A scouting report of sorts....
-
THE CHOPS
- Official BleacherCoach
- Posts: 1900
- Joined: October 24th, 2003, 10:42 am
- Location: SCOTTDALE, PA.
A scouting report of sorts....
Girls Volleyball Championship Saturday: W.P.I.A.L. Finals Recaps
11/7/2009 -
With both North Allegheny in Class (AAA) and Beaver County Christian in Class (A) having lost in their respective classifications Semifinals, only West Allegheny in Class (AA) had a chance to repeat as W.P.I.A.L. champions Saturday afternoon at Chartiers Valley High School. Here are the recaps to the capper of the "2009" W.P.I.A.L. Girls Volleyball Playoffs.
W.P.I.A.L. CLASS (AAA) CHAMPIONSHIP:
Mount Lebanon Blue Devils 3 - Seneca Valley Raiders 2
In a classic W.P.I.A.L. Championship Volleyball match, the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils remained perfect on the year by defeating the Seneca Valley Raiders in five games. However the Blue Devils, who had not even lost a game the entire regular season, were pushed to the brink by a talented Raiders squad. Mt. Lebanon, a very experienced group, was led by the efforts of Olivio Grattan, Laura and Natalie Dadowski, Kate Begor and Alexandria Taylor. The Raiders were led by Alyssa DiMaria, Catherine Seman and Meghan Drambel. As the match went on, it became increasingly difficult to pick out a star player from either team, as both sported great balance throughout the lineup. The match was tight, going to a final fifth game. Mt. Lebanon controlled the play in the first game, winning 25-20. The second and quite possibly most important game was won by Mt. Lebanon after they erased an 8-0 deficit to start the game, winning 27-25. The Raiders though were the team with the momentum, winning the next two games by scores of 26-24 and 25-16. Despite seeming to have all of the momentum, it was Mt. Lebanon and the emergence of Senior Middle Hitter Olivio Grattan who dominated the final game, winning 15-10 and giving the Blue Devils their second AAA Championship in three years. They will now move on to the PIAA playoffs where they will look to keep their record without blemish.
W.P.I.A.L. CLASS (AA) CHAMPIONSHIP:
West Allegheny Indians 3 - Freeport Yellowjackets 0
The W.P.I.A.L. Girls Volleyball Committee got it right again in their seedings this year as the reigning Class (AA) Champions and #1 seed the West Allegheny Indians squared off with the #2 seeded Freeport Yellowjackets in the championship match at Chartiers Valley High School. Freeport was in their first ever WPIAL girls volleyball title match and West Allegheny came right out of the shute and took the fight to the Yellowjackets. Freeport appeared to be caught off guard in the way West Allegheny aggressively served and attacked them with the volleyball. The Indians built leads
of 9-4 and 14-7 and led all the way in grabbing the first game, 25-14. West Allegheny not known as a fast starting team continued this newfound trend in the second game. West Allegheny led 23-16 in game two before the Jackets cut their lead to 23-21 when West Allegheny head coach Lisa Pyrdek called a timeout. The Indians won the all-important next point to increase their lead to two points 24-21.
Instead of Freeport moving within 1 point of a tie late in this game and having all of the momentum on their side and in the midst of a 6 point run, they were down by 3
points. West Allegheny scored 1 of the set's final 2 points to win game two, 25-22 and take a commanding 2 games to 0 lead on the team making their inaugural appearance on the big stage. The wise timeout call by coach Pyrdek may have been the biggest turning point in this championship match. Having to win three straight sets against the defending champions was to big an order for the Yellowjackets. Had Freeport won this second game and with their confidence buoyed, who knows how this contest could have turned out. By any measure Freeport did not go down easily in the third set but with Freeport leading 4-2 in the third game, West Allegheny's most valuable player, Senior, Middle Blocker, Korin Wengryn came to the service
line. The Indians ran off 7 straight points to take a 9-4 lead. Freeport battled back to move within a point at 12-11 but the Indians responded with another scoring run. This time it was 6 consecutive points to push past the Yellowjackets 18-11. Freeport kept competing and got within 1 point one more time in the game at 19-18 before West Allegheny scored 6 of the match's final 8 points to complete the three game sweep, 25-20. There were a number of Indians who played very well in this match besides Wengryn in leading the Indians to a repeat AA championship. Senior, Outside Hitter, Chelsea Katkich, Senior, Libero, Alexa Seybold, Senior, Middle Hitter, Haley Hanczar, Senior, Defensive Specialist, Jamie Borchart and long and talented, 6'0" Junior, Setter, Carissa Miara proved to be too much for Freeport to handle. One Yellowjackets player who stood out throughout the match and played with determination was Senior, Middle Hitter, Ashley Massart. Freeport's leading player all season in kills and many consider to be their most talented player, Senior,
Carlie Bieranowski did not have her usual stellar game and the Yellowjackets really needed her in top form to have a chance to slow down the charging Indians. Both championship participants the Indians and Yellowjackets will compete in the PIAA playoffs along with Blackhawk and Mars that begin next week.
W.P.I.A.L. CLASS (A) CHAMPIONSHIP:
West Shamokin Wolves 3 - Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions 1
The Class (A) Girls Volleyball Championship match pitted the top two seeds, #1 West Shamokin and #2 Greensburg Central Catholic at Chartiers Valley High School. These two squads were not strangers to one another as they finished the regular season as Co-Section Champions in Section 1 A this season. Each team won on their home hardcourt this season and it was fitting that the championship contest was played on a neutral site. The Wolves defeated the Centurions in four sets by scores of 23-25, 25-23, 25-18 and 28-26. Greensburg Central Catholic took a back and forth first
game, 25-23, when West Shamokin, Senior, Libero, Savanna Arbuckle watched a serve by the Centurions, Senior, Weak Side, Sarah Blazwich fall down at her feet inside the
service line for an ace to give GCC a 24-23 lead after which the Centurions notched the game winner. That proved to be the high point of the match for Greensburg Central Catholic. West Shamokin took control early in the remaining three sets and kept the Centurions playing from behind all afternoon long. The Wolves were much too long for the Centurions on the front row and they did an excellent job of limiting GCC's two dangerous Outside Hitters, Samantha Chorney and Shannon Hurley from their usual number of putdowns better than any other team was able to do this season. West Shamokin won game two, 25-23, after taking a 7-1 lead and never trailed in the set. In game 3 the Wolves sped out to a 14-7 advantage and again
never fell behind in the game on the way to a 25-18 victory. The fourth set was a nail biter as Greensburg Central Catholic had a late 1 point lead at 26-25 but were
unable to close out the set which would have sent the match to the dramatic "short game". Instead West Shamokin won their first ever WPIAL Girls Volleyball Title with a 28-26 win. Both West Shamokin and Greensburg Central Catholic along with the third place consolation match winner, Jefferson-Morgan advance to next week's PIAA playoffs.
Ther Chops...
11/7/2009 -
With both North Allegheny in Class (AAA) and Beaver County Christian in Class (A) having lost in their respective classifications Semifinals, only West Allegheny in Class (AA) had a chance to repeat as W.P.I.A.L. champions Saturday afternoon at Chartiers Valley High School. Here are the recaps to the capper of the "2009" W.P.I.A.L. Girls Volleyball Playoffs.
W.P.I.A.L. CLASS (AAA) CHAMPIONSHIP:
Mount Lebanon Blue Devils 3 - Seneca Valley Raiders 2
In a classic W.P.I.A.L. Championship Volleyball match, the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils remained perfect on the year by defeating the Seneca Valley Raiders in five games. However the Blue Devils, who had not even lost a game the entire regular season, were pushed to the brink by a talented Raiders squad. Mt. Lebanon, a very experienced group, was led by the efforts of Olivio Grattan, Laura and Natalie Dadowski, Kate Begor and Alexandria Taylor. The Raiders were led by Alyssa DiMaria, Catherine Seman and Meghan Drambel. As the match went on, it became increasingly difficult to pick out a star player from either team, as both sported great balance throughout the lineup. The match was tight, going to a final fifth game. Mt. Lebanon controlled the play in the first game, winning 25-20. The second and quite possibly most important game was won by Mt. Lebanon after they erased an 8-0 deficit to start the game, winning 27-25. The Raiders though were the team with the momentum, winning the next two games by scores of 26-24 and 25-16. Despite seeming to have all of the momentum, it was Mt. Lebanon and the emergence of Senior Middle Hitter Olivio Grattan who dominated the final game, winning 15-10 and giving the Blue Devils their second AAA Championship in three years. They will now move on to the PIAA playoffs where they will look to keep their record without blemish.
W.P.I.A.L. CLASS (AA) CHAMPIONSHIP:
West Allegheny Indians 3 - Freeport Yellowjackets 0
The W.P.I.A.L. Girls Volleyball Committee got it right again in their seedings this year as the reigning Class (AA) Champions and #1 seed the West Allegheny Indians squared off with the #2 seeded Freeport Yellowjackets in the championship match at Chartiers Valley High School. Freeport was in their first ever WPIAL girls volleyball title match and West Allegheny came right out of the shute and took the fight to the Yellowjackets. Freeport appeared to be caught off guard in the way West Allegheny aggressively served and attacked them with the volleyball. The Indians built leads
of 9-4 and 14-7 and led all the way in grabbing the first game, 25-14. West Allegheny not known as a fast starting team continued this newfound trend in the second game. West Allegheny led 23-16 in game two before the Jackets cut their lead to 23-21 when West Allegheny head coach Lisa Pyrdek called a timeout. The Indians won the all-important next point to increase their lead to two points 24-21.
Instead of Freeport moving within 1 point of a tie late in this game and having all of the momentum on their side and in the midst of a 6 point run, they were down by 3
points. West Allegheny scored 1 of the set's final 2 points to win game two, 25-22 and take a commanding 2 games to 0 lead on the team making their inaugural appearance on the big stage. The wise timeout call by coach Pyrdek may have been the biggest turning point in this championship match. Having to win three straight sets against the defending champions was to big an order for the Yellowjackets. Had Freeport won this second game and with their confidence buoyed, who knows how this contest could have turned out. By any measure Freeport did not go down easily in the third set but with Freeport leading 4-2 in the third game, West Allegheny's most valuable player, Senior, Middle Blocker, Korin Wengryn came to the service
line. The Indians ran off 7 straight points to take a 9-4 lead. Freeport battled back to move within a point at 12-11 but the Indians responded with another scoring run. This time it was 6 consecutive points to push past the Yellowjackets 18-11. Freeport kept competing and got within 1 point one more time in the game at 19-18 before West Allegheny scored 6 of the match's final 8 points to complete the three game sweep, 25-20. There were a number of Indians who played very well in this match besides Wengryn in leading the Indians to a repeat AA championship. Senior, Outside Hitter, Chelsea Katkich, Senior, Libero, Alexa Seybold, Senior, Middle Hitter, Haley Hanczar, Senior, Defensive Specialist, Jamie Borchart and long and talented, 6'0" Junior, Setter, Carissa Miara proved to be too much for Freeport to handle. One Yellowjackets player who stood out throughout the match and played with determination was Senior, Middle Hitter, Ashley Massart. Freeport's leading player all season in kills and many consider to be their most talented player, Senior,
Carlie Bieranowski did not have her usual stellar game and the Yellowjackets really needed her in top form to have a chance to slow down the charging Indians. Both championship participants the Indians and Yellowjackets will compete in the PIAA playoffs along with Blackhawk and Mars that begin next week.
W.P.I.A.L. CLASS (A) CHAMPIONSHIP:
West Shamokin Wolves 3 - Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions 1
The Class (A) Girls Volleyball Championship match pitted the top two seeds, #1 West Shamokin and #2 Greensburg Central Catholic at Chartiers Valley High School. These two squads were not strangers to one another as they finished the regular season as Co-Section Champions in Section 1 A this season. Each team won on their home hardcourt this season and it was fitting that the championship contest was played on a neutral site. The Wolves defeated the Centurions in four sets by scores of 23-25, 25-23, 25-18 and 28-26. Greensburg Central Catholic took a back and forth first
game, 25-23, when West Shamokin, Senior, Libero, Savanna Arbuckle watched a serve by the Centurions, Senior, Weak Side, Sarah Blazwich fall down at her feet inside the
service line for an ace to give GCC a 24-23 lead after which the Centurions notched the game winner. That proved to be the high point of the match for Greensburg Central Catholic. West Shamokin took control early in the remaining three sets and kept the Centurions playing from behind all afternoon long. The Wolves were much too long for the Centurions on the front row and they did an excellent job of limiting GCC's two dangerous Outside Hitters, Samantha Chorney and Shannon Hurley from their usual number of putdowns better than any other team was able to do this season. West Shamokin won game two, 25-23, after taking a 7-1 lead and never trailed in the set. In game 3 the Wolves sped out to a 14-7 advantage and again
never fell behind in the game on the way to a 25-18 victory. The fourth set was a nail biter as Greensburg Central Catholic had a late 1 point lead at 26-25 but were
unable to close out the set which would have sent the match to the dramatic "short game". Instead West Shamokin won their first ever WPIAL Girls Volleyball Title with a 28-26 win. Both West Shamokin and Greensburg Central Catholic along with the third place consolation match winner, Jefferson-Morgan advance to next week's PIAA playoffs.
Ther Chops...