T
he North Allegheny boys
volleyball team entered the
2016-2017 season ranked
No. 1 in the WPIAL, and ended the
season exactly the same way.
The Tigers proved their
dominance on the court once
again when they captured their
12th WPIAL title in a heated battle
against the Penn-Trafford Warriors,
the defending champions. The
Tigers bested the Warriors in a 3-0
win at Baldwin High School in May
to claim the title.
“This was an exceptionally
talented group of athletes,” says
Tigers head coach Dan Schall. “In
addition to their athleticism and
skill, they were fiercely competitive.
They were deeply committed to
being the best players and team they
could be, which extends beyond
the traditional season. They also
possessed a selflessness that is rare.
To accept roles—sometimes smaller
than ideal—there needed to be sacrifice and support for one
another.”
After beating Peters Township in the quarterfinal and Seneca
Valley in the semifinal match, the hard-won WPIAL title match
against Penn-Trafford was fraught with intense moments.
“In the final, we jumped on Penn-Trafford in set one, coasting
to a 25-10 win,” recounts Schall. “The second and third sets were
tightly contested, winning 25-22 and 25-23. We trailed 23-21 in
the third set before scoring four consecutive points to finish the
match.”
Junior Canyon Tuman put the final kill away for championship
point. Seniors Luke Visgitis and Danny Lebovitz were statistical
leaders, with 15 kills and 28 digs respectively.
Luke Visgitis, Eric Visgitis, Canyon Tuman and M.J. Barton
were voted to the first team WPIAL Class AAA All-Star team.
Danny Lebovitz and
Seth Russell were voted
to the second team
of the All-Star team,
while Jason Stiefvater
was voted to the third
team. Luke, Eric, M.J.
and Canyon also were
recognized as all-state
players.
“I’m in an incredibly
fortunate position
to coach and teach
kids in very formative
years of their lives.
It’s remarkable and
rewarding to see young
players trying the game
for the first time to elite players among the best in the country.
This maturity and transformation is continually impressive,” says
Schall.
The Tigers, who’ve been the Class AAA champions for 12 out
of the past 15 years, went on to battle Central York for the PIAA
title in June but suffered a 3-1 loss. The team has made it to the
PIAA championship a record 15 times, but this was the team’s
first appearance after a two-year absence.
“Reaching the state finals is never something to be taken for
granted, but we certainly hope that we’re one of the two teams
playing in the final match each year,” notes Schall. “The entire
journey of getting there was a rewarding experience that allowed
our players to fully test their ability and character.”
The Tigers ended the season with a nearly perfect 22-1 record.
Looking ahead to the 2017-2018 season this spring, Schall
expects last year’s
underclassmen to play
significant roles.
“Having experienced
the WPIAL title and
a trip to the state
final serves as a great
motivator,” he says.
“Our yearly goals
include being the best
we can possibly be and
enjoying this process—
doing those things
could lead again to a
very successful post-
season. If you ask any
one of the players, they
would like to take it one
step further.” n
North Allegheny | Fall 2017 | icmags.com 17