Cedar Crest picks up must-win against Manheim Township, remains in thick of L-L League Section 1 boys volleyball race

Stayin' alive. Stayin' alive. Ah, ah, ah, ah. Stayin' alive.

Cedar Crest’s boys volleyball team unpacked the bus in Neffsville Thursday night, knowing they absolutely, positively had to beat Manheim Township if the Falcons had any chance of remaining in the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 race.

They delivered, setting up a true sprint to next Thursday’s finish line.

Front-row stalwarts Aidan Vukovich, Aaron Walters and Tate Tadajweski came up with clutch kill after clutch kill — and tacked on plenty of must-have blocks in crunch time — and Cedar Crest blanked the host Blue Streaks 3-0.

Game scores were 25-23, 25-17, 25-20, as the Falcons did indeed remain in a three-way chase for the two league playoff spots out of Section 1.

“We have no other options,” Cedar Crest coach Monica Sheaffer said. “We have to win out. It’s all business from here on out.”

Cedar Crest vs. Manheim Township - L-L League boys volleyball [photos]

The updated standings: Hempfield improved to 9-2 in league play after topping McCaskey 3-0 on Thursday. The Black Knights are tied for first in the loss column with Warwick. The Warriors (8-2) had the section bye Thursday, and the back-to-back section champs finish up Tuesday at Penn Manor and next Thursday in Lititz against Township.

Cedar Crest is 7-3. The Falcons will host Hempfield on Tuesday — the Knights’ regular-season finale — before finishing up next Thursday at Conestoga Valley.

First place and the runner-up slot are both up for grabs.

Long story short: There are still plenty of scenarios on the table. And if it comes down to tiebreakers next Thursday night, the better District 3 Class 3A power rating will get the league playoff invite.

“We still have a chance,” Cedar Crest’s Jack Wolgemuth said. “We’re still fighting. Nothing is set in stone yet.”

Meanwhile, in Section 2, Manheim Central (10-0) has successfully defended its section championship. Cocalico (8-2) was 0-2 against the Barons in section play, and is two games clear of Elizabethtown (6-4) for second place and the league playoff bid.

Cedar Crest had a little extra motivation Thursday; Township beat the Falcons 3-1 on Cedar Crest’s home court back on April 9. Throw out the Streaks' 3-7 section mark; Township is much improved, has seven victories overall, and has been a thorn in everyone's side this spring.

“We knew after we lost to Township the first time that we had to come here and play ball,” Wolgemuth said. “We were a little timid last time, and we didn’t win. But tonight we came in here and played with a lot of energy.”

Thursday’s first set was a thriller, and it ultimately came down to Vukovich’s powerful left-handed swing. Township’s Justin Over tied it up at 16-16 with a kill, and that’s when Vukovich got hot.

He delivered consecutive kills to give Cedar Crest an 18-16 lead. Vukovich pounded three more kills down the stretch, and Walters capped the opener, going kill-block to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead.

Cedar Crest never trailed in the second set, and seized control for good when Wolgemuth had two kills and Tadajweski had a kill and a block for 19-14 cushion. Then Vukovich heated up again, with back-to-back kills for a 22-15 lead. Walters and Ethan Martin closed out the second set, Walters with a thunder-boomer kill and Martin with a block for a 2-0 lead.

“From the aspect of the last time we played, we knew they were going to come in here a little upset,” Township coach Caleb Roberts said. “We talked about how to keep a steady game going. We tried to, but they were able to keep their energy going.”

The Falcons summoned that extra energy, but had to pull some teeth in the third set. Connor Himelfarb (9 kills, 3 blocks) had two clutch kills, the first for an 11-11 tie, the latter for a 13-11 lead for Township, but Cedar Crest — which got 24 assists and 15 digs from Kody Kerkeslager — picked up some steam after Tyler Angelo’s ace gave the Falcons a 14-13 edge.

The Falcons then ripped off three straight points, going Walters kill, Tadajweski block and a Tadajweski kill. Walters (14 kills) struck again for a slam and a 21-15 lead, and Tadajweski had two more blocks down the stretch and the Falcons — cue the Bee Gees — stayed alive.