Division III volleyball: Wide open as recent past suggests

November 6, 2014 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Division III volleyball has the reputation recently of being wide open as far as who wins the state title. In the last three season's there have been three different champs and three diffrent runners-up. Those champs are Seton (2011), Tuba City (2012) and Flagstaff (2013) and the runners-up Catalina (2011), Safford (2012) and Cactus (2013). No other division in the state can lay claim to that variety Two of the top four seeds the last three years has advanced to the final four. The other two have come from as far back as No. 11.

So what's in store in 2014? Likely more of the same. Here's a brief look individually at the top 8 teams by seed and what might happen over the next two days Friday Nov. 7 and Saturday Nov. 8 at Prescott Valley Event Center:

#1 MONUMENT VALLEY: Monument Valley features eight seniors and they are down to their last shot a a state title.That last chance is their primary motivation. The Mustangs are led by senior middle hitter Ohiyah Shirley and senior outside hitter Taylor Worker. Both average 10 kills and three aces per match. In the previous three seasons Monument Valley has been seeded 8th, 4th and 4th. It lost in the quarters twice and semis once. Two of the teamsthe Mustangs lost to finished runners-up and the other was champion.

#2 CACTUS: Cactus wants badly to take the final step it didn't manage in the final vs. Flagstaff. Players have taken to hear whispers at the outset this was a rebuilding year for the Cobras. Leading the team in the middle is Tara Melton with defense keyed by Marissa Monrial and Melissa Pignietello.

#3 FLAGSTAFF: Flagstaff' thrives on not being one-dimensional. They Eagles faced five of the top eight teams in the seeding and have won their share of those. The play of outside hitter Courtney Leffel, middle Jasmin Joerger, outside Adriana Aguayo, setter Emma Rogers and libero Kayla Morales are the ammo that says the Eagles could go back-to-back.

#4 TUBA CITY: Like Monument Valley, Tuba City posesses plenty of playoff experience. Two four-year starters (Tate Tsinigine and Rynell Natoney, a three-year starter (Samytha Parrish), a two-year starter (Shauntae Chee) and a three-year varsity player now starting (Rachel Yazzie). The Warriors are 1-8 against the likes of Flagstaff, Monument Valley and Seton this season. They may have to face all three to win it. 

#5 SETON CATHOLIC: Not an easy draw for Seton in trying to get its first title since 2011. The Sentinels did handle Florence in four recently (lost to Florence last year in the first round), but assuming they advance waiting could be Tuba City, Monument Valley and Cactus or Flagstaff. Led by senior ouside Reggie VanDevender and junior hitter Kirsten Companik, Seton has a team capable of a title even if it is a tough road.

#6 SNOWFLAKE: Snowflake has been tested often by northern Arizona's best from D-III, but show a 1-5 record in matches with Monument Valley, Flagstaff and Coconino.The Lobos have tangled with largers schools D-II and D-I that have helped despite some extra losses. Snowflake is led by senior outside hitter Emma Tenney, junior middle Aubrey Flake and libero Shayna Austin..

#7 SAGUARO: Saguaro was beat up a bit in September with several concussions to deal with, but has not lost in its last 18 matches (17-0-1 dating back to Sept. 20. The Sabercats lost to Thunderbird and Youngker without a couple starters in mid-September. They'll need to be healthy to make a run, which they seem to be for postseason. Top players for Saguaro are Bethany Wedepohl, who runs the offense, attackers Sarah and Kiley Davis and Jessica Reega.Sarah Davis is the kills leader. Defense is led by libero Jorden Smith. 

#8 COCONINO: Coconino enters with some confidence thanks to a late victories over Snowflake and Monument Valley. The Panthers did get swept twice in October by Flagstaff, but feel good about making a run. Should they handle Holbrook in the first round they'll likely take on Monument Valley. Coconino has played with some injuries to key players. Leading attacker Kierstin Fowler was cleared to play just before the season began from a torn ACL and Michayla Cabrera is just now back from a broken ankle that sidelined her most of the year.

TOP BRACKET: #16 Empire vs. #1 Monument Valley; #9 Holbrook vs. #8 Coconino; # 12 Florence vs. #5 Seton;  #13 Page vs. # 4 Tuba City. -- The two teams likely locks to win in the first round are Monument Valley and Tuba City. Too strong for their foes. Coconino has faced Holbrook once early in the year in a tournament and escpaped with a 2-1 win. Coconino finished the season beating Monument Valley in five on its home floor and lost in a sweep to rival Flagstaff. Seton has a score to settle with Florence, which knocked Seton out of the tournament last year via a first-round sweep. Seton has beaten Florence twice this season and tied them in another. Florence has been without its top attacker from last season Kenzie DeVries all year with a torn ACL. PREDICTED OUTCOME: Looking at a Monument Valley-Coconino rematch in the quarters and Seton taking on Tuba City as all the high seeds advance Saturday morning's semfiinal from this bracket -- Monument Valley vs. Seton..

BOTTOM BRACKET: #14 Safford vs. #3 Flagstaff, #11 Youngker vs. #6 Snowflake, #10 Thunderbird vs. #7 Saguaro, #15 Greenway vs. #2 Cactus. -- Flagstaff and Cactus should secure comfortable wins in the opening round. The other two are more interesting. Youngker has scored a a big win over Saguaro early and have played several of the top D-III teams from the Valley. It has the ability to knock off Snowflake if the Lobos doze. Youngker returns six players with a good amount of varsity experience. Thunderbird also hasn't faced many of the top D-III teams with most of its losses coming against D-I teams in tournaments. Thunderbird's lineup features four seniors and is led by outside hitter Lyndsey Weiler. In Saguaro the Chiefs get the hottest team in the division. Saguaro, however, has beaten only one of the top five seeds (Seton) and has not played any northern Arizona teams  -- four of which are in the top six. PREDICTED OUTCOME: Flagstaff and Youngker are the picks for one quarferfinal match. Saguaro and Cactus fiigure to be locking up for the first time in the bracket's other quarter. Come Saturday it's lkely to be a Flagstaff-Cactus semifinal -- a rematch of last year's title game.