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"We've had some bad practices," said Shawaryn, who subscribes to the theory that a team plays the way it practices.
Shawaryn took nothing away from Warwick, which would prove its mettle two days later, taking eventual District Three Class AAA finalist Spring Grove to five games. This, after the Rockets had won the first two.
But with a 10-0 regular season and a league title on its résumé, Hempfield had a district title in its sights.
The match with Warwick was enough to jolt the Black Knights from the doldrums that natutally come in the late stretches of a season. Hempfield regained its mojo in time to overcome game efforts from Conestoga Valley and Manheim Central and then cruised past Spring Grove in the final Saturday to win the Class AAA title.
"The idea of playing in districts," said Ellie Ressler, when asked what got Hempfield back to the top of its game. "The captains (Megan Forbes, Riley Kratzer and Ressler) talked to the team and said this really counts and we want this really badly."
Forbes, whose fingerprints could be found throughout each of the district rounds, said the team refocused at the right time.
"I'm glad we're able to turn that switch but it was difficult when practice didn't go that well," she said.
Friday, a day before the district semis and finals, the Black Knights were back on track in practice and it showed Saturday, beating back the challenge from the Barons and then sweeping the Rockets.
"I was worried that the girls were peaking at leagues instead of now," Shawaryn said.
He no longer has that worry. One reason is the play of Forbes, the Black Knights' senior middle who has played big in the big moments. She had five kills to spur Hempfield past Warwick in the pivotal pool play third game. Against Manheim Central in the semifinals, she finished with a game-high 15 kills.
"Once we hit the Cumberland Valley Tournament, Megan kind of broke out of her shell," Shawaryn said. "I had been looking for that. The last two weeks, in leagues and districts, she kind of went another step ahead. I think a lot of people are trying to play catch-up with her. The rest of the girls are really thriving on it."
Forbes doesn't see herself as a seize-the-moment type.
"I don't see it as my time, I just see it as a time to help the team," she said. "It's not about me, it's about the team. I just want to help the team get as far as it can."
Forbes intends to attend West Point and play volleyball for the Black Knights of the Hudson. She needs an appointment and has interviews scheduled with Pennsylvania's senators, who must recommend her for appointment.
Hempfield opens the PIAA Tournament against District One fourth-place finisher St. Basil Academy at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Wilson High School. A victory sends the Black Knights (19-0) to state pool play Friday.
Manheim Central is also headed to states, making is first appearance in team history. The Barons (18-4) will play District 11 champion Allentown Central Catholic at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Bethlehem Liberty High School.
Central should be buoyed by its performance at districts. True, it lost to Hempfield, but that fourth game was really close (Hempfield won it, 25-23). If the Barons win it, the match goes to a fifth game. Then?
"The fourth game is the epitome of what our two teams are capable of," said Central coach Craig Dietrich. "We felt like, at the beginning of the season, it was us and Hempfield, not only for our league but for our district. You saw that (today). No disrespect to Spring Grove and Exeter but we really felt like we were the two teams to beat. We were playing good volleyball coming into this. We knew it would be a battle."
The Barons staged a resurgence as the district tournament began. Shorthanded, they bowed out of the league tournament in the first round. Now, at full strength, they are displaying their talent. They rebounded from the district semifinal loss to Hempfield by defeating Exeter in four games.
"It was a completely different mentality," said Central senior outside hitter Rachelle Wiegand, of the team's venture into districts. "The younger players have stepped it up and we're peaking, which is what we've been saying all season. We're top four in the district and finally believing it."
