wan has 66 and Tom McLoughlin has 64 in the balanced Crestwood attack. Holy Redeemer is led by Cody Rood, who has 94 kills; Michael Dubaskas, who has 89 kills; and Joshua Rocha, who has 83 kills to go along with his 117 service points.

The winners will play in the semifinals, which will be held as a doubleheader at the site of the highest remaining seeded school.

The championship match is scheduled for June 1 at a neutral site, and both finalists qualify for the PIAA Championships.

Class 3A

Abington Heights is the defending champion but enters this season's tournament as the No. 2 seed. The Comets (14-2) only lost to Blue Ridge in the regular season and will play third-seeded Wilkes-Barre Area (7-6) on May 24 in the first match of the Class 3A semifinal doubleheader at Delaware Valley.

Jack Burke and Nico Bossi pack a one-two punch at the net. Burke has 136 kills, while Bossi has 118 kills. James Brust has 311 assists and 91 digs, while James Dadey has 93 digs.

Delaware Valley is the No. 1 seed after it captured the WVC championship with an undefeated league season. The Warriors (13-1) are led by Chris U'Glay, who is the program's career leader in kills (422), service points (278) and aces (121). This season, he has 170 kills, 92 service points and 50 aces.

Trevor Johnson (102) and Keith Sublett (100) also have at least 100 kills for the Warriors, who await the winner of the quarterfinal match that has fifth-seeded Wyoming Valley West (1-11) at 4-Hazleton Area (4-7) on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

DISTRICT 2 VOLLEYBALL CLASS 3A Wednesday's quarterfinal

5-Wyoming Valley West (1-11) at 4-Hazleton Area (4-7), 6 p.m.

Semifinals, May 24 at Delaware Valley

3-Wilkes-Barre Area (7-6) vs. 2-Abington Heights (14-2), 5:30 p.m.

WVW/HAZ winner vs. 1-Delaware Valley (13-1), 30 minutes after conclusion of first match

Final, June 1

Semifinal winners, neutral site

CLASS 2A Tuesday's quarterfinals

8-Forest City (6-7) at 1-Blue Ridge (18-0), 6 p.m.

5-Dallas (11-5) at 4-Berwick (11-4), 6 p.m.

6-Crestwood (6-8) at 3-Holy Redeemer (11-4), 6 p.m.

7-Mountain View (10-9) at 2-Tunkhannock (15-1), 6 p.m.

Semifinals, May 23

Quarterfinal winners in a doubleheader at highest remaining seed

Final, June 1

Semifinal winners at neutral site

Contact the writer: jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9125; @sportsTT on Twitter