Freeport kicks off girls volleyball playoffs in unfamiliar role of section runner-up

By: Michael Love
Friday, October 18, 2024 | 7:15 PM

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For the first time in 20 seasons, the Freeport girls volleyball team doesn’t head into the WPIAL playoffs as a section champion.

The Yellowjackets (10-3) finished tied for second with Hampton at 7-3 behind undefeated Mars (10-0) in Section 2.

Despite that unfamiliar feeling, coach Tom Phillips said he is excited and optimistic his team can make a run in the Class 3A bracket.

The WPIAL girls volleyball selection committee Friday afternoon released the playoff pairings for each of the four classifications, and Freeport is the No. 6 seed in Class 3A and will open the tournament at home Wednesday at 7 p.m. against No. 11 Ringgold.

“That is a great thing for us to be able to have that first game at home,” Phillips said. “We’ve been plagued with injuries galore. It’s just been one of those years. But the girls have continued to stay positive and have played really well.

“We are a program that has been there (in the playoffs) before. Hopefully, that will work in our favor, having a home crowd with that home atmosphere.”

Hampton, seeded fourth, got the better of Freeport, 3-0, on Tuesday.

The Yellowjackets took Mars, the No. 2 seed, to the limit Thursday. They led 2-1 in the best-of-five matchup before the Planets rallied for the 3-2 win.

“We went five sets with a really good Mars team, and I think we played one of our better matches all year,” Phillips said. “There are a lot of positives coming out of that match.”

Freeport owns seven WPIAL championships between Class 3A and Class 2A. Most recently, it won three of four from 2019-22.

The Yellowjackets lost to Beaver Area, 3-2, in last year’s title game before making their return to Class 3A under the latest WPIAL realignment.

In all, six Alle-Kiski Valley teams will take part in the WPIAL playoffs.

The top four teams in sections of seven or more teams and the top three teams in sections of six or fewer teams and ties that couldn’t be broken in each classification entered the WPIAL tournament.

The field of A-K Valley qualifiers includes St. Joseph (15-3), which captured its first section championship this week with a 10-0 record.

The Spartans finished their perfect run in Section 1 with a 3-1 victory Thursday over Apollo-Ridge (10-5, 7-3).

St. Joseph coach Ann McCarthy hopes her team, which will open the WPIAL playoffs as the No. 4 seed at home Tuesday at 7 p.m. against No. 13 Union, can win its first playoff game in its third postseason appearance in program history.

“We are so excited,” she said. “Playing Union is extra special because Marcie Young, who is the coach, has coached a bunch of my kids in club. We have an extra connection with them. We have never hosted a playoff game before, and I can’t believe we are going to get the chance to do that.”

“That game (Thursday) night at Apollo-Ridge was pretty intense. It was a great atmosphere. The girls had just an amazing night, and I hope we can carry all of that over to the playoffs.”

Apollo-Ridge, which finished runner-up to St. Joseph in Section 1, is the No. 11 seed and will make a long trek west Tuesday to face No. 6 Beaver County Christian at 7 p.m.

Burrell (12-4) kicks off the postseason Wednesday as the No. 7 seed and will travel to South Allegheny for a 7 p.m. start. The Bucs finished runner-up to Southmoreland in Section 5, but they gave the Scotties all they could handle in their two matches, losing in five sets both times.

Fox Chapel (6-8) and Kiski Area (9-7) finished tied for third place in Section 4-4A.

The Cavaliers drew the No. 11 seed and will travel to No. 6 Peters Township at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The Foxes are the No. 13 seed in Class 4A and will visit No. 4 Upper St. Clair also at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

All four WPIAL championship matches will be Nov. 2 at Peters Township’s AHN Arena.

Twelve WPIAL teams also will earn spots in the PIAA playoffs: two from Class 4A, three from Class 3A, four from Class 2A and three from Class A.

Class 3A and Class 1A will have consolation matches to determine their third-place qualifiers.

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.