What to watch for in WPIAL sports on May 23, 2024: North Allegheny out to regain boys volleyball crown

By: Don Rebel
Thursday, May 23, 2024 | 1:00 AM

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Twenty years ago, North Allegheny successfully defended its WPIAL Class 3A boys volleyball championship.

Since then, the Tigers have been the defending champion every year except four times.

This is one of those four seasons.

North Allegheny (13-1) will try to retrieve its crown Thursday when it battles 3A defending champion Shaler (15-1).

The Titans ended the Tigers’ five-year run as champions a year ago.

This is the third meeting between the two after Shaler and North Allegheny split their two regular season meetings this spring.

Shaler is hoping to win the school’s second boys volleyball district championship while North Allegheny is out to win gold for the 23rd time.

The match is set for 7:30 p.m. at Peters Township and can be heard on Trib HSSN.

More northern spikes

Shaler and North Allegheny aren’t the only teams heading south to Peters Township on Thursday.

The 3A consolation match is set between two other northern rivals as Seneca Valley (14-7) battles Butler (11-7).

The winner earns a berth and will join the two finalists in the 2024 state volleyball playoffs.

The Raiders made the PIAA postseason tournament in 2021 and 2022.

The Golden Tornado last qualified for the state playoffs in 2018.

Blue and golden?

Mt. Lebanon has two cracks at WPIAL lacrosse gold Thursday.

The Blue Devils girls team is the top seed while the boys squad is the No. 2 seed.

In the girls 3A finals, undefeated Mt. Lebanon (18-0) battles No. 2 Pine-Richland (16-2-1) at Robert Morris at 6:30 p.m.

The Blue Devils are looking to capture their sixth girls lacrosse title and first since 2016.

The Rams are hoping to repeat and win the program’s fourth WPIAL title.

In the boys 3A championship, Mt. Lebanon (15-4) takes on No. 4 North Allegheny (14-6) at RMU at 8:30 p.m. in a match you can hear on Trib HSSN.

The Blue Devils are looking to repeat as district champs and win their sixth overall title.

The Tigers are trying to capture their third boys lacrosse championship and first since 2021.

Double your pleasure

The top-seeded Mars girls lacrosse team hopes to sweep lacrosse gold for the third time in four years when it battles No. 3 Chartiers Valley in the girls 2A lacrosse championship at Joe Walton Stadium at Robert Morris at 4:30 p.m.

The Fightin’ Planets boys and girls teams won district championships in 2021 and again last spring.

The Mars boys team won its eighth straight title when it defeated South Fayette on Wednesday, 16-5.

Both teams had first-round byes.

Mars (16-2) outscored Moon and Penn-Trafford this postseason 30-9 while Chartiers Valley (16-2) edged Quaker Valley and South Fayette by combined scores of 18-16.