Desert Oasis’ boys volleyball team arrived at Wednesday’s Class 4A state championship game dressed for a business trip — suits and ties. Then they proceeded to handle their business against Sky Pointe to claim the title.
The Diamondbacks swept the Eagles — 25-22, 25-12, 25-14 — at Sunrise Mountain High. After winning a competitive opener against Sky Pointe, Desert Oasis took control, never trailing at any point in the final two sets.
“We just never let our foot off the pedal,” Diamondbacks coach Nick Porter said. “We stayed consistent. Even when we had leads, we never dropped in our pace. We were steady the entire game.”
Desert Oasis (23-9) senior outside hitter Jacob Wienke and junior Jaiden Alarcon made the sartorial choice, wanting to upgrade their threads for the final game of the season.
When you look good, you play good. Wienke led the team in kills, with 17, and Alarcon contributed a game-high 15 assists in the victory. Sophomore setter Silas Navar finished with 12 assists. Junior libero Carson Lampkin led the Diamondbacks with 15 digs.
“We all stepped up and really showed that we can do it,” Weinke said. “I’ve never been more proud of anybody in my life. … We just ended the exact way I thought we could, and I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
The Diamondbacks dominated all through the state tournament, sweeping every matchup. Porter said he set the bar high this season, scheduling games against 5A opponents like Arbor View and Sierra Vista to challenge his team. Desert Oasis entered the state playoffs on a six-game win streak, and hadn’t lost a set since April 16 against Bonanza.
All that preparation paid off, as they swept Losee, Cimarron and Liberty on their way to the championship win over the Eagles (21-14).
“We maintain dominance because we expect a high level out of these guys,” Porter said. “I knew they were going to be bigger than the moment.”
Sky Pointe played the Diamondbacks pretty competitively in the first set, jumping to an early 5-3 lead. It looked like the Eagles, who made it to Wednesday’s title game after falling in the semifinals the past three years, were ready to challenge Desert Oasis. However, the Diamondbacks scored six unanswered points and led the rest of the way.
Junior middle blocker Brad Rappleye led Sky Pointe with 12 kills. Junior libero Dallas Hashimoto had a team-best six digs. Junior setter Makai Kelley contributed 12 assists for the Eagles.
