PIAA boys volleyball: Butler extends memorable season with 5-set win vs Dallastown in Class 3A first round
DALLASTOWN, York County — Butler boys volleyball coach Lew Liparulo watched two of Dallastown’s matches to prepare for the PIAA Class 3A opener.
He knew the Wildcats were effective in the middle, had a good setter and had a strong opposite attack.
He didn’t know if his Golden Tornado, the WPIAL runners-up, would be able to alter the match at the net with their height advantage. Liparulo said he anticipated a battle, and that’s what they got against the District 3 runners-up Wildcats in a 3-1 win (set scores of 25-18, 22-25, 25-21, 22-25, 15-10) Tuesday at Dallastown High School.
“You can’t tell about tall in the film,” Liparulo said. “We have four attackers, and that’s really giving us a real benefit in playing.”
Zane Steimer led the Tornado (18-5) with 16 kills coming out of the middle and from the left side. He was especially effective on the outside, where he used his strength to wipe hits off Dallastown’s block and his jumping to hit over them.
Setters Avery Rudolph, who finished with 35 assists, and Colton Bestwick, 18 assists, kept Dallastown guessing by moving the ball around to Steimer, Andrew Slaugenhoup (12 kills), Brett Schnur (10 kills) and Jake Proudfoot and Kohl Salata, who had eight kills each. Not only did the setters switch up the hitters, the attackers sprinkled a liberal dose of off-speed hits in with their power.
The Butler’s attack forced the Wildcats to put up a block on every play. Dallastown finished with a combined 27 blocks, between solo and double blocks. That doesn’t count the numerous touches the Wildcats had that forced their defense to scramble and try to run out-of-system offenses.
Dallastown made good on Liparulo’s scouting report that played up their middle and weak-side attacks. Carson Hershey’s 18 kills came from the middle, most on quick sets from Tysiar Bordonada and Cameron Stambaugh, who finished with a combined 49 assists.
Gordon Campbell led the Wildcats with 19 kills, mostly from the pins and back row.
The Tornado limited Dallastown’s second middle hitter, Jose Diaz, who usually has double-digit kills, to just two. He made up for it in blocking, where he and Hershey combined for 13 blocks.
In a match where kills and blocks provided the fireworks, it was the defense that really lit the fuse. Both teams extended rallies and frustrated hitters with one-armed saves and quick sprints to balls.
“Butler is a good team,” Dallastown coach Drew Blecher said. “There was a lot of defense tonight. That was probably the biggest difference-maker.”
Tuesday’s win will set up another long bus ride for the Tornado for Saturday’s second-round game against District 1 runner-up Neshaminy, which is located north of Philadelphia, at a site and time to be determined.
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Butler’s Avery Rudolph reacts as Dallastown calls a timeout during a PIAA Class 3A boys volleyball first-round game Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Dallastown High School. Dan Rainville/York Daily Record
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Butler’s Jaeden Malacaman (11) celebrates a point against Dallastown during a PIAA Class 3A boys volleyball first-round game Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Dallastown High School. Dan Rainville/York Daily Record
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Longtime Butler head coach Lew Liparulo instructs the Golden Tornados during a PIAA Class 3A boys volleyball first-round game against Dallastown Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Dallastown High School. Dan Rainville/York Daily Record
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Butler’s Andrew Slaugenhoup (13) passes the ball during a PIAA Class 3A boys volleyball first-round game against Dallastown Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Dallastown High School. Dan Rainville/York Daily Record
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Butler senior libero Maddox McCall (1) passes the ball during a PIAA Class 3A boys volleyball first-round game against Dallastown Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Dallastown High School. Dan Rainville/York Daily Record
