YORK - They never let their relative inexperience get the best of them.

There was little doubt that it was the defense that won this year's championship. That, and an inspired service game, left the Rockets spinning and the Knights flying high.

"They weren't lollipops - that was power," Hempfield coach Mike Vogel said. "We knew coming in we could not lollipop serve this team, they're too good. If we let them run their set offense, I don't think anybody's going to beat them."

From the outset, Hempfield had the Rockets' out of rhythm, and their frustrations showed. Spring Grove would never threaten.

"We just came in and did our usual," Knight opposite Patrick Shawaryn said. "We served them tough, got the ball and just drilled it down their throat."

Tough is too nice a word to use to describe Hempfield's serving in the final. A total of eight aces were recorded - half balls that were hit perfectly unplayable, half balls that were perfectly spotted in the corners of the court. If you can't handle the serves, you can't pass. If you can't pass, you can't run an offense.

"We just play our game, that's all we really know how to do," Hempfield senior outside hitter Ryan Wood said. "We're not a tall team, but we play smart and low to the ground."

And that's what has won most of Hempfield's matches to this point in the season. Somehow, they get every ball hit to them. What the Knights lack in size - they start just one player over six feet - they more than make up for in quickness, smarts and incredible court awareness.

Case in point was their semifinal match against Penn Manor. Hempfield ran off seven straight points in the first game and not one was scored by the offense. They force opponents into mistakes and capitalize on them by not making any themselves.

"I never thought we'd ever do that to anybody in districts," Wood said of Hempfield's 15-3 first-game walk over Manor. "We knew they weren't going to lay down for us and they gave us a great (second) game."

Hempfield was staring the possibility of a third game in the face after a few calls questioned by the Knights went Penn Manor's way. Once again it was gut-check time, and Hempfield responded. After squandering a 14-10 lead, they won the second game, 16-14.

"It's hard to deal with that," said Wood, who racked up 10 of his 20 total kills in the second game against Manor. "We didn't have many calls go our way today, but who knows, maybe next weekend we'll have them go our way. I'm surprised we kept our focus that well."

That focus lasted into the final. Again, Hempfield built up a big early lead (12-1), but this time they didn't even begin to unravel - even against the second-ranked team in the state.

"Rankings? Who cares," Knight defensive specialist Jesse Porreca said. "We're playing well now and that's it."

One thing Hempfield may have to worry about is the condition of Randy Paules. The junior setter injured his left ankle after going up for a block at the end of the second game of the final. Paules was carried off the court and his status is up in the air.

"Someone just has to step up and do it," Vogel said. "They've been doing it all year, but a setter? Let's face it, the setter is the most important person on the team. They don't get the credit. The fans enjoy the guys who block the ball and pound the ball, but (the setter) makes it all run. He gives them the swings, and that's what makes him the most important guy to the coach."

Hempfield will play in Pool A of the PIAA Tournament along with the District Two runner-up, the District Seven fourth-place team and either the District Six or District Nine champion. Penn Manor, who beat Central York, 15-5, 15-13 in the third-place match, is in Pool B along with the District One champ, the District Eight champ and the District Seven runner-up.

Pool play begins 9 a.m. Friday at Shippensburg University. The top two teams advance to the quarterfinal pools which begin 9 a.m. Saturday. The semifinals are at 1:30 p.m. and the final follows at 3 p.m.

"We got production out of everybody," Vogel said of his team's performance Saturday, but he was quick to pick out his two juniors that clogged up the middle. "From (Rob) Fisher to (Adam) Greenawalt - list them all. We got it out of everybody." And if Paules can't return, they'll need everybody that much more.