Boyertown beats Upper Merion for program’s first district win
The Boyertown girls volleyball team won a district playoff game for the first time in program history Thursday night, defeating visiting Upper Merion 3-1 (2515, 21-25, 25-16, 25-23) in a District 1-4A second round match.
Emma Ludwig led the fifth-seeded Bears (20-3) with 16 kills and also chipped in a team-high 23 assists along with 22 digs and four aces. Adrianna Derstine racked up 13 kills and Emily Wolfe had 11 to go with 21 digs and three blocks. Julia Smith led the Bears with 41 digs and Grace Rinehimer contributed 21 assists.
Sophia Gammarino had 11 kills and 23 digs for the 12th-seeded Vikings (14-6), Vanessa Hutchinson made 25 digs and Annamarie Marsh dished out 24 assists.
“It’s really nice for the kids,” said Boyertown coach Mike Ludwig, whose team had a bye in the opening round on Tuesday, while Upper Merion defeated Penncrest 3-0. “A lot of these kids have been with us from the beginning. They have the mentality of wanting to win. They have the desire to win and they play together.”
The two teams had played to five sets twice this season with the Bears winning both times, including a victory in the Pioneer Athletic Conference semifinals last Tuesday.
“The surprise was that it didn’t go five,” said Upper Merion coach Anthony Funsten. “They (the Bears) played really well. They put the pressure on us the whole game.”
This time, neither team led by more than three points in the fourth set that also had eight ties. But the Bears finally put the match away when Ludwig passed to Wolfe for a kill.
Earlier, Wolfe started the match with a block and a kill on the first two plays and the Bears jumped to an 8-1 lead and cruised to the first-set win.
Then the Vikings scored the first four points of the second set and trailed only once at 9-8. They scored eight straight to seemingly break the set open at 23-13. The Bears went on an 8-1 run to make a game of it, but Janee Heppner finally set up Aryana Chambers for the winning point.
“We knew after the first set that they were going to play better,” said Mike Ludwig. “They played really nice defensively and got some extra swings and that allowed them to build some confidence.”
(Through games of Oct. 25) Division 1
Spring-Ford Perkiomen Valley Owen J. Roberts Methacton Boyertown Norristown
Division 2
Pope John Paul II Pottsgrove Pottstown Upper Merion Phoenixville Upper Perkiomen
PAC W 5 4 3 1 1 1
PAC W 5 4 2 2 2 0
(Seedings in parentheses) Opening Round Monday, Oct. 21
Central Bucks South 4, West Chester Rustin 0 Conestoga 5, Abington 0 Methacton 4, Pennridge 2 Haverford High 2, Avon Grove 1 Council Rock North 2, Lower Merion 1 Council Rock South 5, William Tennent 0 Spring-Ford 3, North Penn 1 Kennett 4, Downingtown East 0
---Second Round Wednesday, Oct. 23
Garnet Valley 2, Central Bucks South 0 Downingtown West 6, Conestoga 0 Perkiomen Valley 1, Methacton 0 Central Bucks East 1, Haverford 0 Plymouth Whitemarsh 8, Council Rock North 2 Council Rock South 1, Neshaminy 0 Owen J. Roberts 1, Spring-Ford 0 OT Souderton 4, Kennett 0
---Quarterfinals Friday, Oct. 25
Downingtown West 7, Garnet Valley 0 Perkiomen Valley 2, Central Bucks East 1 Plymouth Whitemarsh 2, Council Rock South 1 Owen J. Roberts 5, Souderton 4
---Tuesday, Oct. 29 Semifinals
Downingtown West (8) vs. Perkiomen Valley (4) at The Training Center, 3:30 p.m. Owen J. Roberts (3) at PlymouthWhitemarsh (2), time TBA
Fifth-Place Playbacks
L 0 1 2 4 4 4
L 0 1 3 3 3 5
Overall W L 8 2 7 3 8 2 3 7 3 7 2 8
Overall W L 8 2 5 5 5 5 5 5 3 7 1 9
Central Bucks East (5) at Garnet Valley (1), 3:30 p.m. Council Rock South (10) at Souderton (6), 7 p.m.
---Championship Saturday, Nov. 2
Semifinal winners at Methacton, 3:30 p.m.
---
Pairings at sites of higher seeds Six teams qualify for state playoffs.
(Seedings in parentheses) Opening Round Tuesday, Oct. 22
Radnor 3, Strath Haven 0 Villa Maria 2, Phoenixville 0 Gwynedd Mercy 9, West Chester East 0 Merion Mercy 2, Great Valley 0 Bishop Shanahan 5, Pope John Paul II 0 Mount St. Joseph’s 7, Springfield-Delco 0 Upper Perkiomen 2, West Chester Henderson 1, OT Wissahickon 2, Harriton 1
---Quarterfinals Thursday, Oct. 24
Villa Maria 3, Radnor 0 Merion Mercy 4, Gwynedd Mercy 3 Bishop Shanahan 2, Mount St. Joseph’s 1 Upper Perkiomen 3, Wissahickon 0
---Tuesday, Oct. 29 Semifinals
Villa Maria (9) at Merion Mercy (5), time TBA Upper Perkiomen (3) at Bishop Shanahan (2), 7 p.m.
Fifth-Place Playbacks
Gwynedd Mercy (4) at Radnor (1), 4 p.m. Mount St. Joseph’s (7) at Wissahickon (6), time TBA
---Championship Saturday, Nov. 2
Semifinal winners at Methacton, 3:30 p.m.
---
Pairings at sites of higher seeds unless otherwise noted. Five teams qualify for state playoffs.
(Seedings in parentheses) Opening Round Tuesday, Oct. 22
Pennridge 3, Bensalem 1 Abington 1, Haverford 0 Council Rock North 1, West Chester Henderson 0 Harriton 1, Upper Dublin 0 Downingtown East 1, Central Bucks East 0 Central Bucks West 1, Downingtown West 0 Pennsbury 3, Owen J. Roberts 0
Wednesday, Oct. 23
Neshaminy 1, West Chester Rustin 0
---Second Round Thursday, Oct. 24
North Penn 6, Pennridge 0 Abington 3, Spring-Ford 2 Unionville 3, Council Rock North 0 Conestoga 4, Harriton 2 Lower Merion 1, Downingtown East 0 Central Bucks West 2, Radnor 1 Boyertown 3, Pennsbury 1 Neshaminy 1, Hatboro-Horsham 0
---Quarterfinals Saturday’s Results
Game 17: North Penn 2, Abington 1 Game 18: Conestoga def. Unionville Game 19: Lower Merion 2, Central Bucks West 1 Game 20: Boyertown 2, Neshaminy 1
---Semifinals Tuesday, Oct. 29
Game 21: Conestoga (5) at North Penn (1) Game 22: Boyertown (3) at Lower Merion (2), 3 p.m.
---Championship Nov. 2 ---
Pairings at sites of higher seeds Five teams qualify for state playoffs.
(Seedings in parentheses) Opening Round Wednesday, Oct. 23
Bishop Shanahan 3, Phoenixville 0 Strath Haven 1, Penncrest 0 Pottsgrove 3, Lower Moreland 1 Holy Ghost Prep 2, Upper Perkiomen 0
---Semifinals Saturday’s Results
Game 5: Strath Haven (4) at Bishop Shanahan (1), 6 p.m. Game 6: Holy Ghost Prep 1, Pottsgrove 0, 2OT
---Championship Wednesday, Oct. 30
Game 7: Strath Haven (4) or Bishop Shanahan (1) vs. Holy Ghost Prep (3) at Phoenixville, 7 p.m.
---
Two teams qualify for state playoffs.
(Seedings in parentheses) Opening Round Tuesday, Oct. 29
Game 1: Pope John Paul II (2) at New Hope (1), 5 p.m. Game 2: District 12 team TBA (2) vs. District 12 team TBA (1), site and time TBA
---Championship Saturday, Nov. 2 ---
Games at higher seed for opening round, at neutral site in District 1 for championship.
In the third set, Boyertown broke away from a 7-7 tie with five straight points, including kills by Derstine, Jess Ahart (six kills) and Wolfe and the Vikings never got closer than three.
“When we mix it up on offense, it makes a difference,” said Mike Ludwig. “When they have to defend the entire net and not just one or two people. The setters mixed it up. So much of the game is about passing. The girls in the back row did a really nice job passing.”
Last year, Boyertown also had an opening round bye and then lost 3-0 to Pennsbury. Now the Bears, in just their third varsity season, need one more win to earn one of the district’s five spots in the PIAA Tournament.
Upper Merion had been showing improvement throughout the course of the season after starting off with every player except Bahmueller in a new position.
“Another great year for Upper Merion,” said Funsten. “We’re still getting better. It’s been an interesting year. It’s a shame we couldn’t still be playing because our best volleyball is still ahead of us.”
No. 5 seed Boyertown visited No. 4 Pennsbury Saturday in a quarterfinal and fell in five sets.
The Bears remained alive for a state playoff berth, their playback run beginning Tuesday when they were to host No. 8 West Chester Rustin. The Bears need two straight wins to earn the fifth and final PIAA spot from District 1.
Two teams qualify for state playoffs.
Semifinals Tuesday, Oct. 15
Boyertown 4, Upper Perkiomen 0 Spring-Ford 2, Pottsgrove 0 ---
Championship Thursday, Oct. 17
Boyertown 3, Spring-Ford 0
(Seedings in parentheses) Opening Round Tuesday, Oct. 22
Great Valley 2, Owen J. Roberts 1 Council Rock South 1, Quakertown 0 North Penn 3, Garnet Valley 0 Radnor 2, Neshaminy 2, susp. weather Plymouth Whitemarsh 3, Souderton 0 Council Rock North 2, Downingtown West 0 Central Bucks West 4, Penncrest 0 Spring-Ford 3, Wissahickon 2
Wednesday, Oct. 23
Neshaminy 3, Radnor 2, OT (Completion of suspended game)
---Second Round Thursday, Oct 24
Pennridge 3, Great Valley 0 Council Rock South 3, Hatboro-Horsham 0 North Penn (3, Lower Merion 0 Pennsbury 2, Neshaminy 0 Boyertown 5, Plymouth Whitemarsh 1 Unionville 4, Council Rock North 0 Conestoga 5, Central Bucks West 2 Spring-Ford 1, Downingtown East 0 OT
---Quarterfinals Saturday’s Results
Game 17: Pennridge 2, Council Rock South 0 Game 18: North Penn 1, Pennsbury 0 (5-4 PKs) Game 19: Boyertown 1, Unionville 0 Game 20: Conestoga 2, Spring-Ford 0
---Semifinals Tuesday, Oct. 29
North Penn (13) at Pennridge (1) Conestoga (3) at Boyertown (2)
Playbacks
Council Rock South at Pennsbury Spring-Ford at Unionville, 5 p.m.
---Championship Saturday, Nov. 2 ---
Pairings at sites of higher seeds Six teams qualify for state playoffs.
(Seedings in parentheses) Opening Round Wednesday, Oct. 23
Gwynedd Mercy 4, Upper Perkiomen 2 Springfield-Delco 5, Interboro 1
---Quarterfinals Friday, Oct. 25
Villa Joseph Marie 3, Gwynedd Mercy 0 Pottsgrove 1, Lower Moreland 0 Strath Haven 3, Springfield-Delco 0 Nazareth Ac. 2, Villa Maria 1
---Semifinals Monday, Oct. 28
Pottsgrove (4) at Villa Joseph Marie (1), 4 p.m. Nazareth Ac. (3) at Strath Haven (2), 7 p.m.
---Championship Wednesday, Oct. 30
Semifinal winners at Phoenixville, 5 p.m.
---
Two teams qualify for state playoffs.
(Seedings in parentheses) Opening Round Tuesday, Oct. 22
Strath Haven 3, Plymouth Whitemarsh 0 Pennridge 3, Perkiomen Valley 1 Ridley 3, Lower Merion 2 Upper Merion 3, Penncrest 0 Downingtown West 3, Central Bucks West 0 Garnet Valley 3, Central Bucks East 0 Methacton 3, Upper Dublin 1 Central Bucks South 3, Conestoga 1
---Second Round Thursday, Oct. 24
Bishop Shanahan 3, Strath Haven 0 West Chester Rustin 3, Pennridge 1 Pennsbury 3, Ridley 0 Boyertown 3, Upper Merion 1 Unionville 3, Downingtown West 0 Council Rock North 3, Garnet Valley 0 Downingtown East 3, Methacton 0 Hatboro-Horsham 3, Central Bucks South 0
---Quarterfinals Saturday’s Results
Game 17: West Chester Rustin (8) at Bishop Shanahan (1), 5 p.m. Game 18: Pennsbury 3, Boyertown 2 Game 19: Council Rock North (7) at Unionville (2), 4 p.m. Game 20: Hatboro-Horsham (6) at Downingtown East (3), 2 p.m.
---Semifinals Tuesday, Oct. 29 ---Championship Thursday, Oct. 31 Semifinal winners at West Chester East or Upper Dublin, 7 p.m. ---
Pairings at sites of higher seeds through semifinals.
Five teams qualify for state playoffs.
(Seedings in parentheses) Opening Round Tuesday, Oct. 22
Pope John Paul II 3, Interboro 0 Mount St. Joseph 3, Villa Joseph Marie 0 Villa Maria 3, Springfield-Delco 0 Sun Valley 3, Gwynedd Mercy 0
---Semifinals Thursday, Oct. 24
Pope John Paul II 3, Mount St. Joseph’s 0 Villa Maria 3, Sun Valley 0
---Championship Tuesday, Oct. 29
Pope John Paul II (1) vs. Villa Maria (2) at Harriton, 7:30 p.m.
---
Two teams qualify for state playoffs.
High scores from recent league action Friday Night Social:
Bryan Cassey 806, Sarah Kirch 759, Justin Kleinspehn 752, Mike Smith 746, Alex Bortz 738, Jen Bitler 697, Renee Talkington 687, Chris Kiscadden 633.
Saturday Scholarship/Jr.-Sr.:
Alyssa Blood 708, Nick Welsh 609, Max Hummel 562, Kevin Zambito 556, Trevor Wilkinson 555, Ryan Stoudt 537, John Zappacosta 530, Patrick Moore 516.
Shane Cowan 717,
Sunday Night Mixers:
Jason Boyer 702.
Monday Industrial:
Brandon Seyler 808, Bob Schmehl 732, Bryan Starson 722, Courtney Roberts 639, Heather Zornek 622.
---PJBT TOURNAMENT:
300 GAME. .
Emily Breidegam
Nov. 10: Fall Racer’s Flea Market, 7 a.m. This schedule is subject to change without notice. For information on events, weather, etc., call 610-754-7688 or visit www.Grandview Speedway.com.
Speed and agility workouts at 422 SportsPlex, 1400 Industrial Hwy., conducted by Rian ”Goo” Wallace, former Pottstown High and Temple University standout and member of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2006 Super Bowl championship team. More information: Contact Wallace at 610-718-6536 or info@goalsoverobstacles.com.