Tournament of Champions Recap: Who Stood Out?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The East Valley came alive this weekend as 36 volleyball teams from 3A to 6A classifications brought top-tier talent and intense competition to the court in Westwood's Tournament of Champions. Fans were treated to a thrilling display of athleticism, grit, and high-stakes matchups that kept the energy high from start to finish. Following a heated day of action on Friday and competitive pool play Saturday morning, the Gold Bracket was set, featuring Ironwood, Shadow Ridge, Cactus Shadows, Notre Dame, Desert Ridge, Valley Christian, Xavier, Perry, Chaparral, Basha, Sunnyslope, and Desert Vista.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Gold Bracket Matches that Caught Our Eye</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ironwood and Basha</strong> battled through a tough first-round matchup to earn a spot in the quarterfinals. Sophomore outside hitters [player_tooltip player_id='835620' first='Malaya' last='Gibbs'] and Senior [player_tooltip player_id='874826' first='Ashley' last='Logan'] made a strong impact for Ironwood with her ability to run an offense as setter and maintain a calm presence under pressure. However, Basha's composed and disciplined defense—anchored by junior libero [player_tooltip player_id='735664' first='Isla' last='Little']—along with key blocks from freshman right-side [player_tooltip player_id='885082' first='K'Lei' last='Noah'] and junior middle [player_tooltip player_id='881962' first='Leiiani' last='Jones'], led them to a 2-0 lead to advance Basha to the quarters where they would face Xavier, who ultimately took them out to advance to the semi finals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The quarterfinal matchup between <strong>Shadow Ridge and Notre Dame Prep</strong> was a thrilling contest, with junior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='805644' first='Haley' last='Cashatt'] putting constant pressure on the NDP defense. The Stallions came out strong, dominating the first set with a 25-16 win. However, Notre Dame responded with poise, led by junior setter and Northeastern commit [player_tooltip player_id='885092' first='Elizabeth' last='Hackleman'], who took control of the offense in sets two and three. Hackleman's quick tempo and sharp decision-making helped her connect consistently with powerful junior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='835096' first='Lucy' last='Solorzano'], who led the charge with a .265 hitting percentage and added 7 digs. The duo propelled Notre Dame to take the final two sets and secure the victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Chaparral and Perry</strong> went head-to-head in a thrilling quarterfinal battle, showcasing standout talent on both sides of the net. For the Firebirds, senior setter [player_tooltip player_id='874735' first='Drew' last='Flanagan'] orchestrated a dynamic offense, working seamlessly with senior outside hitter and Pepperdine commit [player_tooltip player_id='874782' first='Claire' last='McNeal']. A proven six-rotation threat throughout her career, McNeal was a focal point in Chaparral's attack, and Flanagan utilized her effectively throughout the match. On the other side, Perry junior setter [player_tooltip player_id='703008' first='Kail' last='Shill'] ran a relentless offense, distributing the ball with precision. Freshman outside [player_tooltip player_id='885089' first='Sophia' last='Gregg'] continued her impressive debut season, while junior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='778035' first='Kalista' last='Fuller'] led the Pumas in kills, powering them to a 2-0 sweep over Chaparral and a spot in the semifinals against Notre Dame.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The End Results</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The final four featured <strong>Valley Christian, Notre Dame Prep, Perry, and Xavier</strong>—four teams representing a wide range of school sizes and divisions, all bringing elite-level play. Valley Christian continues to defy expectations as a 3A program, proving once again they can compete with the state's top-tier talent. Although they ultimately fell to powerhouse Xavier in the semifinals, the Trojans made a strong statement with key wins over Westwood, Mountain View, Sunnyslope, and Desert Ridge—setting the tone for what looks to be a promising season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the other side of the bracket, Perry and Notre Dame delivered a high-energy matchup, with Notre Dame's standout junior OH [player_tooltip player_id='835096' first='Lucy' last='Solorzano'] continuing her dominant run as a key offensive force. But it was the Pumas who showed grit and composure under pressure, clinching their spot in the finals with hard-fought set wins of 25-23 and 25-17.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Pumas put up a strong fight in the championship match but ultimately fell to the Gators in two sets. Xavier wrapped up an outstanding tournament performance, going undefeated without dropping a single set. Freshman outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='885088' first='Sahmone' last='Wadsworth'] proved that age is just a number, delivering a standout performance with a .500 hitting percentage and 7 digs against Perry. Senior middle [player_tooltip player_id='774402' first='Tessa' last='Larkin'] earned tournament MVP honors, showcasing her dominance with 11 kills in the final set, thanks to sharp setting from seniors [player_tooltip player_id='874765' first='Selah' last='O'Connor'] and [player_tooltip player_id='544566' first='Vivian' last='Hickman']. On defense, [player_tooltip player_id='534541' first='Mattea' last='Saunders'] anchored the back row with a team-high 9 digs. With a roster full of experienced commits and rising underclassmen talent, Xavier has firmly established itself as a powerhouse to watch this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">All Tournament Selections </h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='774402' first='Tessa' last='Larkin'] - Xavier, <strong>MVP of the Tournament</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='778035' first='Kalista' last='Fuller'] - Perry High </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='835096' first='Lucy' last='Solorzano'] - Notre Dame Prep</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='805644' first='Haley' last='Cashatt'] - Shadow Ridge </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='784641' first='Sadie' last='Wahlin'] - Valley Chrsitian </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='874782' first='Claire' last='McNeal'] - Chaparral </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='885192' first='Gabby' last='Procopio'] - Cactus Shadows </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='885193' first='Vega' last='Thunnell'] - Sunnyslope </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='885154' first='Halle' last='Cocking'] - Basha</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='827324' first='Maryella' last='Owens'] - Desert Vista</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='885187' first='Rylee' last='Asanovich'] - Desert Ridge</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='874826' first='Ashley' last='Logan'] - Ironwood High School </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->