Perry's volleyball teams enjoys the moment after winning the House of Payne Invitational at Chandler High School (Photo courtesy of Marc Beasley)

Most learned observers believe Perry girls volleyball is a team to be wary of in 6A this season. After one week -- so far, so good.

The Pumas won a pair of power-ranking matches in the middle of the week and topped it off with an 8-0 run Friday and Saturday to by win the championship of the Gold Division of the annual House Of Payne Invitational at Chandler High.

Perry captured the 20-team tournament winning every match 2-0. Adding in the power-ranking matches, the Pumas have taken all 22 sets the've played. It's not one or two players doing the damage either. There is plenty of depth for coach Fred Mann to contemplate.

"We're on a good little run," Mann said minutes after beating Salpointe for the championship, 25-19, 25-19. We have some nice players. Our ball control has been pretty good. We've really blocked well. We work on it so much in practice. We're looking to get better all the time.  I've already seen that in these first couple weeks (practice and matches). We have a tough one with (defending champ) Desert Vista on Tuesday."

Eight different players registered at least one kill for Perry in the two-set title win over Salpointe, led by junior hitter Ryann Davis (seven) and senior outside Amanda Aguirre (four). Junior middle Kennedy Kaminsky and sopohomore middle Grace Doyle, a newcomer to the varsity, added five blocks. Perry never trailed in either set, but got a better test from Salpointe than it did earlier in the day when the Pumas topped the Lancers, 25-15, 25-12.

Salpointe earned its berth in the title match rallying from a set down to Queen Creek and then a seven-point deficit in the second set to best the Bulldogs in three, 20-25, 25-21, 17-15.    

Salpointe finished 5-3 in the tournament and was sparked by senior outside hitter Maggie Schepelmann in coming from behind to eliminate Queen Creek. OH Alanna Duarte chipped in with six kills and OH Madison Sundholm added five in beating the Bulldogs. Salpointe recorded 12 aces in the Queen Creek match -- four from Schepelmann and three from Sundholm.

Queen Creek posted a 6-1 record winning its three pool matches Friday and Saturday before falling in the semis to Salpointe. Queen Creek dropped two five-set power-ranking matches prior to the tournament to 5A contenders Notre Dame Prep and Sunnyslope.
 

Two Perry players led the seven-player all-tournament team  -- Davis, the tourney MVP and Kaminsky. Queen Creek placed three players -- junior setter Kennadee Coplen, freshman MB-OH Jaelyn Hodge and and sophomore opposite Kate Grimmer. Rounding out the team were Valley Christian junior outside hitter Courtney Dyer and Mesa sophomore outside hitter Annie Hatch.