Freeport girls look to add Class 2A WPIAL volleyball crown to collection

By: Michael Love
Friday, October 21, 2022 | 6:02 PM

Purchase Photo Options

The Freeport girls volleyball team isn’t technically defending a WPIAL championship. The Yellowjackets moved back to Class 2A after winning the Class 3A crown last year, but the goal remains the same as they begin a quest for a seventh WPIAL title since 2010.

Freeport, as expected, was selected as the No. 1 seed in Class 2A, and it will open postseason play Wednesday at home against the winner of a play-in game between No. 16 Waynesburg and No. 17 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

The Yellowjackets lead a group of six teams from the Alle-Kiski Valley into the 2022 WPIAL playoffs, and the playoff brackets and pairings were released Friday afternoon in a TribLive HSSN livestream broadcast.

“This is such an exciting time of the year,” Freeport coach Tom Phillips said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re the No. 1 seed or the No. 10 seed or the No. 16 seed. The girls are excited to get going again in the playoffs and have set some lofty goals. They’ve been working really hard to be ready to meet those goals.”

Freeport, which won its 18th consecutive section title, lost only twice during the regular season: to Class 4A No. 1 North Allegheny, 3-0, in the season opener and to Class 4A No. 3 Seneca Valley, 3-2.

The Yellowjackets began the week with a 3-1 triumph over Class 3A No. 6 Mars.

“The win against Mars the other night was terrific for us, and it gave us even more momentum,” Phillips said. “Before that match, we were No. 2 in the state (in the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association rankings), and now we are No. 1. It’s nice to be there and also be the No. 1 seed for the playoffs, but the girls can’t get too big-headed. They have to stay focused on what is in front of them and take care of business.”

Shenango, which absorbed its only loss against Neshannock in its Section 1 finale, received the No. 2 seed in Class 2A.

Also set to go in this year’s playoffs are Plum and Knoch in Class 3A, Burrell and Deer Lakes in Class 2A, and Leechburg in Class A.

Class 3A is the largest field with 22 teams involved, necessitating six play-in games to pare the field down to a 16-team first round.

Class 2A is almost as large with 21 teams and five play-in games.

All four tournaments will conclude with championship matches Nov. 5 at Robert Morris’ UPMC Events Center.

The four semifinalists in Class 3A and Class 2A will advance to the PIAA playoffs, and the two finalists in Class 4A will qualify for states.

In Class A, the top three teams advance, and a consolation game will be needed to determine the third qualifier.

That is where Leechburg was last year. The Blue Devils, however, were denied a berth to states by California.

Leechburg is in the playoffs for the sixth straight season, and it is hoping to make another run.

The Blue Devils, who finished third in Section 4, are the No. 7 seed and will take on No. 10 Western Beaver at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Shaler High School.

“We’re excited about the matchup, especially being the No. 7 seed,” Leechburg coach Even Hebrank said. “We don’t know much about Western Beaver apart from their losses to Union. But that’s one of the things that make the playoffs fun. The girls love this chance to extend the season and go up against a new opponent. They are ready to get started.”

Bishop Canevin, the five-time defending Class A champion, is seeded fifth.

Serra Catholic is the top seed, and Frazier is second.

Plum, a semifinalist in Class 3A last year, finished runner-up to Hampton in Section 1. Despite that, the Mustangs were slotted as the No. 12 seed and will face No. 21 Uniontown on Monday at Hempfield for the right to advance into the first round against No. 5 Montour two days later.

Plum, 0-12 in section play just three years ago, will make its third straight WPIAL playoff appearance.

Knoch, which returns to the WPIAL playoffs in Class 3A after a two-year hiatus, drew the No. 15 seed and will play at No. 18 Penn Hills on Monday. The winner will take on No. 2 Hampton on Wednesday.

The Knights, who finished fourth in Section 4, won three straight WPIAL Class 3A titles from 2017-19.

Deer Lakes and Burrell were not able to overcome Freeport in the Section 5-2A standings, but the Lancers and Bucs hope their work in the regular season can translate to success in the playoffs.

Burrell owns the best seed, No. 12, of any team in Class 2A charged with taking part in a play-in game. The Bucs will take on No. 21 Fort Cherry at 6 p.m. Monday at North Allegheny. The winner moves into the first round Wednesday against No. 5 Quaker Valley.

Deer Lakes makes its eighth straight playoff appearance. The Lancers, third in Section 5, are in the play-in mix as the No. 13 seed and will take on No. 20 Bentworth at 6 p.m. Monday at Peters Township.

The winner will face No. 4 Central Valley in the first round.

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: Freeport, Leechburg