Two defending state champs ranked No. 1
lackvarsity experience.”
Knoch does have two WPIAL All-Stars returning: The 2017 girls volleyball junior middle hitter Kennedy season ended with the Christyand junior outside hitter WPIAL’s most impressive Hannah Rowe. Both were performance at the state level. voted to the WPIAL second For the first time in PIAA history, team. Christy was also voted WPIAL schools won tothe PVCA All-State Team. three state titles, as North Allegheny, “We will be competitive Knoch, and Freeport and hopefully defend our section brought home championshiptitle,” Geist said. “How far trophies. we go will depend on how
Two of the three defending quickly our young players champions are No. 1 in the mature.” Post-Gazette’s WPIAL preseason The team to beat in Class rankings. North Allegheny 3Ais Central Valley. The Warriors is the team to beat in have six of eight starters Class4A for the second year in returning from a squad that a row, and Freeport is the favorite advanced to the WPIAL quarterfinals in Class 2A for the sixth last season. Coach consecutiveyear. Kevin Hummert’s squad features
The WPIAL’s 120 teams begin two WPIAL third-team play Aug. 31, all with picks: senior outside hitter hopes of qualifying for postseason Kelsey Dickenson and senior play. The sites for both middle hitter Tatum championships haveLeDonne. changed. The WPIAL finals will be played Nov. 3 at Fox Chapel High School. The PIAA finals will be at Chambersburg High School on Nov. 17.
Below is a look at the favoritesin all four classes. Tri-State Sports & News Service
Class 4A
North Allegheny claimed its fifth WPIAL title and fourth PIAA crown last season. The Tigers lost five players from that squad who played a significant role, including three WPIAL AllStars: libero Erin Carmody, middle hitter Kayla Dinkins, andopposite Mika Logan.
Losing that many key players would crush many teams, but not North Allegheny. The Tigers have six players returning with significant varsity experience, including four WPIAL All-Stars: setter Abby Miller, outside hitters Paige Miller and Avery Tuman,and defensive specialist Allena Carmody. Abby Miller was voted to the WPIAL first team and recognized on the PVCA All-State Team. The other three were third-teamWPIAL picks.
“We have a great core of returning players who know what it takes to have a successful season,” North Alleghenycoach Heidi Miller said. “The new players that will see action are hungry to help defenda WPIAL and state title.”
Baldwin is No. 2 in the preseason rankings. The Fighting Highlanders have six starters returning, including a pair of WPIAL All-Stars: libero Mackenzie Meis and middlehitter Allison Murray.
Class 3A
Knoch celebrated the best season in school history last year, as the Knights won their first WPIAL and PIAA titles. Six of the top nine players from that team have graduated, including two PVCA AllState honorees: middle hitter Sarah Armahizer, the PostGazette’s girls volleyball player of the year, and libero CarlyBozzo.
“It would be a lot to ask of this team to match what last year’s squad accomplished,” saidKnoch coach Diane Geist, who begins her 33rd season at the helm. “We are a different team than we were last year. Losing Sarah and Carly makes us a different team. We do have some young talented players stepping in, but they
Class 2A
Beaverwon its first WPIAL title, but Freeport claimed a bigger prize by winning its first PIAA crown. Beaver’s title marked the final season for coach Charlene Horwatt, who retired after 21 seasons. The Bobcats lost four WPIAL AllStars to graduation, including middle hitters Macy McElhaney and Alexa Mamone, a pairof PVCA All-Stars.
“My goal is to continue the winning legacy built by coach Horwatt,” new Bobcats coach Tyler Szymanski said. “We losta very talented group of seniors to graduation, so we be fielding a young, but talented squad.”
Freeport is once again the preseason favorite. The Yellow Jackets have been a WPIAL finalist seven of the last nine years and won four titlesduring that stretch. Freeport lost to Beaver in last year’s WPIAL title match, but beat the Bobcats in the PIAA semifinals, en route to their statetitle.
Seven of the ten players who appeared in the state title match for Freeport are back this season, including senior opposite Allison DeJidas, who was voted to the WPIAL first team and recognized on the PVCAAll-State Team.
“We have a lot of talent back,” Freeport coach Tom Phillipssaid. “We have the nucleus and ingrediants to be very good. We’re going to try realhard to defend our title.”
Class 1A
Bishop Canevin is a strong favorite to defend its WPIAL title, as all but one player returns from last year’s squad. The Crusaders have appeared in the WPIAL title match seven of the last eight years andclaimed three titles.
“After having played a lot ofyounger girls the last couple of seasons, we now have a strong group of veteran players returning and might have our deepest group of quality varsitylevel players in the last few years here at Canevin,” said coach Kevin Walter. “This group could be capable of reaching any goals if we continueto work and improve throughoutthe season.”
Bishop Canevin’s lineup features four WPIAL AllStars: senior outside hitter Kylie Airesman, junior outside hitter Alexa Malloy, junior setter Maddie Maziarz, and senior libero Hanna Delisio. Airesman and Malloy are alsoPVCA All-Stars.
Geibelis No. 2 in the preseason rankings. The Gators have eight starters returning from a squad that advanced to the WPIAL quarterfinals. The top returnees are: sophomore setter Shannon Watkins and senior outside hitter Alexa Henckel. Kylie Airesman Bishop Canevin Alexa Malloy Bishop Canevin Maggie Townsend Beaver C.C. Samantha Wagner S.S. Beaver Shannon Watkins Geibel Catholic