Every time Hempfield went to the net for a kill, it seemed like there was an open lane leading toward empty space.
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Some of that was because setter Riley Kratzer was putting her teammates in excellent position to finish. Some of it was because Hempfield enjoyed a sizeable height advantage up front.
Some of it was because these are the Black Knights and this is how they roll.
When the stakes are the highest, Hempfield plays its best. That was clear again when it knocked off Spring Grove, 3-0, to claim the District Three Class AAA girls' volleyball championship Saturday. Game scores were 25-14, 25-17, 26-24.
It was Hempfield's second consecutive district crown and its sixth since 2002.
"We definitely wanted to get back-to-back for our senior year," outside hitter Megan Forbes said. "I think me, Riley and Ellie [Ressler] were just so excited for this year. I'm really glad we won."
Hempfield made it look effortless.
The Black Knights' imposing and efficient front line of Forbes, Ressler and Rachel Lenz combined for 33 kills in the three games. Forbes led the charge with 14.
Other girls played their roles perfectly. Kratzer consistently set up the big hitters with quick passes and libero Brittani Young cleanly handled the shots that reached the back line.
It added up to easy points and a lopsided victory.
"A lot of the credit goes to our setter," Hempfield coach Patrick Shawaryn said. "We established the middle early and then they had to commit, which opened up everything. We don't like to run a high, loopy ball. We run a quick shoot to allow our hitters to see more of the court. I think it worked really well for us today."
Spring Grove was overmatched at the net. The Rockets didn't have the height to combat Hempfield and couldn't close down the hitting lanes. Before they knew it, they dropped the first two games.
"They came at us really hard," Spring Grove coach Dawn Myers said. "They came at us with heat and they came from all directions. They did a nice job. It was pretty quick. We started getting adjusted to them, but it was too late."
Spring Grove made a strong push in the third game, which was tied at 24. An errant serve by the Rockets gave Hempfield match point before Forbes smashed her final kill to seal it.
Earlier in the day, Hempfield escaped a tough test from Manheim Central in the semifinals to earn their shot at a repeat. It was a 3-1 victory. Game scores were 25-18, 15-25, 25-19, 25-23.
The Barons were making their first appearance in the semifinals. Although they gave the perennial champ a push, they couldn't pull off the upset.
Hempfield's dynasty continues to grow. It was built under the coaching leadership of Mike Vogel, who stepped down prior to the start of this season. Shawaryn stepped in and kept the tradition going.
Shawaryn deflected the credit to Kratzer, Forbes and Ressler, his senior tri-captains.
"Once I get the lineup out there, I'm a glorified cheerleader," the coach said. "The girls understand that. If it wasn't for my three seniors, we wouldn't be half of what we are. They're the heart and they carry the team. I'm just there signing the lineup card."
Hempfield can turn its attention to the state tournament, which begins Tuesday. The Knights will gun for their first state crown since 2006.
This group of players has already lived up to the expectations of this powerhouse program. Now they want to add a little more.
"We just want to put another banner up on the wall," Forbes said. "I feel like our team can do anything. You don't have to worry about the standards. You just set them higher for the next team."
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