In Class 3A, Beaver has established itself as the clear early favorite, rolling through its first three matches and making a deep run at the Canon-McMillan Tournament. Oakland Catholic, Mars, and Chartiers Valley are chasing hard, while Freeport and others are waiting for their chance to break through. With so much firepower across the classification, the race to catch Beaver will be one of the stories of September.
1 – Beaver (3-0)
The Bobcats look strong early, with sweeps over Peters Township, Eden Christian, and Oak Glen (WV). At the Canon-McMillan tournament, Beaver knocked off Pine-Richland and Oakland Catholic before falling to Upper St. Clair in the championship. With Aubrey Bumblis anchoring the defense and Kailyn Connelly leading at the net, Beaver is proving they’re the team to beat in Class 3A.
2 – Oakland Catholic (4-0)
The Eagles are flying high with statement wins over Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, and Morgantown (WV), plus a section victory over Moon. They fell to Pine-Richland in the Canon-McMillan quarterfinals but bounced back by winning the Upper St. Clair Tournament, capped with a championship victory over Mars. With Josie Fontana leading the attack, Oakland Catholic is quickly building a case as a championship contender.
3 – Chartiers Valley (5-0)
The Colts are perfect in section play, with wins over West Allegheny and Trinity, plus non-section victories against Blackhawk, Quaker Valley, and Brentwood. They fell in the Canon-McMillan quarters and reached the Butler Tournament final before losing to Shaler. Payton Friburger continues to shine, making Chartiers Valley a dangerous team every time out.
4 – Mars (3-2)
Mars has shown flashes of top-tier form, with wins over Armstrong, Shaler, and Butler. Losses to Pine-Richland and North Catholic show they’re not invincible, but they rebounded with a strong run at the Upper St. Clair Tournament, beating North Allegheny in the semis before falling to Oakland Catholic in the championship. With Cecilia Christy and Rylee Woolridge leading the charge, Mars cannot be slept on.
5 – Freeport (3-1)
The Yellowjackets picked up quality wins and are showing grit at tournaments. They fell to Butler in four sets and bowed out in the Franklin Regional Tournament semis against Hempfield, but remain steady against section opponents. Freeport definitely has the experience to stay relevant in a deep Class 3A field.
On the Fringe
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Hampton (2-2) – Up-and-down so far, with a sweep loss to TJ but capable of pulling an upset.
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Thomas Jefferson (3-1) – Strong wins over Hampton, Belle Vernon, and Albert Gallatin keep them in the conversation.
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Indiana (4-0) – A perfect start, highlighted by a four-set win over Franklin Regional.
Games to Watch this Week
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Monday, Sept. 8 – Beaver at Upper St. Clair: A heavyweight showdown with major statement potential.
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Tuesday, Sept. 9 – Mars at Hampton: Both teams looking for traction in section play.
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Tuesday, Sept. 9 – Thomas Jefferson at Uniontown: TJ trying to stay in the mix after a solid opening stretch.
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Thursday, Sept. 11 – Chartiers Valley at Oakland Catholic: A clash of Top 5 teams that could shuffle the rankings.