The Republic's Super 10: Girls' Arizona high school volleyball rankings
This weekend’s Nike Tournament of Champions will no doubt re-shape the state’s volleyball landscape, as it does every year. As usual, the regular season’s biggest tournament is packed with top teams from Arizona and beyond.
But until then, here are The Republic’s top 10 teams in the state:
1. Phoenix Xavier Prep, 13-2
The Gators did lose twice over the weekend. But they did so by going 5-2 against elite opposition at the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas — a performance that should be viewed positively. The two teams they lost to are a pair of California powerhouses that are a combined 46-6 this season. Plus, this team beat Tempe Corona del Sol in straight sets back on Sept. 14.
2. Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor, 16-1
O’Connor’s perfect season came to an end on Sept. 15 when they dropped a five-set heartbreaker to Phoenix Sunnyslope. They followed that setback, though, with three-set wins over Phoenix Pinnacle and Surprise Valley Vista.
3. Goodyear Millennium, 15-1
It’s been a ho-hum two weeks for Millennium since its impressive 3-0 win over Scottsdale Horizon on Sept. 13. With a 5A schedule ahead of them, the Tournament of Champions will be the Tigers’ biggest test of the year.
4. Tempe Corona del Sol, 16-3
Losing to Xavier Prep in straight sets was no doubt a setback for a team that has designs on going back-to-back in 6A. But it’s a long season and the Aztecs rebounded the way good teams do — with three straight wins, including one over an excellent team in Gilbert Highland. Like the rest of the state’s best teams, they’ll be tested again at the TOC.
5. Gilbert Highland, 21-6
Highland has had five days off since Thursday’s loss to Corona del Sol and they’ve needed every bit of that rest. Last week, they needed four sets to beat Queen Creek, including a fourth set that ended 27-25. Two days later, they Corona del Sol loss also ended in a 27-25 fourth set. That’s a fun week, but also an exhausting one.
6. Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep, 14-2
Each of the Saints’ two losses this season have offered positive signs. Their first was a four-set defeat to Corona del Sol. The second was on Wednesday, when they lost in four sets to Queen Creek Casteel — a match in which they dropped the last two set 26-24. Had that gone the other way, Notre Dame Prep might be two or three spots higher. Instead, the highlight of their past two weeks is a five-set win over a talented Horizon team. Senior Evan Hendrix knocked down a remarkable 34 kills in that match.
7. Queen Creek Casteel, 10-6
The past two weeks have been strange for Casteel. The aforementioned win over Notre Dame Prep was big, but it came two days after a loss to a 12-10 Williams Field team.
8. Queen Creek, 19-5
Like Xavier Prep, Queen Creek tested itself at the Durango Fall Classic and came out the other end looking impressive with a 5-2 record over the weekend. The Bulldogs are among the most balanced teams in the state, with no individual player having knocked down more kills per set than Madisyn Crnjac’s 2.6.
9. Phoenix Sunnyslope, 11-3
Sunnyslope is the only new team in this week’s Super 10 and what an entrance they made, ending O’Connor’s undefeated season in five sets and knocking them out of the No. 1 ranking. Georgi Stein was huge in that game with a season-high 23 kills to lead the Vikings back from a two sets to one deficit.
10. Scottsdale Horizon, 11-5
It still hasn’t quite all clicked for this group, which lost again on Friday, falling to Notre Dame Prep in five sets. Their five losses are halfway to last year’s total and tied with their 2021 tally. But Teraya Sigler is still playing like the state’s best player, with 4.7 kills per set. That goes a long way on a team with major roster and coaching turnover.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The Republic's girls' high school volleyball rankings
