That’ll also be key on the boys’ roster, Hamilton says, which is rounded out by a group of young runners who will need to develop throughout the season. Last year, the boys’ team had three runners finish in the top 50 in the state. Two, Zach Salek and RJ Freese, have since graduated. Zach White is the only one among them to return after finishing 24^th overall in the state meet. To step up this year, Hamilton is also looking to John Artinger, whose previous season was hampered by an injury, and a group of young runners to develop and make up for those roster losses. 

Volleyball looks to stay competitive after reaching first AAA WPIAL playoffs

   When the volleyball team made the jump to AAA two years ago, head coach Brian Begor and his players found themselves going from competing atop their Class AA section to underdogs looking up at heavyweights like Bethel Park, Mt. Lebanon and Baldwin.

   “It’s a meat grinder,” says Begor about the current conference. “We’re definitely in one of the toughest sections in the state.”

   Adding to the challenge was the loss of a nucleus of players who had helped the team finish third in Class AA WPIAL competition the previous year, and hand them a state playoff berth. 

   “We went from a very experienced team playing in AA to an inexperienced team competing in AAA,” says Begor.

   Still, a season later, the team was right back where it had been, again finishing third in the WPIAL, this time in AAA competition.

   “They were a gritty team,” says West Allegheny Athletic Director Dave McBain. “They’re competitive and play with a lot of heart and passion.”

   As an undersized team, Begor says that what they’ve lacked in height they’ve made up for with hustle.

   “That’s kind of been our MO,” says Begor.  “We’re not winning unless we play way harder than them. Our margin for error is very narrow.”

   Despite graduating three seniors, this year’s squad has a solid group of returning veterans, led by setter Tara Savisky.

   “She’s the best setter in the WPIAL,” says Begor. “She’s also as good a leader as she is a player.”

   Senior starters Audra Killen and Rachel Buck are also returning from last year’s team, along with back row players Nicole Ostrander, Taylor Hottenfeller and Alyssa Placha, all of whom will be stepping into bigger roles. Lauren Long, a junior who would have held a starting job if not for an orthopedic injury, also returns to the team this season.  

   As for young players, Begor’s looking to Allison Koester, who played in big matches last year and figures to be filling a larger role this year.

   Begor says he’s looking for the team to develop chemistry early, which will be essential to keeping their energy going late into the season.

   “When you’re undersized, you need those intangibles,” says Begor. “That’s the exciting thing about coaching. It’s all about how much these kids want to take the challenges on, and you get to watch them as they struggle and succeed.”

Amid progress, girls’ soccer braces for move to AAA

  Ever since girls’ soccer head coach Dave Tissue took over the team in 2011, it has seen steady improvement. Each season, the team has given up less goals and scored more as an increasing number of players have filled its roster.

   Tissue contributes that improvement in part to a youth league that he and boys’ head soccer coach Kevin Amos started over a decade ago, and the formation of a girls’ junior varsity team. While the youth league has helped develop skills early, the junior varsity team has acclimated players to the varsity level.

   “Previously we just had to throw them into the games with no experience,” says Tissue.

    Also helping the team the last few years has been its reclassification from AAA to AA. After finishing with a 7-9 record this past season, though, the team is preparing for a season in which it will again be reclassified as AAA. Luckily, a number of veterans are returning to confront the challenge, including last season’s leading scorer, Stephanie Accorsi.

   “She’s just a natural forward,” says Tissue about Accorsi. “She can score with either foot or her head.”

   Also returning is senior center Jenna Bandi, who Tissue describes as a quiet on-field leader, and Sarah Davis, who surprised the team last year by coming on the roster and scoring 10 goals. 

   “Her game is speed,” says Tissue about Davis. “She’s unbelievably fast.”

   Despite that experience up front, the team will be working with an inexperienced backfield while confronting injuries. In goal, the team will be relying on Lexi Hill, who is battling a hip injury. He says he may move Davis to the backfield to counter the speed of their opponents. Earlier this year, though, Davis broke her foot in a winter tournament. Another back fielder, senior Kendall Block, is battling a knee injury. One bright spot is that Tissue does have a healthy sophomore, Kristen Quasey, returning to the backfield after playing much of last season.

   Still, Tissue likes the direction that the team has been headed, and is encouraged with the increasing number of players showing up to voluntary workouts and practices over the summer. At one time, it was just a few showing up, but now he’s got about 15.

   As a result of developing a soccer program, Tissue says they’re seeing more players on the field instead of just bodies. While looking at the challenge ahead, he’s cautiously optimistic.

   “I think we might surprise some people,” he says.   

Strong in veterans, tennis team looks to improve

   Tennis coach Rita Wilson only lost one graduating player coming into this season. That’s left her with a team of experienced returning juniors and seniors this year. Still, that one player she lost was Gabie Eaborn, her top player who has since gone on to play at Westminster College. 

   “She was clutch,” says Wilson about Eaborn, who was her go-to in the top singles game for each match.  

   At Westminster, Eaborn has joined Sydney Sterner, who graduated from West Allegheny in 2013. Before Eaborn, Sterner was Wilson’s top player for the 2012 season. It’s been something of a trend for Wilson, watching her top player depart each year, but also having another ready to take over that top role.

   In high school tennis, players match up in three singles and two doubles for each match, making for a total starting roster of seven. Wilson says most teams put their clear top prospect in the first singles game, but after that, it’s all about strategy.

   “There are even formulas written about it,” says Wilson.    

   Going into this year, Wilson says her clear number one is Abby Walls, a junior who could give Wilson that go-to player she’d like to have for at least two years in a row. Behind her there’s Carolyn Stout, who Wilson calls “a very consistent athlete.” She started at doubles last year and also plays basketball.

   Junior Cassidy Bordo also returns. Wilson says she’s been working on her groundstroke, and that “she has a lot of potential.”

   Wilson says not all coaches start their second and third starters in the first doubles match, but it’s a reasonable strategy. For that second singles match, Wilson says she looks for a scrappy player who covers the court well. That could be either Kaylee Musiol or Marina Maropis. The two split the third singles spot for much of last year’s season. 

   Rounding out the top seven are seniors Arianna Collins and Sara Bodnar, as well as sophomore Sydney Saunders, who Wilson expects to crack the starting squad.

   As in years past, the team will have their work cut out for them. After elevating into AAA competition in 2012, they now take on powerhouses like Peters Township, Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair. Last year, they finished with a record of 5-9. With eight varsity players returning, and some strong junior varsity players looking to move up into varsity, Wilson is hoping to improve on that record.

Golf team optimistic despite stiff competition

   The last few years haven’t been the easiest for the West Allegheny golf team. Following the WPIAL’s reallocation of the team into a new section that includes perennial favorites Upper St. Clair, Peters Township, and Cannon McMillan, it has struggled.

   Last year, the team managed to win just two matches, but head coach Dave Botizan says he’s cautiously optimistic. At the top of his reasons is returning junior Jonathan Gazella, who was a standout last year as a sophomore and has been having success in competition over the summer.

   Senior veteran Dylan Lindemuth also returns for a third season, followed up by Jared Lanni, who has shown promise at the junior varsity level. Sean Weber, who also plays hockey for West Allegheny, returns after playing on the varsity team as a freshman last year.

   Players who participate in other varsity sports isn’t uncommon on the team, says Botizan. He says he thinks it’s healthy that players experience multiple sports. The success of this team, however, will depend on how much time each player has been able to work on their game over the summer.