Top-ranked girls volleyball teams keep positions in coaches rankings

By: Michael Love
Monday, September 21, 2020 | 12:58 PM

WPIAL girls volleyball competition turns to Week 2, and section races are heating up in the four classifications.

The top-ranked teams in each class from last week’s preseason Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association top-10 poll — North Allegheny (Class AAAA), Franklin Regional (Class AAA), North Catholic (Class AA) and Bishop Canevin (Class A) — all maintain their positions in the latest rankings released Monday.

All 117 varsity head coaches were presented the opportunity to vote.

North Allegheny also earned recognition last month as the top team in Region 2 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason rankings. Region 2 covers teams from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington D.C., New Jersey, Delaware and Virginia.

The Tigers open their season Sept. 29 at Section 1-AAAA foe Pine-Richland.

Week 2 action kicks off Monday with a highlighted Section 2-AAAA matchup between No. 3 Canon-McMillan and No. 4 Bethel Park.

Franklin Regional is 3-0 after wins last week against Indiana, Penn Hills and Kiski Area in Section 1-AAA play.

Bishop Canevin and North Catholic, which is scheduled to test its mettle Monday against Class AAAA Seneca Valley, started their respective section slates with a pair of victories last week.

With games played from last Monday through Saturday, Players of the Week also have been selected based on nominations from the coaches.

Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Top 10 Poll

Class AAAA

1. North Allegheny

2. Moon

3. Canon-McMillan

4. Bethel Park

5. Oakland Catholic

6. Shaler

7. Pine Richland

8. Latrobe

9. Norwin

10. Upper St. Clair

Other teams receiving votes:

Seneca Valley, North Hills, Hempfield, Baldwin

Class AAAA Players of the Week:

Mia Schubert, junior, outside hitter, Shaler

Alexa Pstoka, senior, outside hitter, Bethel Park

Gigi Madson, senior, outside hitter, Upper St. Clair

Maddy Cigna, sophomore, libero, Oakland Catholic

Class AAA

1. Franklin Regional

2. Montour

3. Beaver

4. South Fayette

5. Thomas Jefferson

6. Elizabeth Forward

7. Freeport

8. Armstrong

9. Trinity

10. Hampton

Other teams receiving votes:

Chartiers Valley, Hopewell, Knoch, Plum

Class AAA Players of the Week:

Becky Stephens, junior, middle hitter, Chartiers Valley

Renee Baldy, senior, opposite/setter, Franklin Regional

Rebeka Fowler, senior, libero, Kiski Area

Marin Williamson, senior, middle hitter, Trinity

Class AA

1. North Catholic

2. Avonworth

3. Serra Catholic

4. Ellwood City

5. Frazier

6. Shenango

7. Seton LaSalle

8. South Park

9. Derry

10. Carmichaels

Other teams receiving votes:

Waynesburg, Laurel

Class AA Players of the Week:

Maggie Colenbrander, junior, outside hitter, Avonworth

Shannon Gorny, senior, outside hitter, South Park

Bethany Krut, senior, outside hitter, New Brighton

Alexandra McGee, senior, setter, Carmichaels

Class A

1. Bishop Canevin

2. Fort Cherry

3. Greensburg Central Catholic

4. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

5. Beaver County Christian

6. Eden Christian

7. Leechburg

8. Union

9. West Greene

10. California

Other team receiving votes:

Rochester

Class A Players of the Week

Kiera Kozlowski, sophomore, outside hitter, Bishop Canevin

Skylyn Raypush, senior, libero, Leechburg

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: Armstrong, Avonworth, Baldwin, Beaver, Beaver County Christian, Bethel Park, Bishop Canevin, California, Canon-McMillan, Carmichaels, Chartiers Valley, Derry Area, Eden Christian, Elizabeth Forward, Ellwood City, Fort Cherry, Franklin Regional, Frazier, Freeport, Greensburg C.C., Hampton, Hempfield, Hopewell, Kiski Area, Knoch, Latrobe, Laurel, Leechburg, Montour, Moon, New Brighton, North Allegheny, North Catholic, North Hills, Norwin, Oakland Catholic, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Pine-Richland, Plum, Rochester, Seneca Valley, Serra Catholic, Seton La Salle, Shaler, Shenango, South Fayette, South Park, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity, Union, Upper St. Clair, Waynesburg, West Greene