Paige Miller has been a member of North Allegheny’s starting lineup since the first match of her freshman season. The Tigers have lost only one match in her four seasons as an outside hitter and defensive specialist.
“It’s surreal to think that my high school career is almost over,” said Miller, a 5-foot-11 senior. “I couldn’t have asked for a better success rate.”
North Allegheny has posted an 87-1 record during Miller’s career. The Tigers only setback during her four years was a 3-2 loss to Canon-McMillan in the 2019 WPIAL final, which ended a 66-match winning streak.
“We’ve treated every match this season like it could be our last,” said Miller, who has collected three WPIAL gold medals and three PIAA gold meals during her career. “We all recognize that we want to get that fourth title. Now we have that chance.”
North Allegheny has a chance to join an exclusive club when it faces District 1 champion Unionville in Saturday’s PIAA Class 4A title match at 6 p.m. at Cumberland Valley High School.
Only two schools have won four consecutive PIAA titles. Norwin achieved the feat twice by winning eight consecutive Class 3A titles from 1976-83. Merion Mercy became the second with four Class 2A titles from 2007-2010. North Allegheny can become the third.
“I’m not familiar with Unionville, but we are familiar with District 1 volleyball,” said Tigers coach Heidi Miller, Paige’s mother. “We faced Bishop Shanahan the last three years in the finals, so this will be the fourth year in a row that we’ve faced a District 1 team. We’re expecting a stiff challenge.”
North Allegheny (17-0) is making its ninth appearance in the PIAA finals and has won six previous titles. The Tigers earned their title berth with wins against District 10 champion Erie McDowell, 3-0 in the quarterfinals, and Landisville Hempfield, 3-2 in the semifinals.
Unionville (14-0), located in Kennett Square, is making its title match debut. The Indians advanced to the finals with wins against District 12 champ Archbishop Carroll, 3-0 in the quarterfinals, and District 11 champ Parkland, 3-1 in the semifinals.
Miller, a Mercyhurst University recruit, is one of five Tigers who were voted all-WPIAL Class 4A. She was joined on the first team by setter Paige Morningstar and outside hitter Mia Tuman. Libero Caroline Curran and middle hitter Jayden Perkins were voted to the second team.
Class 3A
Franklin Regional will join North Allegheny at Cumberland Valley. The Panthers will make their title match debut against District 11 champion Bethlethem Catholic in the PIAA Class 3A final at 3:30 p.m.
“Knowing what we had coming back from last year’s team, I knew this group of girls was capable of big things,” Franklin Regional coach Mike Feorene said. “It’s very emotional to see how far we’ve come in such a short time. In 2017, we didn’t win a match. Now we’re WPIAL champs and have a chance to become a PIAA champion.”
Franklin Regional (18-2) earned its berth with wins against District 6 champion Bellefonte, 3-0 in the quarterfinals, and District 10 champ DuBois, 3-0 in the semifinals.
“I’ve been fortunate to get some great athletes,” Feorene said. “I’m also fortunate to have a great assistant coach. Emily Wetzler has done a great job working with our younger kids.”
Bethlehem Catholic (16-0) is making its fourth trip to the finals and first since 2014 with wins against District 12 champion Cardinal O’Hara, 3-0 in the first round, District 1 champ Pope John Paul II, 3-1 in the quarterfinals, and District 3 champ York Suburban, 3-1 in the semifinals.
Franklin Regional is led by DePaul recruit Aly Kindelberger, who is considered one of the top middle hitters in the state. Kindelberger and libero Alexa Feorene were voted all-WPIAL Class 3A first team.
Falling short
North Catholic and Bishop Canevin fell one win short of a title berth. North Catholic (19-1), the defending Class 2A champion, dropped a 3-1 decision to District 6 champion Philipsburg-Osceola in the semifinals. Bishop Canevin lost, 3-0, in the Class 1A semifinals to Clarion.
“We came up short, but I’m beyond grateful that we were able to get this far when you consider all the COVID-19 concerns we dealt with all year,” North Catholic coach Amanda Fetter said. “I’m very proud of my girls. We have a very young squad so I’m very excited with my group going forward.”
Philipsburg-Osceola (20-0) will make its first title appearance against Camp Hill Trinity (16-0), the District 3 champion, in the Class 2A final at 1 p.m. Clarion (23-0) will face District 11 champion Marian Catholic (14-2) in the Class 1A title match at 10:30 a.m.
First Published: November 20, 2020, 10:30 a.m.
