Top notch: Hartman, Gates share H-S girls volleyball POY honors
Frazier’s Gracen Hartman is at the head of the class again.
The Lady Commodores senior shared the Herald-Standard All-Area Girls Volleyball Team Player of the Year honor last year and repeats that honor again in 2024.
Brownsville junior Skyler Gates joins Hartman as this season’s Co-Players of the Year.
Hartman is known as one of the best setters in the state but is an excellent all-around performer who also excels as an outside hitter and jump server and is a strong and intelligent team leader.
Gates, a Virginia recruit, was a force up front as the area’s best net player but increased her role this year by performing well in the back row as well. She totaled 330 kills, 122 blocks, 130 digs and evolved into a strong server as well with 57 aces in leading the Lady Falcons into the postseason.
Gates and Hartman were also two of six local players to be named All-State.
Frazier’s Mandy Hartman and Southmoreland’s Michelle Pergar are the H-S Co-Coaches of the Year.
Pergar guided the Lady Scotties into the WPIAL Class AA semifinals and to a win in the PIAA tournament, both program firsts. Southmoreland, which also claimed the Section 5-AA title, was 10-0 in section play and 17-6 overall.
Mandy Hartman, with a big lift from her daughter Gracen, led the Lady Commodores to their 17th section crown, the WPIAL Class A final and to their deepest run ever in the PIAA playoffs, reaching the final four. Frazier finished 8-0 in section play and 17-5 overall.
Waynesburg Central coach Dan Higanbotham was a Coach of the Year runner-up after leading the Lady Raiders to a perfect 17-0 regular season, including 14-0 in winning Section 2-AA, although his team fell in the first round of the playoffs.
In addition to Frazier, Southmoreland, Waynesburg and Brownsville, other local teams to qualify for the playoffs were Carmichaels, which won the Section 3-A title with a 10-0 mark while going 12-7 overall, Laurel Highlands, Albert Gallatin, Beth-Center, West Greene, Jefferson-Morgan and California.
The Fillies finished second in Section 3-AAA with a 9-3 mark and were 12-6 overall, and B-C placed second in Section 3-A behind the Lady Mikes with a 7-3 record and were 12-5 overall.
In addition to Gates and Hartman, other area players chosen to the All-State team were Frazier’s Grace Vaughn, Addison Schultz and Maddie Salisbury, and Waynesburg’s Bailey Rafferty.
Those six players were all members of the H-S First Team along with Laurel Highlands’ Ally Mattey, Southmoreland’s Riley Puckey, Taylor Doppelheuer, Zoey Welling and Ainsley Martin, Waynesburg’s Ani Cree, Frazier’s Addison Hiles, Carmichaels’ Bailey Barnyak, California’s Morgan Ross and West Greene’s Pieper Whipkey.
The full H-S All-Area Girls Volleyball Team follows:
Players of the Year: Skyler Gates, Brownsville; Gracen Hartman, Frazier
Coaches of the Year: Michelle Pergar, Southmoreland; Mandy Hartman, Frazier
First Team
Gracen Hartman, Grace Vaughn, Addison Schultz, Maddie Salisbury and Addison Hiles of Frazier; Skyler Gates of Brownsville; Bailey Rafferty and Ani Cree of Waynesburg Central; Riley Puckey, Taylor Doppelheuer, Zoey Welling and Ainsley Martin of Southmoreland; Ally Mattey of Laurel Highlands; Bailey Barnyak of Carmichaels; Morgan Ross of California; and Pieper Whipkey of West Greene.
Second Team
Makayla Etling of Southmoreland; Allie Monack of Frazier; Leah Myers, Mya Glisan and Mia Myers of Albert Gallatin; Jayna Fabery and Ayrianna Sumpter of Laurel Highlands; Nolace Petrosky and Mallory Clemmer of Geibel Catholic; Lily Show and Ella Detwiler of Connellsville; Ashley Evanchak and Payton Evanchak of Brownsville; Ryleigh Jose and Maggie Campbell of Uniontown.