‘Queens of the ‘Burgh’ volleyball tournament grows in popularity in 2nd year

By: Ray Fisher
Saturday, August 17, 2024 | 11:01 AM

The Sharks dominated at the second annual Queens of the ‘Burgh girls volleyball tournament.

The event took place Aug. 2-3 at the All American Field House in Monroeville and was open to all incoming high school junior and senior girls for the 2024-25 school year.

The Sharks beat last year’s champions, the Dukes, in the final round after defeating Miller Time in the semifinals.

Kennedy Christy, who has won back-to-back NCAA Division III titles with Juniata, coached the Sharks, who were led by Hampton’s Lily Muczinski, a talented 5-foot-9 junior setter.

Muczinski, the youngest player at last year’s tournament, received the Most Valuable Queen award and the crown that goes with it following this year’s event.

“I really loved this (Sharks) team. We rarely got down on ourselves or had negative energy,” Muczinski said. “Respectfully, our team did not have one ‘star’ player, but we just meshed so well it didn’t even matter. We were consistent with serving, passing and defense, which helped us win so many games. We only lost one set the whole day.

“I really could not say enough good things about my team and our coach. She did a wonderful job selecting us and coaching us through the tournament. And I really want to thank John Skarupa for organizing this amazing event. It was such a great and unique opportunity to play with some of the best girls in the WPIAL.”

Christy was a three-time all-state, all-WPIAL and all-section player at Knoch, where she led the Knights to a PIAA championship and three WPIAL titles.

The other players on the Sharks roster were defensive specialists Sydney Allen (Trinity), Ayla Altman (Bishop Canevin) and Addison Fowler (Seneca Valley), middle hitters Kaylie Baumgart (Chartiers Valley), a Duquesne commit, and Skyler Gates (Brownsville) and outside hitters Ava Arnold (Eden Christian), Karlee Buterbaugh (Knoch) and Eva Denis (Greensburg Central Catholic).

“We were able to play the Dukes in the championship match who were the reigning champions with the reigning queen, Kennady Martindale,” Muczinski said. “It was great to play against such a powerful team. We wanted revenge for the set that we lost to them earlier in the day. It was a great win and a great honor to be selected as the queen. I could not have done it without my teammates.”

The Dukes were coached by Duquesne’s Maggie Colenbrander, who competed in high school at Avonworth.

The Dukes defeated the Flashes in the semifinal round. Team members for the Dukes were defensive specialists Aubrey Bumblis (Beaver), Sidney Stevenson (Upper St. Clair) and Alaina Graham (Mars), middle hitters Kennady Martindale (Montour) and Taylor Ripple (Redbank Valley), outside hitters Natalie Meng (Avonworth) and Hannah Randolph (USC), right-side hitter Haley Trosky (West Allegheny) and setter Aliyah Angelici (USC).

Muczinski, who plays for the Rev 16W club team in the offseason, competed on a senior-driven Hampton squad last fall that captured the WPIAL Class 3A championship and finished second in the state.

“Last year was amazing,” Muczinski said. “We are hoping to repeat as (WPIAL) champions this year but know it will be challenging as we’ve lost eight seniors. Practices have been great so I’m excited for the season to begin.”

Miller Time’s team, coached by North Allegheny graduate Paige Miller from Mercyhurst, was comprised of DS Cheyenne Stipetich (Canon-McMillan) and Maria Piraino (Franklin Regional), MH Kailyn Connelly (Beaver), MH/RS Valerie Menke (Pine-Richland), Ashley Deniker (Latrobe) and Alaina Malobabich (Beaver), OH Rylee Wooldridge (Mars) and setters Mackenzie Dawson (Avonworth) and Camdynn Gonzalez (North Catholic).

Competing for the Flashes in the tournament were DS Ani Cree (Waynesburg), Madeline Joyce (Kiski Area) and Reagan Riordan (NA), MHs Ashlan Tosadori (Butler) and Olivia Thompson (Carlynton), OHs Emry Rumbaugh (Armstrong) and Jessica Farbacher (Knoch) and setters Avery Barrett (Baldwin), a Pitt-Johnstown commit, and Elina Antoniades (Moon).

Korrin Burns of St. Francis (Pa.) coached the Flashes team. Burns played in high school at Clarion.

John Skarupa, the event’s founder, and co-event directors Amanda Fetter and Laura Zewe formed the tournament’s planning committee.

The Queens of the ‘Burgh grew from 33 participants on four teams last summer to 55 on six teams this year.

“There was even competition throughout the event with many teams going point for point and going into a third set or extra points,” said Skarupa, girls volleyball coach at Avonworth. “We also introduced a 2027 ‘princess’ team comprised of some great young talent from across the WPIAL.”

The remaining two squads in this year’s Queens of the ‘Burgh tournament were the Wildcats and Princess teams.

The Wildcats were coached by Elizabeth Feczko of Villanova/North Catholic fame.

The team was comprised of DS Becca Feczko (North Catholic) and Sarah McShane (USC), MHs Claire Beaman (North Catholic), a John Carroll commit, and Lucy McCord (Mt. Lebanon), OHs Hayden Culp (USC) and Molly MacDonald (Quaker Valley), RS Alyssa Beltz (Oakland Catholic) and setters Keely McMahon-Regan (NA) and Bailey Rafferty (Waynesburg).

Princess team members were DS Kylee Partridge (South Fayette) and Luana Tripon (NA), MHs Clementine Dutot-Lucs (Avonworth), Alicia Mokube (NA) and Lizzie Myers (USC), OHs Aubrey Blank (Shaler), Julia Cernich (Avonworth) and Leah Clougherty (Mt. Lebanon) and setters Rachel Scharrer (USC) and Raegan Schwartz (North Catholic).

Ally Feczko, from Lafayette College and North Catholic, was the Princess coach.

A total of 34 schools were represented at this year’s tournament led by Upper St. Clair with seven players.

“The purpose of Queens was to spotlight the top players in the region and create an empowering event through a positive experience,” Skarupa said. “Most girls do not get the opportunity to play with specific players due to being enrolled at different high schools or club programs, so this gave the players a chance to be on the same team with someone from a different part of our district.”

NA, Avonworth and North Catholic were represented by four players while Beaver had three. Waynesburg, Knoch, Mt. Lebanon and Mars sent two players to the event.

Tags: Armstrong, Avonworth, Baldwin, Beaver, Butler, Canon-McMillan, Carlynton, Franklin Regional, Kiski Area, Knoch, Latrobe, Mars, Moon, Mt. lebanon, North Allegheny, North Catholic, Oakland Catholic, Pine-Richland, Shaler, South Fayette, Upper St. Clair, Waynesburg