Class AA boys volleyball teams set to tip off in Thursday’s 3 things to watch in high school sports

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, March 28, 2018 | 9:36 PM

Beaver County Christian School is one of the smallest schools in the WPIAL, but when it comes to the sport of boys volleyball, they are giants.

The Eagles have captured three consecutive WPIAL Class AA championships and begin their quest for a fourth straight crown Thursday when they open Section 1 action against Montour.

The Spartans provide a nice opening test for BCC after Montour reached the quarterfinals of the district playoffs a year ago.

Also Thursday in Class AA section openers, the four teams that qualified for the district playoffs a year ago from Section 3 go head to head as last year's section champ South Park visits Seton LaSalle and Bishop Canevin hosts Thomas Jefferson.

The Ripken Experience continues

Several district baseball and softball teams continue to get early-season games in at the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach.

South Park is now 2-1 headed into a pair of Thursday games in South Carolina. The Eagles have a baseball doubleheader against schools from Wisconsin and Ohio starting at 11 a.m.

In softball, two district teams begin their three-day trip to the Myrtle Beach complex. Defending WPIAL Class A champion West Greene plays in the first of four games down south while Burgettstown will play three games in three days before the holiday weekend.

Top boys lacrosse showdown

It means nothing as far as section play is concerned, but two of the top teams in their respective classifications will square off Thursday when Mars faces Pine-Richland in boys lacrosse.

Pine-Richland is off to a 2-0 start this season with wins over Peters Township and North Allegheny. The Rams were the No. 2 seed in the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs a year ago but were upset by Peters Township, 11-10, in the district quarterfinals.

Mars crushed Moon, 20-3, in its season opener. The Fightin' Planets are the defending Class AA champions and reached the state semifinals a year ago before falling to West Chester Henderson. Mars is trying to become the first team to win three straight WPIAL boys lacrosse championships.

Don Rebel is a TribLive High School Sports Network broadcaster and staff writer. Reach him at drebel@tribweb.com.

Tags: Beaver County Christian, Bishop Canevin, Burgettstown, Mars, Montour, Pine-Richland, Seton-LaSalle, South Park, Thomas Jefferson