What to watch for in WPIAL sports for June 11, 2022: Mars, North Allegheny chasing PIAA titles

By: Don Rebel
Friday, June 10, 2022 | 4:23 PM

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Welcome to Championship Saturday in three spring sports state postseasons.

The PIAA will host the 2022 boys volleyball championships at Penn State, as well as the boys and girls lacrosse finals at West Chester East High School.

The WPIAL has two teams playing for state crowns Saturday.

Kings of the court

The very first PIAA boys volleyball championship took place 86 years ago and was won by Westinghouse out of the City League.

The Bulldogs would go on to win the next three state crowns, becoming the first school to win four straight championships.

All these years later, North Allegheny attempts to pull off the same feat.

The Tigers try to add to their massive boys volleyball title collection when they face District 3 champion Central Dauphin at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

Listen to the match on Trib HSSN.

North Allegheny won the 2018, 2019 and 2021 state championships to go along with the school’s previous titles won in 2013, 1999, 1991, 1987 and 1979.

This is a rematch of last year’s state title match won by the Tigers, 3-1. NA lost the first set, 29-27, before winning out, 25-15, 25-14, 25-16.

The Rams are in search of their first PIAA boys volleyball crown since 2009.

The Class 2A championship match has District 3 champion Lower Dauphin facing District 10 champion Meadville at 11 a.m.

Going for gold

The Mars boys lacrosse program made history last spring when it became the first WPIAL boys or girls lacrosse program to win three PIAA postseason matches and play for a state championship.

The Fightin’ Planets are once again back in the Class 2A boys title match, but now look to re-write the history books with a golden finish.

Mars lost to Allentown Central Catholic a year ago, 14-5, to settle for silver.

On Saturday, the Fightin’ Planets face District 1 champion Marple Newtown. The Fightin’ Tigers beat Allentown Central Catholic in this year’s quarterfinals.

The good news for Mars is it will have the title match experience as Marple Newtown is playing in its first lacrosse state final.

The bad news is while the WPIAL has never won a PIAA lacrosse championship, District 1 has dominated, winning three of the four 2A finals and nine overall boys lacrosse crowns since the first postseason in 2009.

Tags: Mars, North Allegheny