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By Rick Weaver
For The Mirror
RURAL VALLEY -- The Central Dragons finished the 2024 volleyball campaign with a 3-0 loss to reigning champion West Shamokin in a District 6 Class 2A semifinal playoff match at West Shamokin High School.
Dragons coach Ken Streilein, if it's all the same, came away with an optimistic tone about the team. Central (5-10) will graduate only one senior. Eight core players are expected to return next spring.
"All in all (it was) a heckuva good season. We've just got to keep it up for next year," Streilein said after the Dragons' 25-15, 25-8, 25-19 setback.
"They run things a little faster than us. We're not quite used to that. I told the guys in the (post-game) huddle that it's something we'll need to work on next year. We want to be right up with them next year. They lose a couple of their better players."
"(Central) is all juniors and sophomores. So they're going to have a decent team next year," West Shamokin coach Scott Craig said.
The Wolves (14-2) will seek their fifth successive district championship on Wednesday against Forest Hills or DuBois at Mount Aloysius College. West Shamokin began its run in 2019. COVID-19 prevented all spring sports in 2020. The Wolves have won three consecutive district championships since.
West Shamokin prompted the tempo for most of the match, which required 1 hour, 2 minutes. The Dragons played on their heels, especially in the first two games.
"Ezra (Oesterling) is definitely the most dominant player in the district here, I think," Streilein said. "But we tried to have a game plan to try to contain them as much as much as we could. I though we did pretty well with that. He's going to get his kills and his plays no matter what. We just had to minimize what he's doing."
"(The passing) wasn't as clean as I would have liked," Craig said. "Our passing was nothing great tonight. (We had) mental mistakes and some things that we've got to get cleaned up the next couple of practices."
Central achieved its first tie (2-2) in the third game. The Dragons then led on two occasions, 11-10 and 12-11. Dominant net play by senior Ezra Oesterling, sophomore Aiden Oesterling, and junior Bradyn Rodgers produced a 4-0 run that put the Wolves ahead to stay.
"Our goal was to play them tough, and try to get on them as much as we could. Maybe we could take a game or two from them," Streilein said. "They're really good team. But our guys kept fighting the whole way. The first two (games) were a little rough. But (in) the third game we really came on, I thought.."
Ezra Oesterling led all players with 20 kills, Aiden Oesterling added two blocks, two service aces and 36 assists. Rodgers produced eight kills, and libero Travis Johns added nine digs.
"Ezra and BR (Rodgers) can compete against just about anybody. They jump so well," Craig said.
Bryson Brooks led the Dragons with 4 kills and 10 digs. Libero Blake Reynolds added 12 digs, Hayden Smith came up with four blocks, and Logan Hummel handed out 10 assists.