PADDOCK LAKE — The best season in the Central boys volleyball program’s brief history got even better Tuesday night.

After losing to Burlington in a WIAA sectional semifinal each of the past two seasons, the 10th-ranked and second-seeded Falcons earned a measure of postseason payback by sweeping the third-seeded Demons 25-21, 26-24, 25-20 in a sectional semifinal.

Central, in its fourth season, will play in its first-ever sectional final 7 p.m. Thursday vs. third-ranked and top-seeded Middleton at Burlington High School. The winner will advance to next week’s State Tournament at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee.

The Falcons (27-6-2) also defeated the Demons (16-14) four times in the regular season, so their latest victory wasn’t exactly a surprise.

And though Central has a number of talented players, the two that stood out the most Tuesday were senior outside hitter Jim Schultz and junior setter Dayton Erickson. Schultz unleashed powerful spikes the entire match, including a few from well behind the net. Most came after passes from Erickson.

“They should get big awards toward all-state (or) all-area,” Burlington coach Tim Gesteland said. “They’re legit college players. They really know how to handle the volleyball, that’s for sure.”

Schultz finished with a match-high 22 kills to go with 16 digs and three blocks, while Erickson tallied 38 assists and four aces.

“At the end of the day, they’re my two go-to kids,” Central coach Wayne Schultz said. “They’re my kids that play at a high level all the time, and tonight when it mattered Jim and Dayton made all the plays.”

Schultz and Erickson play together on club and summer teams, further enhancing their on-court chemistry.

“We usually have a good connection with each other, and I can read his mind where he wants a set,” Erickson said.

“It just comes from playing together for a long time,” Jim Schultz said.

After Schultz recorded kills for Central’s final two points in Game 1, neither team led by more than three points in a back-and-forth Game 2.

Tied at 24-24, Schultz smashed two more hits — the latter after a long volley — that elicited a huge roar from the Falcons’ fans and put the Demons in a two-games-to-none deficit.

“That was good. That kept them from winning Game 3,” Jim Schultz said. “Once we won that, they weren’t going to do it.”

Burlington led by as many as five, at 13-8, in the third game before a Schultz spike tied it at 16-16. The Falcons capped the sweep when Nick Manning’s spike from the left side bounced off Burlington’s Cody Dillon, who immediately hit the floor with his hand in frustration.

The game-winning play resulted off an assist from — who else? — Erickson.

Central’s other leaders included Matt Feivor (11 kills, three blocks), Tyler Barnstable (eight kills), Mike Michelau (15 digs) and Manning (12 digs).

Kevin Robers paced Burlington with 10 kills and 15 assists.

Getting past Middleton won’t be easy for Central, which has lost both matches to the Cardinals this season.

“They exploit our weaknesses well,” Wayne Schultz said. “Hopefully, we’ll show them a little bit of a different look Thursday night and come out on top.”

But for the remainder of Tuesday night and until practice Wednesday, the Falcons could savor finally pulling a role reversal and ending the Demons’ season.

“I’m friends with a lot of kids on (Burlington), so it’s kind of hard,” Jim Schultz said, “but it feels good.”