Paul Stadelman doesn’t need to perform any espionage to scout the best Western Pennsylvania boys volleyball programs. The veteran Shaler boys volleyball boss — and coaches from other top programs — have sought each other out for years.
The top-seeded Titans, who are seeking their fourth consecutive WPIAL crown and second straight in Class 2A, hosted a tournament to end the regular season that featured North Allegheny, Meadville, Altoona, Seneca Valley and Cochranton.
Meadville eliminated Shaler in the PIAA semifinals last season. Stadelman said he has developed a good relationship with Bulldogs coach Nick Bancroft, who crossed the 100-win threshold last season.
“In 2019, when we were still in Class 3A, we used to go to the Cambridge Springs Tournament,” Stadelman said. “Meadville kind of took that over. They are a powerhouse program. I like playing the District 10 programs because they have a feisty, fast-paced culture around the district. A lot of the boys volleyball players there are playing the sport as a primary sport.”
The Titans (13-1, 8-0) didn’t win their tournament. North Allegheny knocked off Seneca Valley in the final. But Shaler was able to gain some valuable experience entering the postseason.
“I think all of the teams got good reps,” Stadelman said. “Every match was competitive. Every team does different things that are hard to mimic in practice.”
Shaler hasn’t lacked for success this season.
The Titans won the section crown with a group that leaned on its diverse attack. Middle hitter Richie O’Brien said the Titans have a good feel for what shots to hit.
In or out of the system, O’Brien said the team has a feel for things.
“It comes natural to us,” O’Brien said. “We can hit all the shots. Even if we are out of the system, we can place the ball where we want.”
Shaler won the WPIAL last season despite featuring a completely new lineup of players after suffering heavy losses from a state championship team. This year’s Titans didn’t quite have the numbers last year’s group did.
But the program’s expectations didn’t change.
“I think we handle the pressure well,” middle hitter Brandon Aryee said. “It’s part of our culture. We have the confidence going into every game that we are going to be able to execute.”
Aryee has been challenged to approach the game in different ways. He was asked to pick up hitting from the outside.
“It gave me a chance to see a different lineup,” Aryee said. “It showed that sometimes in volleyball you have to be thrown out there to learn. I think I learned how to hit the right shot.”