Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association releases Week 4 WPIAL boys polls

By: Michael Love
Monday, April 10, 2023 | 1:08 PM

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Teams in both Class 3A and Class 2A continue to jockey for position as the WPIAL boys volleyball spring season continues in the first cycle of section play.

Shaler (Class 3A) and Latrobe (Class 2A) remain atop their respective classification rankings in the Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association polls revealed Monday.

Other teams have ticked up and down based on results from the past week that was shorted by the holiday weekend.

Seton LaSalle and Ambridge traded places in the Class 2A rankings. The Rebels, 4-0 in Section 3, moved up one spot to No. 2, while Ambridge, 4-0 in Section 1, dipped one spot to No. 3.

The Rebels shut out South Park and defeated South Fayette, 3-1, in section matches last week.

In Class 3A, Penn-Trafford (No. 2) and North Allegheny (No. 3) each bumped up one spot, while Norwin fell from No. 2 to No. 4 after defeating Plum, 3-0, but falling to Hempfield, 3-2, in Section 3 play.

Hempfield bumped up one spot to No. 7 in the Class 3A rankings.

Gateway returns to the Class 2A poll at No. 10. The Gators, which fell out of the top 10 for three weeks after a No. 10 preseason standing, played just once last week, but they took care of business with a 3-1 win over Armstrong in Section 2 play.

Each of the 39 head coaches have the opportunity to vote for the top-10 team rankings.

The players of the week in each classification are selected by the association based on coaches nominations.

Western Pa. Volleyball Coaches Association

WPIAL top-10 polls – Week 4

Class 3A

1. Shaler (last week: 1)

2. Penn-Trafford (3)

3. North Allegheny (4)

4. Norwin (2)

5. Canon-McMillan (6)

6. Butler (5)

7. Hempfield (8)

8. Upper St. Clair (7)

9. Seneca Valley (9)

10. North Hills (10)

Out: None

Class 3A Players of the Week

Nathan Klein, senior, outside hitter, Peters Township

Owen Ostrowski, senior, opposite, Canon-McMillan

Jax Wilhite, senior, outside hitter, North Allegheny

Doolin Stober, freshman, middle hitter, Pine-Richland

Class 2A

1. Latrobe (last week: 1)

2. Seton LaSalle (3)

3. Ambridge (2)

4. Mars (5)

5. North Catholic (4)

6. Montour (6)

7. Derry (7)

8. Thomas Jefferson (8)

9. Hopewell (10)

10. Gateway (NR)

Out: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (9)

Class 2A Players of the Week

Elijah Hill, senior, opposite, South Fayette

Bryce Lizanich, senior, middle hitter, Montour

Trent McKnight, senior, outside hitter, Ambridge

Sam Kiesel, junior, outside hitter, Latrobe

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: Ambridge, Butler, Canon-McMillan, Derry Area, Gateway, Hempfield, Hopewell, Latrobe, Mars, Montour, North Allegheny, North Catholic, North Hills, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Seton La Salle, Shaler, South Fayette, Thomas Jefferson, Upper St. Clair