WPIAL boys volleyball section matches pick up in earnest Thursday with nine such contests on the road to the Class 2A and Class 3A playoffs.

There also will be nonsection matches throughout the week as teams continue to ramp up their early season resumes and quality of play.

North Allegheny and Shaler both kept their No. 1 positions for Class 3A and Class 2A, respectively, in the Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association top-10 polls released Monday morning.

Seneca Valley, Pine-Richland and Butler are ranked second through fourth this week. Mt. Lebanon is the big mover from last week to now, jumping from ninth to fifth in the Class 3A poll.

The Blue Devils went 5-3 in preliminary round games at Saturday’s North Allegheny tournament and beat Canon-McMillan in the quarterfinals before falling to runner-up Manheim Central in the semifinals.

North Allegheny defended home court in winning its tournament, while Pine-Richland captured the title at the Norwin tournament.

Upper St. Clair moved up two spots to No. 6 this week, and Penn-Trafford is seventh, and Canon-Mac eighth.

Norwin (ninth) and Baldwin (10th) both moved into the Class 3A rankings.

There wasn’t much change in Class 2A, but Our Lady of the Sacred Heart moved into the top 10 at No. 10, replacing last week’s No. 10, North Catholic.

Shaler finished runner-up at Saturday’s Meadville tournament, battling the hosts down to the wire before falling, 25-21, in the title game.

Class 2A No. 2 Seton LaSalle made it to the semifinals of the North Allegheny tournament before falling to the host Tigers. The Rebels’ path to the semifinals included a first-round win over No. 4 Ambridge.

South Fayette continues its strong early season play and maintains its No. 3 position.

Thomas Jefferson, which won the Fox Chapel tournament March 14 and won the silver bracket title at Saturday’s Norwin tournament is No. 5 in this week’s Class 2A rankings.

The rest of the Class 2A top 10 has Montour at No. 6, Hopewell at No. 7, Derry at No. 8, Deer Lakes at No. 9 and OLSH at No. 10.

Each week throughout the season, all 45 boys volleyball head coaches have the opportunity to cast a ballot for the top-10 rankings and also nominate players for each classification’s players of the week.

Western Pa. Volleyball Coaches Association

Top 10 Coaches Polls – Week 2

Class 3A

1. North Allegheny (last week: 1)

2. Seneca Valley (2)

3. Pine-Richland (4)

4. Butler (3)

5. Mt. Lebanon (9)

6. Upper St. Clair (8)

7. Penn-Trafford (6)

8. Canon-McMillan (7)

9. Norwin (NR)

10. Baldwin (NR)

Out: Hempfield (5), Latrobe (10)

Class 3A Players of the Week

Peter Bratich, senior, middle hitter, North Allegheny

Alex Kelly, senior, outside hitter, Baldwin

Ben Ward, senior, libero, Pine-Richland

Cooper Wertz, senior, libero, Mt. Lebanon

Class 2A

1. Shaler (last week: 1)

2. Seton LaSalle (2)

3. South Fayette (3)

4. Ambridge (4)

5. Thomas Jefferson (5)

6. Montour (6)

7. Hopewell (8)

8. Derry (7)

9. Deer Lakes (9)

10. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (NR)

Out: North Catholic (10)

Class 2A Players of the Week

Alex Alvarado, senior, outside hitter, Hopewell

Dilsher Goraya, senior, outside hitter, South Fayette

Rex Ranier, junior, libero, North Catholic

Declan Sipe, senior, outside hitter, Seton LaSalle