Arizona high school beach volleyball: Can anyone stop O'Connor, Salpointe?
The Arizona girls' high school beach volleyball season is well underway. Both Division I and II have been dominated by Sandra Day O'Connor and Salpointe Catholic, but there are a couple of teams looking to play spoiler for this season. Here's a look at who could contend for a championship this season:
Division I
Sandra Day O'Connor dominated Division I in 2023, finishing with a perfect 13-0 record. They transitioned that dominance into the playoffs, losing only two matches in the entire playoff format as they were able to defend their title.
The Eagles are off to another strong start this season, with a 5-0 record as of Wednesday, sweeping each AIA match so far by 5-0 scores. The Eagles will aim to become the second team in girls' beach volleyball history to achieve a three-peat, with Xavier Prep setting the mark by winning six consecutive titles.
The Republic's 2022-23 All-Arizona high school beach volleyball team highlighted four O'Connor players. Making a return to the 2024 season is O'Connor's top pairing, the Division 1 AIA state pairs champions, Piper Rama and Devyn Wiest. The duo performed a perfect 16-0 regular season record in 2023.
This year is looking competitive in Division I. Queen Creek, last year's runner-up, looks to bounce back from the championship loss. The Bulldogs are currently undefeated with a 5-0 record as of Wednesday. They are also undefeated in the pair's flight, with Tatum Riggs and Elle Evers cruising with a 5-0 record, only losing two sets.
Xavier Prep is another dominant program that could have something to say in D-I. The Gators sit at a 6-1 record as of Wednesday, with their only loss coming to O'Connor on Feb. 26. Senior Trinity Tran and sophomore Kate MacDonald leading the way in the pair's flight for the Gators.
Highland is one of the sneaky teams midway into the season. Currently undefeated and sitting with a 6-0 record, the Hawks are ready to adapt for the second half of the season and redeem last year's loss in the semifinals against Queen Creek. The Hawks hold first place in their section, just above Queen Creek and will face them on April 3.
Other teams to watch: Desert Vista (4-1), Millennium (6-1), Verrado (4-1), Willow Canyon (4-2), Casteel (4-2), Desert Mountain (4-0), Sunnyslope (5-1), Notre Dame Prep (5-1), Chaparral (4-2), Desert Ridge (4-0), Williams Field (4-2), Red Mountain (4-2).
Division II
Division II has been dominated by Tucson Salpointe Catholic. The Lancers won their third straight title in 2023 against Estrella Foothills after going undefeated. Salpointe looks to regroup this year after top payers Rylen Bourget and Jordan Faircloth graduated. Still, the Lancers started this season undefeated with a 5-0 record. And they had yet to lose a set, going 25-0 in all their matches through Wednesday.
Others to watch in D-II include Oro Valley's Canyon Del Oro. The Dorados opened with a 6-0 record and actually were ahead of Salpointe in their region this week. The teams face each other on April 1, a possible championship match preview.
Not to be overlooked are Scottsdale Saguaro and Phoenix Northwest Christian, with both teams opening 6-0. Right behind them is Phoenix Arcadia, which opened 5-0. All three teams will face each other in April.
Others to watch (records as of Wednesday): Gilbert Christian (4-1), Mesquite (6-0), AZ College Prep (4-1), Valley Christian (4-0), Payson (3-2), Agua Fria (3-2), Fountain Hills (5-1), Odyssey Institute (4-1), Cicero Prep (4-0), Rancho Solano Prep (4-1).
The AIA's initial beach volleyball rankings will be released on March 21, and updated through the remainder of the season to determine the final 16 teams to make each division tournament and the bracket seedings. The team playoff tournament begins April 16, with pairs competition beginning April 29.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona high school beach volleyball, what to expect
