North Allegheny’s depth on display in quest to regain WPIAL boys volleyball title

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, April 6, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Opponents may have a dozen or so players in uniform for varsity matches, but North Allegheny boys volleyball coach Dan Long plans to use twice that many.

In fact, he counted 26 different players he used in a season-opening tournament the Tigers hosted March 23. It’s not that Long was disappointed with his starters. It’s actually the opposite. He sees a deep roster of players on his bench also worthy of playing time.

So, he’ll mix and match.

“Finding the right recipe keeps me up a lot at night,” said the second-year head coach.

The team graduated only two seniors from last season’s lineup that reached the WPIAL finals, leaving a logjam of talent in the gym this spring. That’s a dilemma almost any coaches would take. This year, Long is picking starters from a varsity lineup that includes 20 juniors and seniors but also seven sophomores.

“It’s hard to know who that right group will be,” he said. “There is enough parity where guys could be leapfrogging one another throughout the course of the season. I want to keep an open mind.”

The Tigers have three seniors who earned all-WPIAL honors a year ago: setter Nicolas Carioto, outside hitter Stone Gaertner and defensive specialist Will Hahn. Carioto made the second team, while Gaertner and Hahn were third-team picks.

Two all-WPIAL hitters graduated but the Tigers do bring back sophomore Will Robertson, who earned all-section honors as a freshman. Robertson ranked fourth on the team with 191 kills and Gaertner was second with 252. Another outside hitter, senior Josh Farr, will play multiple roles.

Hahn had a team-high 542 digs. Long called the libero their emotional leader and said he’s also the player with the most championship experience. Hahn contributed in 2022 when North Allegheny won WPIAL and PIAA titles.

At middle blocker, seniors Jeremiah Satcho (22 blocks) and Theo Wilkinson (36) and sophomore Peter Bratich (18) all played meaningful points a year ago.

Carioto led the team with 1,041 assists but the Tigers also have another capable setter in senior Ryan Quatman (125). Long said at times they’ll use a two-setter offense.

So, the coaches have options.

In the team’s season-opening tournament, Long frequently switched up his lineups in matches against Penn-Trafford, Central York and Manheim Central.

“I don’t think I used the same lineup in any of the eight sets that we played with those teams,” he said. “I’m still trying to figure it out and I’m OK with that. This is information gathering time.

“Last year, we were pretty established in what our lineup looked like by the end of March. I’m comfortable with that being much more fluid because we’ve got guys who are getting better every day.”

North Allegheny enters this season in a somewhat unfamiliar position. For the first time in a while, the Tigers aren’t the defending WPIAL champions, after winning five consecutive titles from 2017-22.

Section rival Shaler won the WPIAL 3A title a year ago, defeating North Allegheny, 3-0, in the finals. The finalists will rematch twice in five days for regular-season section games April 19 and 23.

Long said he’s confident his team has the individual talent to compete for titles. The big question, he said, was whether they will rally together as one team — even while competing at practice for playing time.

That’s not always easy.

“One of the things we’re constantly preaching is the idea of selflessness,” Long said. “When you have a bunch of quality players, you might or might not get more opportunities on a given night depending on matchups and who has the hot hand.

“That could create division if you don’t have the right mindset. Or it could be something that galvanizes because everybody is contributing and your buddies are getting to be a part of it too.”

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: North Allegheny