Playoff-bound boys volleyball teams maintain positions in rankings

By: Michael Love
Monday, May 6, 2019 | 10:27 AM

The WPIAL boys volleyball playoff fields will be finalized this week as Thursday marks the final date of section play in both Class AAA and AA.

The WPIAL playoff committee will meet next Monday, May 13, to set up the brackets, and the first round is expected to begin as early as the next day.

The Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association’s 39 coaches again voted for the top WPIAL boys volleyball teams each classification, and the Week 7 polls were released Monday.

The Class AAA rankings have North Allegheny again at the top, with Bethel Park second and Shaler third.

Latrobe checks in at No. 4, and Hempfield is fifth.

The rest of the top 10, in order, is Seneca Valley, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Canon McMillan and Armstrong.

Other teams receiving votes are Peters Township, Butler and Upper St. Clair.

Derry remains at No. 1 in Class AA, while Seton LaSalle is No. 2, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart is No. 3, Ambridge is No. 4 and Beaver County Christian is No. 5.

Bishop Canevin is ranked No. 6 this week, followed by North Catholic, Obama Academy, Thomas Jefferson and Deer Lakes.

The top four teams and ties from each WPIAL section in both Class AAA and AA will enter the playoff tournaments.

Class AAA Players of the Week, also selected by the coaches, are Butler sophomore libero Carson Stein, Seneca Valley junior outside hitter/middle hitter Ryan Meyer, Armstrong senior libero Kody Shankle and Hempfield junior outside hitter Gavin White.

Players honored in Class AA are Trinity senior setter Trevor Filer, North Catholic junior middle hitter Josh Ball, Bishop Canevin senior middle hitter Colten Gaitens and Seton LaSalle sophomore right side hitter Nathan Zini.

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: Ambridge, Armstrong, Beaver County Christian, Bethel Park, Bishop Canevin, Butler, Canon-McMillan, Deer Lakes, Derry Area, Hempfield, Latrobe, North Allegheny, North Catholic, Norwin, Obama Academy, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Seneca Valley, Seton-LaSalle, Shaler, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity, Upper St. Clair