Archbishop Wood falls in PIAA-2A quarterfinals to Lower Dauphin

LEESPORT >> Archbishop Wood’s season came to a close on Saturday against Lower Dauphin, but throughout, the Vikings showed stretches of what prompted such a magical run this spring.

“It was really fun,” senior Dan Prior said of the season, which included the program’s first ever trip to the state playoffs. “We’re all really good friends and we got together to play some volleyball.”

The Vikings not only made states for the first time but earned the program’s its first ever state win on Tuesday, 3-2 over Blue Ridge.

The Vikings ran up against a more seasoned Lower Dauphin squad on Saturday at Schuylkill Valley High, falling 25-12, 25-16, 25-12 in the PIAA-2A Quarterfinals.

“I just told the guys that we know we’re the underdog. We just said we were gonna play our game, try to have fun and try to use that momentum and energy that we started the season out with,” said first-year coach Micah Griffith. “(Lower Dauphin’s) a very well-trained, consistent team, and we’re kind of like a scrappy group. I think we played really well.”

The Vikings especially made a push in Game Two.

“To play against really good teams like that is really cool to see,” Prior said.

The senior-led group also included Shane McCaffery, Maguire Smith, Will Horan, Geoff Waltrich and Shane McNicholas.

“We have room to keep going and hopefully go further next year,” Griffith said. “Unfortunately, we’ll be saying goodbye to a lot of our seniors but we’re hoping to take guys up from our J.V. team, train them over the summer and get them ready for the spring season.”

Lower Dauphin, which had defeated Lansdale Catholic 3-0 in the opening round, advances to Tuesday’s semifinals to face either Garden Spot or Manheim Central.

Lower Dauphin was led in part by outside hitters Kaden Kirchhoefer and Ethan Espenshade.

“We just wanted to use our momentum and try to take them by force,” Griffith said. “We did the best that we could and I think we played really well. It was good for us.”