North Allegheny, Hampton, Freeport, Serra Catholic atop final coaches association volleyball rankings

By: Michael Love
Monday, October 17, 2022 | 1:57 PM

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It’s about that time.

The regular season for WPIAL girls volleyball concludes with the end of section play Thursday and a couple of nonsection matchups Friday and Saturday.

The road to the four WPIAL championship games Nov. 5 begins next week.

There are section championships and playoff qualifiers to be determined over the next four days leading up to the release of the playoff pairings and brackets on Friday.

The Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association released its eighth and final WPIAL girls rankings of the season Monday morning, and North Allegheny (Class 4A) and Freeport (Class 2A) went wire-to-wire at the top of their respective classifications.

Hampton (Class 3A) and Serra Catholic (Class 2A) finish at the top of their top-10 polls.

The week kicks off with a pair of section matches and 19 nonsection contests.

Teams entering the final week undefeated in section play are North Allegheny (Section 1-4A), Hampton (Section 1-3A), Thomas Jefferson (Section 3-3A), North Catholic (Section 4-3A), Latrobe (Section 5-3A), Shenango (Section 1-2A), South Park (Section 2-2A), Brownsville (Section 3-2A), Freeport (Section 5-2A), Union (Section 1-A), Frazier (Section 2-A) and Serra Catholic (Section 4-A),

Hempfield, a playoff qualifier from Section 3-4A, entered the Class 4A top 10 this week at No. 10.

All 122 WPIAL girls volleyball head coaches had the opportunity to cast a ballot for each week’s top 10 rankings.

The Players of the Week honorees were selected by the association based on coaches’ nominations.

Western PA Volleyball Coaches Association

Top-10 Polls – Week 8

Class 4A

1. North Allegheny (last week: 1)

2. Pine-Richland (2)

3. Penn-Trafford (5)

4. Seneca Valley (3)

5. Peters Township (4)

6. Canon-McMillan (7)

7. Shaler (6)

8. Bethel Park (8)

9. Norwin (9)

10. Hempfield (NR)

Out: Upper St. Clair (10)

Class 4A Players of the Week

Mackenzie Barr, middle blocker, senior, Shaler

Abby Neal, middle blocker, senior, Bethel Park

Ava Plunkard, setter, senior, Butler

Julia Murdy, libero, junior, Canon-McMillan

Class 3A

1. Hampton (last week: 1)

2. Thomas Jefferson (2)

3. Latrobe (3)

4. North Catholic (4)

5. Moon (5)

6. Montour (6)

7. Mars (9)

8. Trinity (10)

9. South Fayette (7)

10. Armstrong (8)

Class 3A Players of the Week

Mia Ardnt, libero, senior, Montour

Brynn Bires, middle blocker, senior, Kiski Area

Addison Gindelsperger, middle hitter, senior, Hampton

Stephanie Lynch, middle blocker, senior, North Catholic

Anna Pietrusinski, libero, senior, Mars

Julia Territ, middle blocker, senior, Thomas Jefferson

Class 2A

1. Freeport (last week: 1)

2. Shenango (2)

3. Avonworth (3)

4. South Park (5)

5. Central Valley (7)

6. Beaver (6)

7. Quaker Valley (4)

8. Neshannock (8)

9. Brownsville (9)

10. Laurel (10)

Class 2A Players of the Week

Skye Durst, setter, senior, Brownsville

Mary Gannon, libero, senior, Avonworth

Ava Soilis, libero, senior, Freeport

Ava Pintado, middle hitter, sophomore, Keystone Oaks

Class A

1. Serra Catholic (last week: 1)

2. Bishop Canevin (2)

3. Union (3)

4. Frazier (4)

5. Mapletown (5)

6. Greensburg Central Catholic (7)

7. Carlynton (6)

8. Western Beaver (9)

9. Carmichaels (10)

10. Eden Christian (8)

Class A Players of the Week

Kendall Ellsworth, setter, senior, Carmichaels

Tanner Kephart, setter, senior, Carlynton

Ella Menear, outside hitter, senior, Mapletown

Olivia Hussein, outside hitter, junior, Serra Catholic

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Armstrong, Avonworth, Beaver, Bethel Park, Bishop Canevin, Brownsville, Butler, Canon-McMillan, Carlynton, Carmichaels, Central Valley, Eden Christian, Frazier, Freeport, Greensburg C.C., Hampton, Hempfield, Keystone Oaks, Kiski Area, Latrobe, Laurel, Mapletown, Mars, Montour, Moon, Neshannock, North Allegheny, North Catholic, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Quaker Valley, Seneca Valley, Serra Catholic, Shaler, Shenango, South Fayette, South Park, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity, Union, Western Beaver