VAs far as season opening victories go, the Baron boys volleyball team's 3-0 win over Elizabethtown on March 28th was run of the mill. But as the old saying goes, it is not how you start, it is how you finish. The Barons are not as concerned with season openers as trying to snap their four-year stretch of PIAA-2A quarterfinal losses on the back end of the schedule. When looked at through that lens, the 25-17, 25-15 and 25-12 win was a place to start.

Dylan Musser did a bit of everything, filling the stat sheet with 20 assists, two digs, two blocks and one kill. Miller added three digs to his eight kills while Landon Mattiace went with two blocks and a team high nine kills. Both Jacob Moyer and Colin Rohrer finished with six digs, but Moyer added four kills to his game tally.

SOFTBALL

The Central softball team kicked off their 2023 season under 'if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best' mode by facing the reigning District 3-5A champion, Exeter Township. The March 23rd showdown went to the Lady Eagles by a 5-0 final leaving Manheim with a 0-1 start.

Riley Hostetter covered all seven innings, allowing nine hits and those five runs with one strikeout and one walk, while taking the loss. Michaela Lauver and Paige Garner combined for four of Central's six hits with two apiece.

BASEBALL

The Baron baseball team kicked off their 2023 season with two false starts thanks to Mother Nature's Spring hobby, making it rain on the high school sports world. Central was scheduled to start their season on March 25th with a trip to Muhlenberg but rain pushed the game back to the 27th. More rain pushed the game back another day with Manheim staving off a late Muhl's rally to escape with a 5-4 win on the 28th.

The Barons did their heavy lifting in the top of the fifth where a four-run burst pushed their lead to 5-0. Muhlenberg began chipping away at that lead starting with a single run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Central was pushed to the edge in the bottom of the seventh with three more Muhl runs making it a one run game. Cayde Connelly was able to stop the rally after taking over for Trevor Lowe. Jared Murry got the start and the win with Cole Lawhorne and Cael Martin bridging the gap to Lowe. The quintet combined for nine strikeouts. Brady Harbach finished with two RBI despite just one hit while Nolan Book and Connelly combined for two hits and two RBI.

Manheim Central found themselves on the opposite side of things on March 29th, falling to Lampeter-Strasburg by a 2-1 final. This time the Barons were unable to hold off the late inning rally watching L-S score both of their runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Central's lone run came in the second with Murray's RBI single. Connelly pitched long enough into the seventh that both the Pioneer runs went on his record, taking the loss in the process. Martin took over for Connelly and nearly got out of the jam, but Lampeter-Strasburg was able to plate the winning run.

TENNIS

The boys' tennis team has been busy, completing half their season putting the Barons at 3-5 over their initial eight games. Central's wins have come over ELCO, Lancaster Mennonite and Garden Spot with losses to Donegal, Wilson, Cedar Crest and Elizabethtown.

Ben Ginder was the lone singles victor against ELCO on the 13th with the Barons pulling out the win thanks to doubles wins by Landon Statts and Zach Spangler as well as Aaron Cassel and Jon Breinich. Statts and Cassel enjoyed the lone win in the 6-1 loss to Donegal on the 15th.

Things were more on Central's side on the 20th, leading to a 6-1 win over Mennonite. The Barons swept singles play with Ginder, Patten, Sauder and Statts all collecting wins. Sauder and Statts added doubles wins with Sauder pairing with Cassel while Statts teamed with Zach Spangler.

Manheim stumbled through their few next matches, suffering 5-0 losses to Wilson on the 21st and Cedar Crest on the 24th and a 6-1 setback to Lampeter-Strasburg on the 22nd. Ginder was responsible for the team point with his singles victory. Central added another 6-1 loss to their ledger on the 29th, falling to Elizabethtown. Statts and Spangler were responsible for the lone team point.

Manheim Central did manage to slip another win in on March 27th, cruising by Garden Spot 7-0. Ginder led the singles sweep with Patten, Sauder and Cassel joining in the fun. Ginder and Patten claimed number one doubles while Sauder and Cassel ruled number two doubles. Statts and Spangler finished with a number three doubles win.