Whitehall is headed to the District XI Class AAA championship after a dominant straight-set victory over Parkland in the semifinal round, winning 3-0 by scores of 25-18, 25-18, and 25-17.
The Zephyrs controlled the pace throughout the match, using a balanced offensive attack, strong net defense, and relentless back-row play to knock off the Trojans and punch their ticket to the title match.
Leading the offensive charge for Whitehall was Jayden Haik, who powered home a match-high 15 kills while adding four digs. Haik consistently found openings in the Parkland defense and helped Whitehall maintain momentum throughout all three sets.
Whitehall also received strong production from Omari Ratliff, who contributed eight kills and two blocks, while Elias Kamhia added seven kills and an impressive 16 digs in a strong two-way performance.
At the net, Cole Richards tallied seven kills, 17 digs, and two blocks, helping Whitehall dominate both offensively and defensively. Cole Rozyki was a force at the net with six kills and seven blocks, repeatedly shutting down Parkland attacking opportunities.
Setting the tone offensively was standout setter Kole Moyer, who dished out 38 assists while reaching a major career milestone — surpassing 2,000 career assists. On the defensive side, libero Drew Sodl anchored the back row with 17 digs.
Parkland battled throughout the match and was led offensively by Bear Jacobs with seven kills and Zamin Soonasra, who added six kills and four digs. Ryan Kearney and Zeke Gordner each recorded five kills, while Gordner also added six digs.
Parkland setter Gabe Chase finished with 21 assists, seven digs, one kill, and one block, while Owen Barnett led the Trojans defensively with 11 digs.
With the semifinal victory, Whitehall advances to the District XI AAA championship match, where the Zephyrs will take on Emmaus after they defeated Freedom 3-1 in the other semifinal. The highly anticipated title matchup will feature two of the district’s top programs battling for the District XI crown.
