Most of Tom Phillips' team isn't old enough to drive.

The longtime Freeport volleyball coach has a serious youth movement on his hands after a slew of seniors, who helped the Yellowjackets win the WPIAL 2A title last season, graduated.

“I have nine freshmen — I have a very, very young team,” Phillips said. “I like my team, though. I like this team a lot.”

He likes it because those freshmen are supremely talented.

And athletic and tall.

Josie Russo and Addie Rusek are each over 6-foot. Sydney Selker can jump out of the gym.

There will be times when Freeport will have four freshmen, a sophomore and a junior on the court as it moves up from 2A to 3A.

“I may start four freshmen,” Phillips said. “In 20 years of coaching, I've only had four freshmen total who have started on my varsity team.”

Throw in sophomore setter Cassidy Dell and junior libero Erica Lampus, Freeport may still be a force despite its youth.

Phillips is very high on Dell.

“She's a real gem,” Phillips said. “She is probably further along right now than just about any setter I've ever had. Remember that name. She is going to be an unbelievable player. Big jump serve. Great defensive player. Smart. Very heady. She has worked her butt off through this pandemic. We are just in absolute awe watching her play.”

Lampus is the lone returning starter.

She was a libero last year, but will play all over this season.

“I think she was probably the best libero in the WPIAL last year,” Phillips said. “We took the libero jersey off Erica because she just does everything so well. She can swing. She can set. She can play middle. She can play anywhere you want her.”

Freeport isn't the only team looking to replace a slew of starters.

Like the Yellowjackets, Knoch won a state title in 2017 and has watched most of those key players leave via graduation.

The Knights will also share a section this season with Freeport.

“It's really different,” said Knoch coach Diane Geist. “We're mostly juniors and seniors on varsity, but these girls were overshadowed with nine seniors last year. They weren't able to crack the starting lineup, so it's more of an experience thing for them. What I tell them is this is your chance to shine.”

There are three starters back in seniors Quinn Hughes, Mykenzie Werner and Morgan Jack.

North Catholic, the defending 2A state champion, is also replacing a slew of seniors, led by Butler Eagle player of the year Dominique Felix.

“There's big shoes to fill,” said North Catholic coach Amanda Fetter, “but we're also blessed.”

The Trojanettes are blessed with returning starters in seniors Bella Madonna and Elizabeth Feczko. There's a youth movement at the net, led by Ali Feczko.

North Catholic still has designs on repeating as state champions.

In Butler, the Golden Tornado have designs on taking the next step in what is still a challenging section.

Senior Sophia Lucas, who has committed to play at the next level at Clarion University, is the anchor at libero. Junior Taylor Welter returns as a big threat at the net and Butler has some formidable middles in Justine Forbes, Maisy Gibson and Nilah Foley.

“(Sophia's) defense is very. very good,” said Butler coach Meghan Lucas. “She's going to make a huge impact.”

So will Welter, who has started since she was a freshman.

“She'll be our biggest offensive weapon we have this year because of her IQ of the game and the experience she's had now two years starting for me,” coach Lucas said.

Mars, which now finds itself in the same section as Knoch and Freeport, is hoping to reap the rewards of its own recent youth movement.

“We had two years in a row with only one senior,” said Mars coach Tami Caraway.

The Planets return a lot of experience this year.

Senior Sydney Bucknum is back at setter after breaking the school record for assists last season.

Bucknum was learning the position on the fly.

“I looked around the gym and saw Sydney,” Caraway said. “I asked, 'Would you consider setting? She did. For her, it was a big step and she works very, very hard.”

The Planets are big across the net with 6-foot-2 junior Ava Black, 5-11 Beth Long and 6-foot Katie Schlegel.

And they have designs on big things.

Another team that is thinking big this season is Seneca Valley.

After a year hiatus from the playoffs, the Raiders returned last season.

Leading the way is senior Sarah White, a three-time all-state performer.

White is heading to Ohio State University in January.

“For me, she's hands down the best player in the WPIAL,” said Seneca Valley coach Brett Poirier of White. “At the end of the day, there's nothing that kid can't do.”

The Raiders will also be buoyed by the return of Victoria Fowler, who has missed the last two years due to injury.

Whatever happens this season, volleyball will be different because of the coronavirus pandemic.

For better or worse.

“I've had a ton of college coaches contacting me saying they're going to recruit now because they don't have a season,” Meghan Lucas said. “They can never recruit during high school season. I really see this as a great opportunity for kids to be seen.”

Fetter said North Catholic is taking things day by day.

Geist is hoping her team seizes the day.

“Everything can end real quick with COVID,” she said.

Other players to watch: Butler: Megan Penrod, Bella Shook, Ava Plunkard; Knoch: Madison Raypush, Brynnae Coe; Slippery Rock: Tiffany Madison, Laney McClymonds, Makenna Shaner, Klara Wilson, Virginia Recchia; Seneca Valley: Riley Might, Mandy Alstman; A-C Valley: Meah Ielase ; Moniteau: Aslyn Pry, Logan Barnhart, Ivey Scott.