You’ll have to forgive the athletes at Waynesboro and Greencastle-Antrim if they have trouble staying attentive at school on Thursday. The Maidens and Blue Devils, after all, have got a few big things on their minds, most notably each other.
It will be somewhat of a rivalry day as the schools — seperated by less than 10 miles — are set to do battle in multiple sports. The soccer games should be entertaining, but we are most intrigued by the evening’s volleyball match between undefeated host Greencastle and visiting Waynesboro, a squad that has lost just twice in 14 matches this fall.
Expect high-level play and perhaps some drama when the Maidens invade the Blue Devils in a clash we’ve selected as our Match of the Week.
The defending District 3-3A champion Blue Devils have been borderline unstoppable in their follow-up season, with star Abigail Eagler seemingly well on her way toward repeating as the Mid-Penn Colonial Division’s Player of the Year. Only a handful of teams have been able to compete with Greencastle, with one of those squads being Waynesboro. The Maidens gave the Blue Devils a 3-1 fight earlier this season, and are the last team to defeat Greencastle in a regular-season match, with that win coming last season.
Buckle up.
In the weeks and months to come throughout the high school sports season, we plan on spotlighting multiple teams and sports with our Match of the Week. Any big upcoming games or matches we should know about? Send suggestions to Andy Sandrik via email at [email protected].
Waynesboro at Greencastle-Antrim
Tip-off: Thursday, 6 p.m., at Greencastle-Antrim
Records: Waynesboro is 12-2 (10-1 Colonial), while the Blue Devils check in at 12-0 (11-0 Colonial).
Last match: The Maidens are coming off a 3-0 win over Northern York, while Greencastle prevailed 3-1 over Bermudian Springs.
Last meeting: The Blue Devils dispatched Waynesboro by a 3-1 score when the teams met earlier this season.
Meet the Maidens: Waynesboro enters this contest as a winner of six-straight matches, including a 3-0 sweep over Northern York that gave coach Kim Saunders her 200th career victory … Saunders, the 2024 Colonial Division Coach of the Year, has guided the Maidens to the No. 10 spot in the District 3-4A power rankings, well on pace to qualify for the postseason … Waynesboro has lost just twice this season to Greencastle-Antrim and South Western, two teams that both rank Top 3 in their respective district rankings … The Maidens are powered by a trio of seasoned division All-Stars in Bre McIlquham, Klara Helman, and Kayelyn Baker … McIlquham is a setter who also shines at the net, and the same can be said for Helman, while Baker is counted on as a defensive specialist … Those three players get plenty of help from a supporting cast that includes outside hitters Olivia Fortmann and Chloe Shacreaw, middle hitters Sarah Aldrich, Lexi Swiney, and Kylie Wieczorek, and defensive specialist Emily Nystrom … The Maidens’ most recent victory over the Blue Devils came last season in the form of a 3-0 sweep.
Meet the Blue Devils: Opponents have been taking their best shots at Greencastle-Antrim, the defending District 3-3A champion, but so far the Blue Devils have yet to suffer defeat in a best-of-three match … Greencastle, currently ranked No. 2 in the district power rankings behind Lower Dauphin (10-1), has lost only three sets all season and the program owns notable wins over Waynesboro, Northern York, and Bermudian Springs … Coach Madee Goodwin’s Blue Devils are fueled Abigail Eager, a 5-foot-8 outside hitter who was named the Colonial Division’s Player of the Year in 2024. Eagler, a Bloomsburg University recruit, is in the midst of another monster season, totaling 252 kills, 40 aces, 154 digs, one block, and eight assists … Greencastle brings two others to the court who were named All-Stars last fall: Kylie Kerns and Wren Roberts … Kerns, a setter/middle hitter, has piled up 147 kills, 41 aces, four blocks, 137 digs, and 314 assists … Outside hitter Roberts has contributed 104 kills, 26 aces, one block, 142 digs, and 11 assists … Jordyn Wagner is a 5-foot-10 middle hitter who has been productive at the net in both kills (84) and blocks (20) … Kinzee Hudson leeds the Blue Devils in digs (183), while Kaitlyn Alvey has served as a great complement to Kerns in setting up the offense and has rolled up 254 assists … Greencastle has beaten Waynesboro six of the last seven times the teams have met on the court.
Sandrik’s pick: Blue Devils by 2.
