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** Baldwin ** Coach: Chris Kelly (5th year at Baldwin, 13th overall) Returning Starters: 5-2 senior defensive specialist Kerri Herron 5-1 senior libero Kenzie Meis 5-8 junior outside hitter Riley Lenard 5-7 junior setter Mia Hampsay 5-10 junior middle blocker Allison Murray 5-6 junior outside hitter Anna Baloh 5-11 junior middle blocker Ally Schenk Season Outlook: I’m very excited to pick up where we left off last season. With a relatively young team, we managed to have some success. Most of that team has returned with another year of high school and club experience. We will look to improve on a second round loss in the WPIAL playoffs. Section Favorite: As always, our section will be very competitive. The addition of Oakland Catholic will make it even more so. Peters Township is certainly a team that stands out as one of the favorites. WPIAL Favorite: North Allegheny is coming off of a WPIAL and a PIAA championship. They are the favorite. Seneca Valley is close behind. --------------------------------------- ** Bethel Park ** Coach: Brooke Muraco (1st year) Returning Starters: Senior libero Jessie Kogler Senior outside hitter Brenna Manko Senior setter Emma Puzausky Season Outlook: Compete to make it into the top 3 of our section. Be a contender for the WPIAL playoffs. Young Players to Watch: Sophomore outside hitter Alexa Pstoka --------------------------------------- ** Butler ** Coach: Meghan Lucas (16th year at Butler, 24th overall) Returning Starters: 5-6 senior outside hitter Maria Lucas 5-8 senior setter/outside hitter Tabitha Walker 5-10 senior middle hitter Julia Gibson 5-10 senior middle hitter Sophia Sacriponte 5-4 senior defensive specialist Hope Fiorina 5-4 junior defensive specialist Gabrielle Lucas 5-6 sophomore setter/outside hitter Sophia Lucas Season Outlook: Butler is looking to not only qualify for the playoffs, but make a little noise there. A veteran lineup with a lot of experience. Section Favorite: North Allegheny WPIAL Favorite: North Allegheny Young Players to Watch: North Allegheny's Paige Miller, Seneca Valley's Sarah White, Butler's Sophia Lucas, and Baldwin's Allison Murray. --------------------------------------- ** Canon-McMillan ** Coach: Sheila Mitchell (8th year) Returning Starters: 5-10 senior outside hitter Morgan Patterson 5-11 senior middle hitter Bailey Nickles 5-7 senior setter Maria Dodaro 5-11 junior outside hitter Samantha Paker 5-4 junior liberal Katie Weston 5-10 junior setter Morgan Galligan Season Outlook: With the experience of the returning players and the depth on the team as a whole, this year is looking to be a big one for CM. I look forward to another strong year defensively with my libero leading, and my setters are really connecting with my returning hitters on offense. We are focused on coming together and getting our playoff spot back! Section Favorite: The section is tough, and now with the addition of Oakland Catholic it’s getting tougher. I would say Bethel Park looked good this summer, and Upper St. Clair, Peters Township, and Baldwin always come with strong teams. However, we can’t underestimate any team in our section this season. WPIAL Favorite: North Allegheny has a strong program and has for years. Young Players to Watch: I will say I look forward to my libero, Katie Weston, continuing to be one, if not the strongest libero in the WPIAL. --------------------------------------- ** Latrobe ** Coach: Drew Vosefski (21st year of coaching volleyball) Returning Starters: 5-3 libero Kammeran Gannilli 5-6 setter Carly Augustine 5-8 outside hitter Savina Pavlik 5-7 outside hitter Beth Havrilla 5-8 opposite Sadie Wetzel Season Outlook: After returning to coaching girls volleyball after a 5-year absence, last year's team made great strides and missed the playoffs by one match. With the majority of our starters returning we expect to challenge for the section title and be a participant in the WPIAL playoffs. Section Favorite: Penn Trafford, Hempfield or Norwin - Take your pick. WPIAL Favorite: North Allegheny --------------------------------------- ** Moon ** Coach: Steve Nicola (1st year at Moon, 3rd overall) Returning Starters: 5-10 Junior middle hitter Sanaea Simmons Season Outlook: Nicola comes to Moon after coaching at Cornell the past two years. Section Favorite: This is my first year in 4A so I am not familiar with the team we will be playing. --------------------------------------- ** Mt. Lebanon ** Coach: Jaclyn Placha (1st year) Returning Starters: 6-0 middle hitter Eve Dornback 6-2 middle hitter Jamey Napoleon 5-9 outside hitter Katie Jackovic 5-9 setter Kelly Donis 5-4 libero/defensive specialist Sophie Lyon 5-5 libero/defensive specialist Izzie Levine Season Outlook: Project to finish within top half of section. Competitive to make it into WPIAL playoffs. WPIAL Favorite: North Allegheny. --------------------------------------- ** North Allegheny ** Coach: Heidi Miller (7th year as head coach, 21st year at NA) Returning Starters: 6-0 senior Middle Anna Sprys 5-8 senior outside hitter Avery Tuman 5-6 Libero Allena Carmody 5-8 outside hitter/DS Kristen Chomos 5-7 Setter Abby Miller 5-10 outside hitter Paige Miller New on the court for us this year: 5-10 Middle Maddi Curran 5-3 defensive specialist Malia Duffy 5-11 Setter Paige Morningstar 5-11 outside hitter/R Hannah Phillips Season Outlook: I think we have a great core of returning players who know what it takes to have a successful season. The new players that will see action are hungry to help defend a WPIAL and PIAA title. --------------------------------------- ** Norwin ** Coach: Mary Ellen Ferragonio (12th year) Returning Starters: 5-10 senior outside hitter Rachel Langsdorf 5-9 senior outside hitter Rebecca Miller 5-6 senior defensive specialist Rachel Milke Season Outlook: Norwin tied for first place in Section 3 last year. Langsdorf, Miller, and Milke were Section 3 All-Stars last year. Section Favorite: All teams in our section are good. WPIAL Favorite: Probably many favorites. Young Players to Watch: I don't know specifically but I am sure there are many. --------------------------------------- ** Penn-Trafford ** Coach: Jim Schall (21st year with girls team) Returning Starters: 6-2 senior middle hitter Stephanie O'Donnell 5-7 outside hitter Kayla Turkowski 5-10 outside hitter Bella Long Season Outlook: We have a mix of more experienced players and some younger talent. Section Favorite: It will be a competitive section WPIAL Favorite: North Allegheny Young Players to Watch: Mekayla Dedo is a junior from Hempfield in our section --------------------------------------- ** Peters Township ** Coach: Ashley Green (8th year) Returning Starters: senior outside hitter Celine Blon senior defensive specialist Abby Crookshank senior defensive specialist Jill Yeates junior setter Emmy Ploskina junior middle hitter Lauren Valentic sophomore outside hitter Madison Tassone Season Outlook: Our team is a focused and exciting group. They push each other and are dependable teammates. Section Favorite: Our section is strong, I don’t think there’s just one favorite. WPIAL Favorite: North Allegheny, Seneca Valley, Baldwin. Young Players to Watch: There are always younger players who step up. I look forward to seeing them compete. --------------------------------------- ** Pine-Richland ** Coach: Cassie Pratte (1st year) Returning Starters: 5-6 senior libero Maddie Schieder 5-9 senior outside hitter Michaela Pettinato 5-6 junior defensive specialist Marin Laffey 5-10 junior setter Grace Kristofic Season Outlook: Our team is a playoff contender. They can exceed expectations, I expect us to perform very well throughout the season. Section Favorite: North Allegheny WPIAL Favorite: North Allegheny Young Players to Watch: Sophie Catalano Pine Richland --------------------------------------- ** Seneca Valley ** Coach: Karen Martini (14th year at Seneca Valley, 17th overall) Returning Starters: 5-3 senior libero Rachel Broskey 5-11 sophomore setter Sarah White 5-10 junior middle hitter Anna DeGraaf Season Outlook: We are a very young team. We hope to compete for a section title and make the playoffs. Section Favorite: North Allegheny WPIAL Favorite: It is up for grabs Young Players to Watch: Emma Davis, a 5-10 freshman middle blocker from Seneca Valley --------------------------------------- ** Shaler ** Coach: Paul Stadelman (1st year) Returning Starters: 5-5 senior setter Cassidy Rossi 5-9 senior middle blocker Oyinda Agbale 5-8 senior middle blocker Sophia Gillespie 5-6 junior outside hitter Kaitlyn colucci 5-7 senior outside hitter Joselyn Soranno Season Outlook: We will be competitive in a very difficult section and look to return to the WPIAL playoffs. Section & WPIAL Favorite: North Allegheny. --------------------------------------- ** Upper St. Clair ** Coach: Victor Morais (2nd year) Returning Starters: 6-0 junior outside hitter Emily O'Maley 5-8 senior setter Maryn Foster 5-8 senior right side Brynn Foster 5-10 junior middle hitter Jami Stout 5-7 junior defense specialist Ellie Tetrick Section Favorite: When asked if there is favorite in our section it is hard to answer since our section seems to be one of the most competitive one where every school has its shot. I would say based on last year Baldwin would be our biggest competition, however with the addition of Oakland Catholic and Peter Township each year becoming stronger and stronger it is hard to say who is the favorite in our section. WPIAL Favorite: The favorite school to win the WPIAL would be North Allegheny since they have have been consistently strong throughout the years and is the previous winner of the WPIAL and the State. Young Players to Watch: When comes to players who would make an impact, most of the coaches have its name in mind already, however I would keep a close eye on Emily O'Maley who in previous editions has played as a middle hitter and this edition is going to be playing as an outside hitter and I must say it is someone to be considered to make an impact. |