Buch Thriving for Mounts This Season

Look. Up in the sky. It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s … not the superhero you thought.

It’s actually Ephrata hitter Jordan Buch, and he’s having a superhuman senior season skying above the net for the Mountaineers’ boys volleyball team.

Like his leaping ability, Buch’s stats absolutely pop off the page. He already has 200-plus kills this spring, and he’s had some incredible, spike-producing matches. A sampling: Buch had 25 kills, 17 digs and five blocks against Governor Mifflin; 22 kills against Lebanon; 20 kills, 18 digs and six blocks against Elizabethtown; 25 kills and 26 digs against Lancaster Mennonite; 29 kills against three-time reigning L-L Section Two champ Manheim Central; 25 kills and 13 digs in a rematch against Elizabethtown; and an eye-popping 31-kill night against Cocalico.

The high-flyer has been next to impossible to block, despite some concerted efforts by the opposition to keep him from whistling spikes from either row.

Buch has had some impressive dig matches, too. He’s not a one-trick pony; yes, he’s a heavy-hitting finisher at the net, but he can dig shots out in the back row, and get plays started with a deft pass.

“I don’t look at my stats,” Buch said, “but I’ll know if I played a pretty good match. The first time I noticed any of these stats was that Cocalico match, with the 31 kills. During that match I kind of realized that I was getting set a lot.”

So much so that Cocalico put up — gulp — a triple block at the net to try and contain him. It didn’t work, and Ephrata grabbed a 3-1 victory to boot.

“Cocalico put up a triple block, and thatwaschallenging,”Buchsaid.“That’s something I’d never seen before. But I’m in a role now where I have to put the ball down, so I had to be mindful of that.”

Buch was quick to tip his cap to Ephrata setters Michael Wenger and Ethan Weaver, who have spent the spring making pinpoint sets to Buch and his front-row compatriots.

“It’s all about our setters, and our passing game has definitely improved,” Buch noted. “It starts with the pass, and I really credit our setters. I couldn’t do any of this without them, obviously. They both do a great job.”

End result: Buch is piling up amazing kill numbers, and Ephrata is 5-4 overall, and in line for a Lancaster-Lebanon League playoff spot out of Section Two — while continuing to push for a District Three Class 3A tournament bid.

“The goal is to win,” Buch said, “and to have a fun time doing it.”

Buch, who took up volleyball in middle school, certainly makes it fun with his array of hits and slams from any spot on the court. He’s one of those players that can suspend himself in the air and then — pow — deliver a blistering spike to any quadrant. It’s uncanny. The ball makes a different kind of noise coming off Buch’s hand.

“Jordan is phenomenal, he really is,” veteran Ephrata coach Bob Witwer said. “He’s one of the best I’ve ever had, and he’s right up there with all of our best players here. We’re fortunate to have him, and we try and get him the ball as much as we can. I can’t say enough great things about him.”

Here’s one: Buch is a smart cookie. He’s already enrolled at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, majoring in electrical technology. He needed one class to finish at Ephrata, so he enrolled at Stevens in the fall, finished a high school English course there, and now he’s taking electrical technology classes, including on-campus, hands-on labs.

He’s learning about all aspects of electricity, which could one day land him a job as an estimator, a project manager or an engineer.

“I figured I could get a jump-start on my career at Stevens,” Buch said. “It’s a great opportunity.”

Buch has a job lined up at Brickerville Electric, where he’ll work with his dad, Jonathan, who also plays volley- ball in a local men’s league. Buch’s sister, Lauren, played volleyball for Ephrata during her prep days. Mom Kendra lends plenty of support.

“I wanted to challenge myself,” Buch said. “So this was a logical move.”

Stevens doesn’t offer a volleyball team, but Buch is slated to play for his dad’s squad in an adult league, where he can tee off at the net against that crew — while facing triple-teams, no doubt.

“Jordan is an incredibly intelligent kid, on and off the court,” Witwer said. “He comes from a great volleyball family. It’ll be tough to lose him, but I’m enjoying my last season with him immensely. It’s been neat to watch him develop. From where he was when he was just starting out up until now, it’s a tribute to all the hard work he’s put in.”

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