William Riddell is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover North for AZPreps365.com.

North and Tucson High Magnet School are knotted at 23-23 in the first set of a Thursday night match inside North’s home gym. With the Mustangs needing a crucial point, senior setter Ashley Arroyo sets a ball high in the air for senior middle blocker Yessenia Rogelio. Rogelio elevates and spikes a screamer toward the Badgers’ side of the court. There’s nothing the opposing team can do to counter the attack, and North goes on top 24-23. Moments later, Arroyo feeds Rogelio again for another big spike and the Mustangs take set one.

All night long Arroyo set the ball up for Rogelio, and every time Rogelio came running in to slam it down. In the second set, the two connected to give North a 19-17 lead after the team had trailed for a majority of the set. In the third, they hooked up again to force a timeout and put their team up 21-16.

The chemistry the two senior captains have with one another is the result of countless games the two have played together. Arroyo and Rogelio have left defenses in despair and opposing coaches at a loss since middle school.

“They’ve been playing together for years, and you can see that on the court,” Coach Ky Ingram said. “Sometimes they don’t even have to communicate with each other, and they do a trick play, and the other team doesn’t know what’s coming, and it’s successful.”

Ingram coaches the freshman team at North but sticks around to help out with the junior varsity and varsity games that follow. Rogelio and Arroyo have been on the varsity team since their freshman year, a time when Ingram would be watching from the stands or keeping stats in the team’s scorebook.

The chemistry the two have developed stands out to those watching in the bleachers as well.

Rogelio knows their chemistry stands out to the spectators.

“Everybody can see it,” Rogelio said, “Even off the court they’re like, ‘They seem like they have good court chemistry.’”

They do.

Before Rogelio and Arroyo suited up in the royal blue and red uniforms representative of North’s varsity squad, they played on club teams over the summer. In middle school, they even competed against one another.

“When we would see each other, it would always be competitive,” Rogelio said.

That fierce competitiveness though would only last as long as the matches.

“When we got off of the court, we were friends.”

They wear the same uniform now; however, their former days as competitors are still noticeable during practice.

“I mean even now when they put us on separate sides during practice we’re always competing against each other,” Arroyo said.

During one particular practice in late September, North’s head coach, Mindy Williams, blows the whistle after the team starts to get a little sloppy going through one of their drills. When this happens, the two quickly form a huddle to get everyone back on track.

Not only do the seniors understand the importance of stepping up late in the third set; they understand the importance of stepping up in practice as well.

“It’s different for us to talk to the team than for coach to talk to the team, she’s more of an authority figure; we’re more like teammates,” Rogelio said.

“If our captains took it upon themselves to pull us off to the side instead of our coach, then it must be because we need to get our stuff together,” Arroyo said.

Arroyo leads the team in assists, tallying a grand total of 261 so far this season. Rogelio leads the team with 143 kills. The numbers do not just speak to the fact both are talented individuals; they are a result of how well the two play in tandem.

Entering into the home stretch of the 2019 season, North remains the only undefeated 6A team according to AZPreps365.com (11-0).

“[This] maybe our last year playing together; it’s sad to say, but it’s going pretty good,” Rogelio said.