Norwin, Kiski Area again to square off in Pack the Park girls volleyball event

By: Michael Love
Sunday, August 31, 2025 | 11:33 AM

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Tim Toy beamed with excitement as he talked with spectators and organizers and watched the action at last year’s Pack the Park event between the Kiski Area and Norwin girls volleyball teams on the outdoor grass court at Kennedy Park in Vandergrift.

The Cavaliers and Knights went the distance with Kiski winning 3-2 for its third straight win in what has become an early-season tradition.

Now in its fifth year, Pack the Park, Toy said, is a fun way to kick off the fall season and energize the area volleyball community. The head of the We Serve First Foundation expects this year’s games Tuesday evening again will entertain a large crowd ready to cheer on both teams.

“Both programs are looking pretty decent right now, so I think their followings should come along and make for an exciting event,” Toy said.

“The community always wraps its arms around it. Both teams always are amped up for this game. I am hoping we get a nice crowd. It looks like the forecast is going to cooperate.”

Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-70s with mostly clear skies and almost no chance of rain when Norwin and Kiski Area take to the Ellen Toy Grass Court for the JV game at 4 p.m. and the varsity matchup at 5:30.

“These are fun and relaxed games which get people fired up for high school volleyball,” Toy said.

The teams — Kiski Area, under the direction of first-year coach Steve Cunha, and Norwin, led by 19th-year coach Mary Ellen Ferragonio — have a few matches under their belts.

Norwin, which features five returning starters led by seniors Paige Chitester (defensive specialist), Anna Fraser (setter) and Ashlyn Black (opposite), suffered a 3-0 loss to Upper St. Clair in its opener Aug. 25 before coming back to edge Franklin Regional, 3-2, one day later. The Knights then scored a 3-1 win over Fox Chapel last Thursday.

Kiski Area, led by a quartet of returning starters including senior all-section players Lila Welshans (opposite), Makayla Kiebler (middle hitter) and Gianna Devito (outside hitter), fell to Hampton, 3-2, in its first game Aug. 26. But the Cavaliers bounced back to top Franklin Regional, 3-1, last Thursday.

Pack the Park helps raise funds each year for the We Serve First Foundation, started with the help of Tim Toy to honor the memory and legacy of his late wife, Ellen Toy, who coached volleyball for many years at Kiski Area and other schools in the Alle-Kiski Valley.

Ellen Toy died in February 2016 after a long battle with stomach cancer.

She and Ferragonio developed a connection over the years as coaching colleagues.

“Norwin’s program always is going to be strong. They have such a storied history,” Toy said.

“Mary Ellen is part of that history as a player, and now as a teacher and coach. I am always excited to see her. She is a good friend. Having her and her team be a part of this every year is a real treat.”

Toy said getting the court in shape for these games is cathartic.

“Last week, we went out and put a new net on the poles,” he said. “We’ll go out Monday and paint the court. We are always making sure the grass is in good condition.”

Toy said it is great how much the Kiski program, including the boosters, gets involved.

“They have fallen in love with this idea. It is a one-of-a-kind event,” he said. “More high schools are playing outdoor matches, which is really cool. But a lot of them are doing it on a wooden floor. We’re the only one still doing it on grass. That is what makes our event unique. The girls are in their colorful jerseys, and the crowd really gets into the match.”

Toy said former athletic director John Peterman and his athletic administration were big supporters of the event with resources and time spent helping make the event what it has become.

With Jake Nulph on board as the new AD, Toy said the enthusiasm remains high.

“We had a meeting with Jake not too long ago with wanting to dot all the I’s and cross all the T’s with not only this event but our all-star classic in December. Jake is just as excited as John was. Jake is a Kiski Valley guy, and he’s been around all of these schools. He knows so many people in the area. He understands how special this event is to so many people.”

In early 2024, the WPIAL realigned the sections for this current two-year cycle, and Toy said he was relieved Kiski Area and Norwin were not put in the same section as it would most likely affect the pairing of the two schools for this event. A section match, he said, would be too important to introduce an alternate atmosphere and playing surface.

Toy said he’s hoping the WPIAL keeps the teams in different sections when realignment happens again early next year.

Cunha said he’s ready to coach his team in his first Pack the Park experience.

“My wife has worked at Kiski for almost 20 years, so she is very familiar with this event,” he said. “She’s been good with filling me in with some of the details. We got to meet Tim earlier this summer when he came to one of our open gyms. Most of the girls have experienced this game before and have really enjoyed it. It is something different for them. There are the challenges that come with playing outside from the sun and the different feel of the grass surface, but the girls are ready to play and play well.”

DelVecchio’s and Kona Ice again will have their trucks on site.

“We’re going to have some good eats, some sweet treats and some good volleyball on Tuesday,” Toy said.

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: Kiski Area, Norwin