Defending champion Freeport the only team favored to repeat

Tri-State Sports & News Service

The Freeport girls volleyball team won its third WPIAL Class 2A title in four years last season. Coach Tom Phillips believes the Yellowjackets have the talent required to claim a third consecutivetitle.

“We’re better than we were last season,” said Phillips, now in his 16th season. “We have six of our top nine players back, plus another who was hurt most of the season. And we have good size, something we don’t normally have.”

Freeport has four player who are 5-10 or taller, including 6-3 junior middle hitter Sarah Hettich and 5-11 junior middle hitter Hayley Graham. The Yellowjackets topreturnee is Clair Crytzer, a 5-5 senior libero who was firstteamall-WPIAL Class 2A.

“Clair is the best libero in the WPIAL,” Phillips said. “And [5-10 senior] Courtney Grubbs may be the best setter. I’m very happy with this team, but winning another titlewill be no easy task.”

Freeport enters the 2017 season as the Class 2A favorite, followed by WPIAL runner-up Beaver. The Bobcats have their top four players back, all WPIAL all-stars, including two first-team middle hitters: 6-1 senior Macy McElhaney and 5-10 senior Alexa Mamone.

“Freeport has to be considered the team to beat,” Beaver coach Charlene Horwatt said. “They get it done when it counts and we didn’t. We are hoping for another chance this year, but making it that far is never easy. We are lookingforward to the challenge.”

Freeport is the only defending WPIAL champion tabbed No. 1 in the Post-Gazette’s preseasonrankings.

Class 4A

Seneca Valley ended Baldwin’s two-year reign last season by sweeping the Highlanders in the WPIAL title match. The Raiders had nine seniors on that squad, including four starters. Five starters return, including 5-10 senior opposite Emily Devlin, who was first-team all-WPIAL Class4A.

“We lost four primary players,but we have enough talent returning to get back to the WPIAL finals,” Seneca Valley coach Karen Martini said. “North Allegheny has the most returning starters and Upper St. Clair has two of the top outside hitters in the WPIAL.”

With 11 of its top 12 players returning, North Allegheny is the favorite in Class 4A. The Tigers have been to the WPIAL finals three of the past four years, winning a title in 2013 and placing second in 2014and 2015. The Tigers were seeded No. 1 in last year’s bracket, but were upset by Baldwinin the quarterfinals.

“We are a serious contender for the title,” North Allegheny coach Heidi Miller said.“We have a good group of players who have significant varsity experience, and depth atevery position.”

North Allegheny’s top returnees are 5-7 senior libero Erin Carmody and 6-0 senior middle hitter Kayla Dinkins. Carmody was voted to the first-team all-WPIAL, while Dinkins was a second-team pick.

Class 3A

West Allegheny claimed the WPIAL Class 3A title last year with a 3-1 win against Hampton. Both teams were hit hard by graduation. West Allegheny, ranked No. 4, lost eight players to graduation, including three all-WPIAL selections.

Hampton, ranked 5, lost six of its top 10 players, including two all-WPIAL nominations. The Talbots top returnee is Anastasia Russ, a 6-4 junior middle hitter who was firstteamall-WPIAL.

“We lost a talented group of seniors, but we do have one of the top middle hitters in the WPIAL,”said Hampton coach Matt Robertson, referring to Russ. “Anastasia can dominatea match.”

Knoch is the clear favorite in Class 3A. The Knights have nine players returning with varsity experience, including three all-WPIAL Class 3A selections: 6-0 senior middle hitter Sarah Armahizer, 5-6 seniorlibero Carly Bozzo and 5-7 senior setter/outside hitter AbbyPospisil.Armahizerand Bozzo were recognized on the first team, while Pospisil was asecond-team pick.

“It’s flattering to hear that we are the favorite,” Knoch coach Diane Geist said. “We’ve got the target on our back.”

Class 1A

Greensburg Central Catholic and Bishop Canevin have met in the WPIAL finals the past five years. The Centurions claimed titles in 2012, 2014 and 2016, while the Crusaders wonin 2013 and 2015.

“I guess it’s our turn, since 2017 is an odd number,” said Bishop Canevin coach Kevin Walters, joking. “We have all but two players returning, so we have almost everybody back.”

Bishop Canevin has four all-WPIAL selections returning, including two first-teamers: 5-8 junior outside hitter KylieAiresman and 5-7 sophomoreopposite Alexa Malloy.

Greensburg Central was hit hard by graduation losses, as the Centurions lost all but onestarter to graduation. And the one returnee, 5-8 junior outside hitter Savina Pavlik, tranferredto Latrobe.

“Wewill be a very inexperienced team, but we do have talent,” Centurions coach KateMcCauley said.