Freeport girls volleyball team ready to defend WPIAL, PIAA crowns

By: Michael Love
Monday, August 28, 2023 | 10:09 PM

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Every year around this time, Tom Phillips sees the landscape of WPIAL girls volleyball, both overall and in his classification, and knows his team is the hunted.

The Freeport coach, now in his 23rd year, knows it especially is the case in 2023 as a host of teams hope to dethrone the Yellowjackets after they captured WPIAL and PIAA gold last season.

But Phillips knows his team — which, he said, put in a great deal of work over the summer with leagues, camps, open gyms and CrossFit workouts — will be ready for each challenge. A core of six starters and others ready to step up, he said, are excited for their title defenses.

“The girls know we have a target on our backs for every match, and they take pride in knowing that they have to be at their very best to overcome each challenge,” Phillips said.

“Any gym we go into or whoever comes to our gym, we expect our opponents’ very best. Seeing this team at its best, it can be really dynamic. There are weapons all over the court.”

Before the program could focus on preparation for 2023, it had to say farewell to a successful group of seniors that included two-time all-state setter Cassidy Dell and senior libero Ava Soilis. Also graduated were middle hitter Hadley Helgre and outside hitter Natalie Volek.

Senior 6-foot-2 middle hitter Josie Russo, senior outside hitter Sydney Selker, senior middle hitter Autumn English and senior setter and opposite hitter Grace Beach are team captains and will help form a core of returning starters that also includes junior outside hitter Alaina Whitlinger and junior outside/right side hitter Leah Schrecongost.

“That is a legit group who owns a lot of experience,” Phillips said.

Russo is a big presence at the net. She earned All-WPIAL and all-state recognition last year.

English missed most of the season because of a foot injury, but she came back and played in the PIAA semifinal and championship matches against District 6 champion Philipsburg-Osceola and District 3 champion York Catholic, respectively.

“Autumn is one of the best blockers on our team,” Phillips said. “Having her back is a big positive for us.”

The Yellowjackets were dominant in the state title game at Cumberland Valley High School, topping York Catholic in three sets, 25-21, 25-15 and 25-18.

Sydney Selker is coming off a busy summer that included a verbal commitment to play softball at Division I Akron.

Beach will have an increased role as the team’s primary setter, and Phillips said she also will get a chance to block and hit at the net.

“Grace has been working really hard and has taken over the reins for Cassidy,” Phillips said. “She’s been getting better every single day.”

Phillips said there has been strong competition to fill the libero position.

Freeport hopes to meet the challenge of Section 5-2A foes Apollo-Ridge, Ligonier Valley, Derry, Burrell, Neighborhood Academy, Deer Lakes, Valley and Apollo-Ridge. The Yellowjackets went 14-0 in section last year to capture their 18th consecutive section title.

Freeport has won 22 straight section matches dating to 2021 when it was in Class 3A and shared the Section 5 title with Hampton.

“Our goals never change from year to year, and we know each team in the section wants to knock us off,” Phillips said. “But the girls take the section-title streak very seriously. We can’t take anything for granted, whether it be in the section or in the playoffs.”

Freeport tested itself in the preseason with scrimmage work against Butler, Knoch, Moon, Quaker Valley, Seneca Valley and Kiski Area.

The Yellowjackets kicked off their season Monday with a 3-0 victory at home over defending Section 2-2A champion South Park. The 2022 WPIAL quarterfinalist Eagles are one of the top-ranked Class 2A teams in the WPIAL entering the season.

The match originally was to be against North Allegheny in the second of a home-and-home series started last year, but the contest fell through.

“South Park is a really strong team rated in the top five, and I am glad we were able to get connected and have this match,” Phillips said.

The Yellowjackets are off the rest of the week before taking part in Saturday’s Franklin Regional Tournament. Last year’s tournament was fruitful for Freeport as it captured the title with a one-game win over South Park in the semifinals and a one-game victory over Penn-Trafford in the finals.

Pack the Park

Mother Nature didn’t cooperate last year as the Pack the Park outdoor game between Kiski Area and Norwin, scheduled for Kennedy Park in Vandergrift, became an indoor event at Kiski Area High School because of rain.

According to the Weather Channel forecast for Tuesday evening, there was a 35% chance of rain as the Cavaliers and Knights hope to meet on the Ellen Toy Grass Court.

“If things turn ugly tomorrow, we will be ready to go inside,” match organizer Tim Toy said Monday.

“We’re all hoping for the best but preparing for what could come. The big thing is we want to celebrate the opening of the season. The kids love to play outside. It was a special event outside two years ago. We hope that (this evening) is nice. I will take those odds that it will be dry.”

The JV match at Kennedy Park is set for 5 p.m. with the varsity match to follow.

Pack the Park helps to raise funds each year for the We Serve First Foundation, started with the help of Tim Toy to honor the memory and legacy of his late wife, Ellen Toy, who coached volleyball for many years at Kiski Area and other schools in the Alle-Kiski Valley.

Toy said he expects a big crowd for the match.

Norwin, under the direction of coach Mary Ellen Ferragonio, a longtime friend and coaching colleague of Ellen, won the inaugural Pack the Park match, 3-1, in 2021.

Kiski Area outlasted Norwin, 3-2, last year at the high school.

The Knights went on to make the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs, while Kiski Area fell one win short of a Class 3A playoff spot in Section 5.

Kiski Area, under the direction of first-year coach Dakoda Fickes, boasts a 10-member senior class and returns six starters: seniors Cora Coleman (setter), Abbie Johns (outside hitter), Isabella Delia (outside hitter), Izzy Ondish (middle hitter), Chloe Welshans (outside/middle hitter), and Maddie Joyce (libero).

Joyce earned Section 5 second-team all-star honors.

Norwin is very experienced, with 12 players who garnered starting time last year.

Ferragonio is in her 18th season as coach of the Knights.

Senior 6-1 hitter Lauren Palangio is back after garnering all-section honors last year.

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: Freeport