March 1 marked the beginning of the high school boys volleyball regular season. West Valley Preps asked Northwest Valley coaches to take a look at their teams:

Cactus Cobras

4A West Valley Region
2021 record: 12-4, 9-1 region (Reached 4A second round)
Coach: Jana Henige (Second year)
Top Returnees: Bradey Henige, Soph., MB; Joseph Vakameilalo, Sr., OH
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? We are a team that returns as region runnerup and we also made it to the second round in the state playoffs last year. We are experienced. We return with the offensive player of the year in Bradey Henige. The boys are hungry to go further this year. They want to compete and win. It’s the Cactus culture. We play our best and want to be the best we can be.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? We need to continue to grow as a team. More touches on the ball and fine tune their skills. The new players need to continue to get better everyday and the returners need to set the culture of hard work and wanting to be the best.
Who are your team leaders? Leaders on our team are seniors Grant Steimnetz, John Michael Record, Trenton Jones. Along with sophmores Bradey Henige and Braiden Lagafuaina.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad that could make an impact? Dominic Solano, Matthew Madisen, Zane Gillespie, Isaiah Saenz, Ashton Wendelschafer, Gaberiel Rodriguez, Ben Sorensen, Ryan Granata, Garrett Armstrong, and Jordan Arneson.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? It is always our goal to play for a state title every year. We have started a great tradition here at Cactus to do just that. We have an amazing support system from our AD Chris Webb to our coaching staff. My varsity assistant coach is Bobby Henige. He is a former Cobra who went onto win a volleyball college national championship and is a 3 time All-American. He brings a lot of skill and knowledge to this program. JV head coach Travis Hawthorne who won a state title when he attended Cactus and went on to play football in college brings that winning mindset as well. He’s helping to build the players of the future. Our managers Rylie Henige and Leah John who are both college-bound volleyballl players help to contribute in practice everyday. Our belief is we will continue to provide these young men with the best coaches on and off the court. With a postive and encouraging enironment they showup, work hard, get better at every practice and this will help the pieces fall where they need to be for our best chance to reach our goal.

Centennial Coyotes

5A Northwest Region
2021 record: 8-9, 5-3 region (Reached 5A first round)
Coach: Cari Bauer (17th year as Centennial boys coach)
Top Returnee: Landon Corrie, Sr., S; Zach Norman, Sr., OH.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? We return experience in key positions … setting and ball control.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Taking one match at a time and staying together as a team. Our middles have become stronger too.
Who are your team leaders? Landon Corrie, MB Zeke Pottle OH Zach Norman and Libero Gavin Walker-Mason take important roles on the court.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad that could make an impact? Owen Palombo was on the team last year, new to volleyball as a junior and has improved tremendously earning a starting spot.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? We just need to continue to grow in consistency and make other teams earn their points. This is a great group of 15 guys that are some of the best guys on campus representing student council, National Honor Society and many other clubs/sports.

Northwest Christian senior middle blocker Elijah Hamstra hits a kill against Deer Valley sophomore middle blocker Rylan Colman during their May 5, 2021 regular season match at Deer Valley. Colman is one of the Skyhawks' top returning players. [Richard Smith/West Valley Preps]

Deer Valley Skyhawks

4A West Valley Region
2021 record: 13-4, 9-1 (Reached 4A quarterfinals)
Coach: Eric Palmer (11th year as Deer Valley co-coach or head coach)
Top Returnees: Rylan Coleman, Jr., MB ; Wyatt McGriff, Jr., L.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? This team is building on the momentum of last year’s quarterfinal appearance and a successful fall club season. They love the sport and they love playing together. There are some really good teams in 4A but we believe we can compete with the best of them. 
Who are your team leaders? We are led by Seniors OPP Joseph Christian, OH Logan Ryder and DS Adriel Guzman as well as impact Juniors OH Justus Clark, MB Rylan Colman, S Alex Flores and Libero Wyatt McGriff.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad that could make an impact? We are an experienced group with everyone returning from last year’s region championship and state quarterfinal run.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? We will use in-season tournaments to challenge ourselves vs tough competition to speed up our block and defense to prepare us for region and state. We will need to continue to attack the process by staying calm and confident through individual and team improvement every day so that we will peak at the exact right moment, both mentally and physically when it counts the most. 

Ironwood Eagles

5A Northwest Region
2021 record: 9-10, 5-3 region (Reached 5A first round)
Coach: Damon Mays (2 years as head coach)
Top Returnee: L.J. Moeschl Jr., S; Connor Monohan Jr., MB.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? I would say eagerness and willingness to learn. We have a young team with not a ton of experience but everyone on the team is bought into our goals and wants to put in the work to get better everyday. 
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Our team will need improve on being consistent in all areas of the game. Offensively and defensively we will need to stay disciplined and execute our game plans individually and as a team. 
Who are your team leaders? Connor Monahan (MB/OH) - Jr  and LJ Moeschl (S) - Jr .
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad that could make an impact? Hayden Glauser (L) - Jr. and  Ethan Jones (OH/MB) - So.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? We need to strive for excellence and give 100% effort day in and day out. Staying disciplined and executing are the two main things our team needs to focus on to reach our goals. We also need to make smart decisions, play together as a team, and hold each other accountable to grow and get better everyday. 

Liberty Lions

6A Desert Valley Region
2021 record: 13-6, 3-3 (Reached 6A second round)
Coach: Richard Ebersole (third year)
Top Returnees: Dane Schneberger, Jr., MB; Blake Casey, Jr., OH
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? We have a group of young players who listen well and work hard. Improvement-we had to replace most of our starting lineup so we lack a lot of varsity game experience. The only way to really fix this is to play games.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? We had to replace most of our starting lineup so we lack a lot of varsity game experience. The only way to really fix this is to play games.
Who are your team leaders? Robbie Rice, senior, Dane Schneberger, junior, Bodhi Bettes, junior.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad that could make an impact? Brennen Neal, junior, Issac Rus, sophomore.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? We need to play faster all the time. Sometimes this team is a victim of “overthinking” so we need to train muscle memory a little more so that they can execute their skills with more confidence.

Mountain Ridge sophomore Samuel Thielen (#5) and junior Ethan Montag-Caouette (#14) leap for a tandem block in an April 27, 2021 win against Boulder Creek. Both players return for the Mountain Lions. [Courtesy Ridge Army Twitter]

Mountain Ridge Mountain Lions

6A Desert Valley Region
2021 record: 10-7, 1-5 region (Reached 6A first round)
Coach: Deb Moore (Second year as Mountain Ridge head caoch)
Top Returnees: Ethan Montag-Caouette, Sr., OPP; Troy Gafford, Sr., S
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Willingness to learn and be better. They are a humble team.  They are good blockers and continue to work on being better. 
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Reducing unforced errors is key. 
Who are your team leaders? Captains are Senior Alex Sedwick the libero ... and a very good one at that. Along with Nathan Rosinski a junior who have improved all around this year and is leading the team in kills as an OH. Senior Ethan Montag-Caouette, RS and Junior Tegan Bernard, OH return as strong hitters.  Senior Twins Troy Gafford, setter and Cody Gafford, MH/OH bring great experience to the team. 
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad that could make an impact? Senior Braeden Girnius is doing well in the middle with senior new comer Cale Stephenson. The Bever Twins have been strong contributors on defense for the team and are seniors as well.  (yes, two sets of twins on varsity and another set on JV). Madduxx Goron, sophomore is doing great work as a setter. 
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? We need to play tougher competition to see what the next level it all about.  We did two tournaments this year just for that purpose.  We need to work on some areas of refinement that were revealed in the tournament play and we need to continue to work on being more consistent and by reducing errors.  As with ALL teams, we all want to make a run at state.

Peoria Panthers

4A West Valley Region
2021 record: 4-9, 3-7 (Did not reach playoffs)
Coach: Patrick Battillo (first year as volleyball coach)
Top returnee: Isaac Gomez, Sr., OH
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? We have a great group of young men that are eager to learn and improve.  
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? We will need to improve our emotions and battling through adversity. We have a lot of guys that are new to volleyball so learning the game and getting better each day will be key to our success.
Who are your team leaders? Isaac Gomez is our leader and is a senior for us. 
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad that could make an impact? A newcomer to varsity that can make an impact Jakari Robinson. He is a freshman and is already making an impact for us.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? We need to each be accountable and coachable in order to improve individually and collectively. In order to make the state tournament and compete for a title, we will have to trust each other and the process and put in the work needed. 

Sunrise Mountain Mustangs

5A Northwest Region
2021 record: 17-3, 8-0 region (Reached 5A quarterfinals)
Coach: Tony Gale (19th year as coach)
Top returnees: Kyle Berger, Sr., S; Kyle Andersen, Jr., L
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? We have positional flexibility and we are pretty resilient.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Blocking, consistency and play the big moments well.
Who are your team leaders? Kyle Andersen, Brock Hammond, Kyle Berger
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad that could make an impact? Dalton Graham, Caelan Koth and Zach Northey
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? We will need to block well, serve well and play stellar defense.