The Baldwin boys volleyball team clinched its first section title since 2006 with a 3-1 win against Canon-Mac on Thursday.
For senior Dylan Leonhardt, the win accomplished an important personal goal.
“I knew coming into this season that we were going to be a great team, and just being able to complete that goal that I’ve had to put a banner up on that wall – it’s a great feeling,” Leonhardt said.
Sophomore Killian Susan emphasized how important the win is for the program.
“I think winning sections is a big achievement for the team because the last time we won sections was 20 years ago. It shows how good we are,” sophomore Killian Susan said.
Leonhardt praised fellow seniors Alex Kelly and Brayden Gremba for their performance during Thursday’s game.
“Alex got a lot of kills and was very solid in serve receive,” Leonhardt said. “Brayden was just the guy tonight. He was getting everything to go – blocks, defenses, kills, and serves.”
Leonhardt noted that Canon-Mac was a challenging opponent, making the win mean even more for the Highlanders.
“Canon-Mac’s defense was decent, and they were very scrappy,” Leonhardt said. “They got a lot of things over that we didn’t expect them to.”
With full possession of the section championship, the team is now looking ahead toward WPIAL playoffs.
“Our goal is to try as hard as we can and hopefully win the playoffs, which will be an even bigger achievement for the team,” Susan said.
The team will need to work on a few things this week so they can be able to play their best in the playoffs.
“Going into the playoffs, we can improve our intensity and communication,” Leonhardt said.
Susan wanted to acknowledge everyone involved in the program who helped get them to where they are now.
“I love all these guys on the team and the coaches. They are like family to me, and I’m so proud of all of us for how far we have come,” Susan said.
The team is currently 8-0 in section and has two section games remaining. The team’s next game is their senior recognition against Bethel Park on Tuesday.
