Shaler boys volleyball team wants ranking to live up to their reputation

The Titans, who suffered heavy losses to graduation, are ranked in the top 10 in the state in Class 2A after a 3-1 start to the season. Shaler has collected two wins over Class 3A competition thus far

North Hills' Brady Davidson, left, attempts to push the volleyball past Shaler sophomore outsider hitter/right-side Krisztian Walker Monday night at Shaler High School. The Titans swept the Indians. / Josh Rizzo

SHALER TWP, Pa.  — Paul Stadelman saw the culmination of a decade of hard work pay off last spring when the Shaler Area boys volleyball team won the program’s first PIAA Class 3A title. 

The Titans coach also knew the ensuing season would be one where the next generation of players would have to burnish the program’s burgeoning reputation.

Shaler lost 11 seniors from the championship team to graduation.

The Titans, who dropped to Class 2A for this two-year enrollment cycle, have seen a lot of new players quickly adapt to their new roles on varsity. Shaler is off to a 3-1 start and is ranked No. 6 in the state by the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association.

“I think a lot of what’s happening right now is that we’re riding a lot on reputation, but that doesn’t mean these guys can’t earn it,” Stadelman said. “That doesn’t mean they can’t take that reputation and take whatever people think a ranking is and turn it into a reality. We won’t know until the end of the year what the real rankings are.”

The Titans have the blueprint from the past to keep things on track. Five-foot-9 senior libero Justin Truong wants to follow along properly.

“Honestly, it’s really hard,” Truong said. “There’s a standard set every day for practice. We have to work. Coach Stadelman lets us know when we aren’t working at our best.”

Shaler sophomore middle blocker Brandon Aryee, left, and senior outside hitter Jacob Crissman, right, put up a block during Shaler's win over North Hills Monday night. / Josh Rizzo

Trying to Maintain Tradition

Truong, who leads the team with 62 digs and 16 aces, felt connected with the program from a young age. He first started playing volleyball in fourth grade.

“We used to have the Shaler camps back in the day,” Truong said. “I played a lot with the seniors and we just had fun.”

Truong wants to help the Titans navigate a section that includes defending 2A champion Mars, as well as title contender North Catholic.

When the Titans dropped a classification, Stadelman didn’t want to soften up the schedule. Shaler found a way to schedule matches with former 3A section rivals North Allegheny, Pine-Richland and North Hills. The Titans also have a match lined up with Central York, which is currently the No. 3-ranked team in 3A.

“That’s why we are still trying to schedule out matches with NA, Pine-Richland and North Hills,” Stadelman said. “Being in 2A is a little bit different, we are still getting used to the teams. Amrbidge and Mars are two solid teams that we’ve seen so far.”

North Allegheny provided wake-up call

The Titans spent many years taking their lumps in a brutal section before reaching the top of the mountain.

Shaler halted long-time section tormentor North Allegheny’s streak of five straight WPIAL crowns, which was only previously paused by the pandemic in 2020, when it beat the Tigers to win their first-ever championship in 2023.

North Allegheny, which is ranked second in the state, swept Shaler to open the season.

“Playing against NA was probably the best game we could have opened up against,” said senior outside hitter Nathan Myers, who leads Shaler with 28 kills. “They’re a great team. It showed us what we needed to work on and stuff we needed to do further on in the season.”

Building Confidence

The Titans most recently beat former section rival North Hills in straight sets, 25-17, 25-18, 25-18 Monday night at home. Jacob Crissman and Myers tied for a team-high eight kills against the Indians. 

Trunog said he was happy with how Shaler turned things around after struggling to serve consistently in the second set.

“It’s our camaraderie as a team,” said Truong, who had a team-high 19 digs against North Hills. “Sometimes we slack and we have to keep each other on our heels.”

The Titans, who are two-time defending section champions, opened section play by sweeping Aquinas Academy.

Six-foot-2 senior setter Aiden Smith has quarterbacked the Titans’ offense by handing out 93 assists. Richard O’Brien and Adam Hoffman have provided depth for Shaler’s hitting, contributing 17 kills apiece.

Shaler's Nathan Myers, right, leads the Titans with 28 kills this season. / Josh Rizzo

Earning their number

Myers doesn’t want to back away from having high expectations. Shaler hasn’t shied away after entering the state rankings for the first time this week. The Titans only had to shift their mindset.

“Even if you are the hunted, you have to act like the hunter,” Myers said. “We have to keep chasing.”

Stadelman also has stressed being down a classification won’t make life any easier. Getting wins early in the season was good to boost confidence.

Collecting wins in section and the postseason will provide a true validation of where this team's potential is.

“There was a dip,” Stadelman said. “But it’s not a valley. It’s just a dip where we’re climbing back up and improving toward whatever our maximum level is going to be by the end of the season. The guys are working hard every day to get a little bit better and change their trajectory.”

-- Josh Rizzo | Rizzo42789@gmail.com | @J_oshrizzo