According to the state's Class 4A/5A-II volleyball power points, Sahuaro is not considered Arizona's team to beat. But according to the Cougars, the seeding doesn't tell their whole story.
After sweeping Rincon/University in three games (25-17, 25-23, 25-19) on the Cougars' home court to take the Kino championship Thursday, several Sahuaro players talked about needing to reclaim the confidence they owned during their run as the No. 1 team in the state earlier this year.
"It seems like we had one bad match and then all of a sudden we're not the top team anymore," said Sahuaro outside hitter Josh Harner, referring to a loss to Sabino two weeks ago that eventually shifted the Cougars from the No. 1 spot to No. 2 in power points.
"But we have the same amount of wins as (current No. 1 Catalina Foothills) and played in a tougher region. We wanted to make a statement that we're still on top."
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After cruising to a 25-17 win in the opening game, Sahuaro found itself trailing 22-21 late in Game 2 before the Cougars reeled off four of the next five points. Colin Kennedy capped it with a game-winning kill.
With the Cougars leading 20-16 in the finale, Harner laced two aces to stifle the Rangers' comeback bid.
● Catalina Foothills 3, Canyon del Oro 0 (25-11, 25-19, 25-12): At Sahuaro, the checklist of reasons to tag two-time defending state champ Foothills as the favorite this year grew longer as the Falcons routed CDO for the Sonoran Region title.
Foothills is already the owner of the Sonoran regular-season championship (going undefeated en route), winners of 14 straight matches and likely will be the No. 1 seed when state playoff action starts Tuesday.
Yet following the blowout of the Dorados — a team the Falcons could be facing in the first round — Foothills wasn't buying its own hype.
"We're really good this year, but I don't think people are definitely expecting us to win a state title like last year," said Foothills outside hitter Sam Magill, who had a match-high three aces to go along with seven kills.
"We lost a lot of stars. We're not the team everyone is gunning for anymore, and we like it that way."
● Catalina 3, Santa Rita 0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-19): At Sahuaro, in order to offset the aggressive 6-foot-5-inch Santa Rita frontline combo of Adam Fridley and Byron Morgan, Catalina coach Heather Moore-Martin countered with a duo of 5-foot-11-inch middle blockers built more like middle linebackers.
Catalina junior Kevin Rountree, a lineman on the Trojans' football team, combined with bulky freshman Marcellius Gibbs to slow down the high-flying Eagles hitters, leading the Trojans to a sweep in the 4A Gila finals.
"They are both very technically sound, and they can't be moved," said Moore-Martin.
"You can't flail around as a middle blocker, and those guys don't get out of their element. They're strong in the middle."
Rountree and Gibbs paced the Trojans with two blocks apiece.
Catalina entered the evening No. 6 in power points, likely setting up a home matchup with Ironwood Ridge in the opening round of state.
