Maintaining a dominant program requires a strong foundation and a little bit of luck. Neshannock's foundation was built on an unshakeable core of seniors who didn't wish to feel the sting of losing. That class wrapped up their careers Thursday with a career record of 100-1 after they beat South Williamsport 8-3 to win the PIAA Class 2A crown.

The Lancers finished the year 26-0, going undefeated for the second straight season. Neshannock scored five runs in the fifth inning to pull away from South Williamsport.

 The North Allegheny boys volleyball team spent two years out off the top stage of PIAA volleyball. But the Tigers showed that their program is once again one everyone in the state needs to be worried about. In a battle between two teams that were ranked in the top five of Class 3A all season, North Allegheny knocked out District 3 runner-up Central York in five sets Tuesday night.

The Tigers won 26-24,16-25, 25-21, 21-25 and 15-12. Brendan Moore led North Allegheny with 17 kills, while Will Robertson had 15.

The Tigers, who won the WPIAL this season, last played in the state championship match in 2022. North Allegheny won its fourth state title in five years back in 2022 when it took out Central Dauphin in four sets.

Josh Rizzo is the editor and publisher of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges.

Gavin Kelly didn't have his best game at West Virginia during the NCAA Clemson Regional Sunday. However, Kelly, a Pittsburgh Central Catholic graduate, delivered with a key hit in the eighth inning to help West Virginia come-from-behind to beat Kentucky and advance to the Super Regionals.

Kelly, who was 0-for-4, stepped up to the plate and laced a single to shallow left-center field, cutting the Mountaineers' deficit to 12-10. West Virginia entered the eighth inning trailing 12-7. The Mountaineers plated six runs in the inning to steal the game.

West Virginia trailed for a majority of the game. Logan Sauve hit a solo home run in the first inning to put West Virginia (44-14) ahead. Kentucky surged out to a 6-1 lead by the top of the fourth inning. The Mountaineers rallied with six runs in the bottom of that inning to go back ahead 7-6 when Sauve grounded out to the pitcher.

This was the second consecutive year West Virginia won a regional crown.

Josh Rizzo is the editor and publisher of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges.

(tThe WPIAL Class 2A and 3A boys volleyball championships were contested Saturday afternoon at Peters Township High School. No one should have been surprised at the results. North Allegheny won its 23rd district title in school history.

The Tigers dropped the first set to Seneca Valley, but rallied to win the next three. The Raiders have been knocking on door for 10 years, but haven't been able to win a final. Seneca Valley lost in 2015 to Fox Chapel and in 2021, 2022 and this year to North Allegheny.

The Titans' rise to power came a the result of a decade-long rebuild by coach Paul Stadelman. The Titans graduated all 12 players from last season's state championship team, but still had enough to win a district title this year when its numbers dropped the program to Class 2A.

If Shaler, which has won three consecutive crowns, they could inch closer to the top of the list for most titles.

Most WPIAL boys volleyball championships
1. North Allegheny    23
2. Homestead           14*    
3. Penn Hills             13
4. Ambridge              10
5. Coraopolis              6*
6(t). Deer Lakes          4
6(t). Monessen            4
6(t). Montour              4
9(t). Mt. Lebanon        3
9(t). Plum                   3
9(t). Shaler                 3
9(t). Swissvale             3*
*School has been closed and consolidated with other districts.

The top spots in the Week 8 poll remain unchanged in the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Week 8 rankings. Meadville maintained the top spot in Class 2A, while Cumberland Valley is at the top of 3A.

A pair of District 3 teams: Brandywine Heights Area and Northeastern, moved into the top 10 in Class 2A and 3A, respectively. 

Here's a look at the top 10 for each class:

                                        Class 3A
              Team                   District           Previous Ranking

1. Cumberland Valley         3                           1
2. North Allegheny             7                           2
3. Seneca Valley                 7                           4 
4. Governor Mifflin             3                           5
5. Central York                   3                           3
6. Emmaus                        11                          7
7. Cedar Crest                    3                           8
8. Warwick                         3                           6
9. Northeastern                  3                          N/A
10. Central Dauphin              3                           9     

                                        Class 2A
              Team                   District           Previous Ranking

1. Meadville                       10                           1
2. Manheim Central              3                           2
3. Shaler                              7                           4 
4. York Suburban                  3                           3
5. Holy Redeemer                 2                          5
6. Seton LaSalle                    7                          6
7. Saegertown                     10                         7
8. Ambridge                          7                          8
9. South Fayette                   7                         10
10. Brandwine Heights Area     3                         N/A     

The Woodland Hills girls flag football team recorded another shutout by beating Penn Hills 25-0 at Yuhas-McGinley Stadium.

Woodland Hills and Latrob picked up a pair of wins on Sunday at Woodland Hills. The games were moved to Woodland Hills High School from the Wolvarena.
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The true test of the success of any program is what happens after a run of great players go through the program. The Shaler boys volleyball team were the PIAA Class 3A champions last season. The Titans lost more than 10 seniors from last year's team and are off to a 3-1 start this season.

While Shaler still has a long ways to go to prove it deserves a spot in the state rankings, there will be plenty of opportunities for the Titans to prove themselves. Shaler, the two-time defending WPIAL Class 3A champions, are in a section with Mars, which won the 2A crown last year.

​Read about the Titans journey thus far on SBLive.

​Josh Rizzo is the editor and publisher of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges. Story ideas can be sent to [email protected] or on X @J_oshrizzo.

Jordyn Fouse was the start of the 51st annual Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic. The Bishop McCort senior wrestled two matches and won them both. She is one her way to big things during her post high school career. But the event is a celebration of wrestling.

All-Star games are difficult to do well. Often times, many athletes who compete in them have their mind on other things or are more risk averse due to the injury risk. But that's not how wrestlers are generally wired. The top wrestlers competed to try and test themselves.

The Pennsylvania women's team, WPIAL team and U.S. all-star team all came away with wins. Check out my stories on the three matches on various news outlets.

Josh Rizzo is the editor and publisher of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X @J_oshrizzo.

The Franklin Regional baseball team completed a two-game sweep of Penn Hills by collecting a four-inning, 18-0 win in Section 3-5A action Wednesday on the road. Panthers pitcher Jonah Willochell didn't allow allowed one hit and struck out 10 batters.

Narayan Ramchan led Franklin Regional by smashing a home run to center field in the first inning. Ramchan collected two hits and had a game-high five RBIs. Anthony Mitchell and Brady Yarabinetz also drove in three runs apieces for Franklin Regional.

Anthony Sipple had the lone hit for the Indians.

Josh Rizzo is the editor and publisher of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges. Story ideas can be submitted to [email protected] or on X @J_oshrizzo.