Start of volleyball playoffs, state tennis and PIAA golf on tap for Tuesday

By: Don Rebel
Monday, October 21, 2019 | 11:42 PM

The WPIAL girls volleyball brackets are out with the four defending champions (North Allegheny in AAAA, Knoch in AAA, North Catholic in AA and Bishop Canevin in A) all earning top-seeds.

Fourteen teams will begin the postseason Tuesday with seven preliminary round matches.

The five “pigtail” matches in Class AA are:

• Burrell vs. Southmoreland at Norwin for the 16th seed

• Beth-Center vs. South Park at South Allegheny for the 15th seed

• Carlynton vs. Neshannock at OLSH for the 14th seed

• Keystone Oaks vs. Laurel at OLSH for the 13th seed

• Deer Lakes at South Allegheny for the 12th seed

The two “play-in” matches in Class A are:

• Riverview vs. Carlynton at Norwin for the 16th seed

• Avella vs. Rochester at OLSH for the 15th seed

The first-round matches in AAAA and AAA will be played Wednesday while the opening-round matches in AA and A are set for Thursday.

PIAA girls team tennis opening round

Six girls tennis teams are ready to begin their quest for state gold with the start of the PIAA girls tennis playoffs on Tuesday.

With a shaky forecast, the matches will be played indoors.

In Class AAA, WPIAL champion Peters Township will face District 6 champion Altoona at the Oxford North Athletic Club in Wexford at 1 p.m.

Fox Chapel will face City League champion Brashear at the Oxford North Athletic Club at 12:30 p.m. and Upper St. Clair heads north to face District 10 champion Erie McDowell at the Westwood Racquet Club in Erie at 12:30 p.m.

In Class AA, WPIAL and defending PIAA champion Sewickley Academy battles District 10 champion Villa Maria Academy at the Oxford North Athletic Club at 11:30 a.m.

Beaver faces District 9 champion St. Mary’s, also at the Oxford North Athletic Club while district runner-up Knoch takes on District 6 champion Central Cambria at the Gorilla House Gym in Altoona at noon.

State gold?

The 2019 PIAA individual golf championships conclude on Tuesday at the Heritage Hills Golf Resort in York.

After day one, one WPIAL golfer has an outright lead at the midway point.

Meghan Zambruno of Greensburg Central Catholic shot a 3-over 75 and has a one-stroke lead in the girls Class AA state finals.

In girls AAA, Ella McRoberts of Peters Township is at plus-4 and tied for sixth, four strokes behind leader Sydney Yermish of Lower Merion.

In boys AAA, Adam Lauer of Shady Side Academy is in second place after shooting a 3-under 68. He trails Carson Bacha of Central York by one stroke.

Finally, in boys AA, Skyler Fox of Riverside is tied for the lead at plus-1 along with Cam Colbert of Hickory and Elijah Ruppert of Brandywine Heights.

Because of an unfavorable forecast tomorrow for the York area, all golfers will tee off at 8:30 a.m. in a shotgun format.

Tags: Avella, Beaver, Beth-Center, Burrell, Carlynton, Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Greensburg C.C., Keystone Oaks, Knoch, Laurel, Neshannock, Peters Township, Riverside, Riverview, Rochester, Sewickley Academy, Shady Side Academy, South Allegheny, South Park, Southmoreland, Upper St. Clair