Players selected for We Serve First All-Star Classic girls volleyball event

By: Michael Love
Thursday, November 17, 2022 | 1:08 PM

The inaugural We Serve First All-Star Classic girls volleyball event will be Dec. 10 at Kiski Area High School, and the 36 seniors set to take part have been selected.

They represent 16 schools in the Alle-Kiski Valley and surrounding communities: Apollo-Ridge, Armstrong, Burrell, Deer Lakes, Franklin Regional, Freeport, Hampton, Highlands, Kiski Area, Knoch, Leechburg, Mars, Plum, Springdale, St. Joseph and Valley.

Tim Toy, executive director of the We Serve First Foundation, said the evening is shaping up to be a celebration of the careers of the senior players and the game itself.

He said invitations have been and will be extended to college coaches to attend the games.

The format for the all-star event will be a four-team tournament. Coaches of the four teams — Freeport’s Tom Phillips, Butler’s Megan Lucas, Franklin Regional’s Rachel Carter and Leechburg’s Eve Hebrank — will draft players after a relaxed practice session Dec. 9.

Phillips will coach the Freeport girls in Saturday’s PIAA Class 2A championship game against District 3 champion York Catholic. Game time is 1 p.m. in Mechanicsburg.

First-round games for the all-star event Dec. 10 will start at 4:15 p.m.

Doors open at 3. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for students, and youth age 5 and under are free.

Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 724-493-5945.

Proceeds from the event support the We Serve First Foundation’s mission to “seek out young athletes with financial burdens, regardless of their age or skill level, and help them find a love for competition in a team sport.”

Senior All-Star Selections

Cassidy Adams, outside hitter, Armstrong

Lauren Atwell, middle hitter, Mars

Avery Bain, outside hitter, Burrell

Taylor Barr, setter, Burrell

Brynn Bires, middle hitter, Kiski Area

Emily Bologna, outside hitter, Plum

Bella Burrell, setter, Springdale

Anna Cibik, libero, Leechburg

Cassidy Dell, setter, Freeport

Ella Evans, middle hitter, Franklin Regional

Madison Friess, outside hitter, Deer Lakes

Alyssa Gallagher, outside hitter, Knoch

Addison Gindlesperger, middle hitter, Hampton

Hadley Hellgren, middle hitter, Freeport

Eve Johnson, outside hitter, Highlands

Sydney Joyce, setter, Kiski Area

Melissa Karastury, setter, Knoch

Macy Kubla, outside hitter, Leechburg

Jillian Lewandowski, right-side hitter, Valley

Gabby Mason, setter, St. Joseph

Madeline Mastalerz, middle hitter, Leechburg

Madison Nguyen, setter, Franklin Regional

Maya Obendorfer, defensive specialist, Hampton

Anna Pietrusinski, libero, Mars

Madalyn Polka, defensive specialist, Kiski Area

Janiya Potts, defensive specialist, Valley

Carli Ramchandran, defensive specialist, Franklin Regional

Kate Remaley, middle hitter, Armstrong

Cassidy Safran, libero, St. Joseph

Ava Soilis, libero, Freeport

Kelsey Sprouse, outside hitter, Springdale

Jessica Sullivan, Setter, Deer Lakes

Dannika Susko, middle hitter, Plum

Brinley Toland, outside hitter, Apollo-Ridge

Ava Whitlinger, outside hitter, Apollo-Ridge

Megan Yanief, outside hitter, Mars

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: Apollo-Ridge, Armstrong, Burrell, Deer Lakes, Franklin Regional, Freeport, Hampton, Highlands, Kiski Area, Knoch, Leechburg, Mars, Plum, Springdale, St. Joseph, Valley