The Shaler boys volleyball program arrived at the top of the WPIAL boys volleyball mountain four years ago. Coach Paul Stadelman set the expectation that the Titans would stay there.
It was an emphatic proclamation from a coach demanding high standards. While the faces and names have changed, Stadelman again watched as a new group of Titans lifted the Class 2A trophy after knocking off a worthy challenger in No. 2 South Fayette, 19-25, 25-19, 25-23 and 25-19, on Wednesday night at AHN Arena at Peters Township.
The Titans became the sixth program in WPIAL history to win four consecutive championships in boys volleyball, with the last two coming in 2A after they won back-to-back 3A crowns, including the state championship in 2024.
“When you turn over kids and you talk to them about the culture and the expectations and you know where we’ve been, that’s a lot of pressure to put on freshmen and sophomores on the court,” Stadelman said. “They know where the program is, they know where the program has been the past few years, and the kids naturally feel the pressure to keep it at that level.”
Shaler senior Adam Hoffman looked forward to wearing all four of his WPIAL medals at graduation. Hoffman, who finished with seven kills and four blocks, said he didn’t have the words to describe how he was feeling.
“That I’m a senior and it was my last run,” Hoffman said. “There’s a sense of finality, so it can end at any time, but we’re going to keep going.”
The Titans needed their culture of high expectations to tame the Lions (17-1). South Fayette kept Shaler honest with a blistering attack.
Arya Pamecha had six kills and a block in the first set to help the Lions gain the early advantage. Pamecha finished with 19 kills, while Dilsher Goraya, who was strong on the service line, had 19 kills and four aces.
Jayadev Reddy handed out 42 assists for South Fayette.
Lions coach Scott Sundgren was pleased with how the team opened up. This was the first time South Fayette reached the WPIAL final.
“You gotta get to the show, right?” Sundgren said. “You have to understand how to play in the show. I think they did a great job. They came out and played hard. I’m not sure Shaler was dialed in. We talked about that going into the second set. We knew the second set wasn’t going to be easy.”
The Titans bounced back in the second set thanks to an improved block, led by Brandon Aryee, who finished with 10 blocks and seven kills. Richie O’Brien finished with a team-high 10 kills for Shaler.
Trevor Planz handed out 39 assists.
“We started having a little more of a game plan after the first set, seeing what to do,” Aryee said. “We came in and got the block in. I got a little bigger and spread my hands out and we got some more blocks.”’
The third set was tense. It was even at 23 following an attack error by Shaler. A service error by South Fayette followed by a kill from Aryee handed the Titans the set.
In the fifth set, Shaler broke things open with a 5-0 run that stretched its lead to 10-5.
The Titans kept the pressure on to deliver the program its fourth title.
Shaler never planned for anything to be any different.
“It causes them to get better,” Stadelman said. “When you give kids high expectations, within reason, and there are high points to reach, they rise to the occasion. That’s what these guys did.”