Serra Catholic new No. 1 in coaches association’s WPIAL Class A volleyball rankings

By: Michael Love
Monday, October 10, 2022 | 2:46 PM

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A dominant run atop the Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association’s Class A top-10 rankings has come to an end.

Bishop Canevin, the five-time defending WPIAL Class A champion, suffered its first section loss Thursday with a 3-0 setback to No. 8 Eden Christian in Section 3 play.

It was the Crusaders’ third section match of the week. They had already swept Hillcrest Christian and Northgate.

Eden Christian was unranked last week, but it vaulted into the rankings after the upset.

Serra Catholic, which swept Leechburg and No. 7 Greensburg Central Catholic in section play, moved from No. 2 to No. 1.

The leaders of the other three classifications — North Allegheny (Class 4A), Hampton (Class 3A) and Freeport (Class 2A) — maintained their standings from last week.

Also entering the top 10 this week is Trinity at No. 10 in Class 3A, and both Brownsville (No. 9) and Laurel (No. 10) in Class 2A.

Section play is slated to wrap up Oct. 20, and the WPIAL playoff committee is set to meet the next day to assemble the playoff brackets.

The first-round matches could begin as soon as Oct. 24.

All 122 WPIAL girls volleyball head coaches have the opportunity to cast a ballot for each week’s top 10 rankings.

The Players of the Week honorees are selected by the association based on coaches’ nominations.

Western PA Volleyball Coaches Association

Top-10 polls – Week 7

Class 4A

1. North Allegheny (last week: 1)

2. Pine-Richland (2)

3. Seneca Valley (3)

4. Peters Township (4)

5. Penn-Trafford (6)

6. Shaler (5)

7. Canon-McMillan (7)

8. Bethel Park (8)

9. Norwin (10)

10. Upper St. Clair (9)

Class 4A Players of the Week

Alex Culp, outside hitter, senior, Upper St. Clair

Gabby Gealey, setter, junior, Bethel Park

Kaitlyn Devine, middle blocker, sophomore, Peters Township

Audrey Lehman, middle hitter, sophomore, Butler

Class 3A

1. Hampton (last week: 1)

2. Thomas Jefferson (2)

3. Latrobe (4)

4. North Catholic (3)

5. Moon (5)

6. Montour (7)

7. South Fayette (6)

8. Armstrong (8)

9. Mars (9)

10. Trinity (NR)

Out: Oakland Catholic (10)

Class 3A Players of the Week

Delany Concannon, outside hitter, senior, Thomas Jefferson

Ally Feczko, outside hitter, senior, North Catholic

Sydney Allen, outside hitter, sophomore, Trinity

Juliette Leroux, middle hitter, freshman, South Fayette

Class 2A

1. Freeport (last week: 1)

2. Shenango (2)

3. Avonworth (3)

4. Quaker Valley (4)

5. South Park (5)

6. Beaver (6)

7. Central Valley (8)

8. Neshannock (7)

9. Brownsville (NR)

10. Laurel (NR)

Out: Fort Cherry (9), Deer Lakes (10)

Class 2A Players of the Week

Ashley DeCarbo, libero, senior, Shenango

Macy Laughner, setter, senior, Central Valley

Mia Pasquale, outside hitter, senior, Seton LaSalle

Ava Whitlinger, outside hitter, senior, Apollo-Ridge

Class A

1. Serra Catholic (last week: 2)

2. Bishop Canevin (1)

3. Union (3)

4. Frazier (4)

5. Mapletown (6)

6. Carlynton (5)

7. Greensburg Central Catholic (7)

8. Eden Christian (NR)

9. Western Beaver (9)

10. Carmichaels (10)

Out: Beaver County Christian (8)

Class A Players of the Week

Elise Booker, outside hitter, senior, Union

Riley Pekar, libero, senior, Mapletown

Makenzie Rothacher, libero, junior, Eden Christian

Olivia Thompson, middle hitter, sophomore, Carlynton

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.

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