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Desert Christian is one of the favorite teams this year from Southern Arizona. (Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)
Southern Arizona State Girls Volleyball Championships
In the world of girls volleyball there is one name that runs supreme in the whole state, not just in Southern Arizona. By the time Norma Bellamy retired in 1994, she had amassed an incredible 520-33 record and 21 out of 25 state championships at Safford.
The AIA named her the “Coach of the Century” in 2000 and with good reason. Bellamy didn’t just beat “little” 3A schools, she beat Canyon del Oro, Nogales, Sahuaro, Salpointe and Catalina when all of those schools were at the top of their capacity.
Sahuaro remains the top program in the Tucson area with five to the Cougar’s name, although they have not won one since 1982. Tylene Miller took St. David to another title last year, giving the Southern Arizona school six championships.
Rincon/University won Southern Arizona’s last “big school” championship (4A) back in 1993 under Juanita Kingston. Southern Arizona teams, as a whole, have only won two titles since 2008 and none since Rincon’s victory.
CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS
Safford (21)
1968: 4A (Norma Bellamy)
1969: 4A (Norma Bellamy)
1970: 4A (Norma Bellamy)
1971: 4A (Norma Bellamy)
1972: 4A (Norma Bellamy)
1973: 4A (Norma Bellamy)
1994: 3A (Norma Bellamy)
1995: 3A (Norma Bellamy)
1976: 4A (Norma Bellamy)
1977: 4A (Norma Bellamy)
1978: 4A (Norma Bellamy)
1979: 4A (Norma Bellamy)
1980: 4A (Norma Bellamy)
1982: 3A (Norma Bellamy)
1983: 3A (Norma Bellamy)
1984: 3A (Norma Bellamy)
1985: 3A (Norma Bellamy)
1986: 3A (Norma Bellamy)
1988: 3A (Norma Bellamy)
1989: 3A (Norma Bellamy)
1990: 3A (Norma Bellamy)
Thatcher (11)
1974: 2A (Lugene Black)
1976: 2A (Mary Jones)
1978: 2A (Mary Jones)
1980: 2A (Mary Jones)
1981: 2A (Mary Jones)
1986: 2A (Hal Mullenaux)
1987: 2A (Hal Mullenaux)
1991: 2A (Hal Mullenaux)
1992: 2A (Hal Mullenaux)
2002: 2A (Tye Stewart)
2008: 2A (Krista Brown)
Willcox (6)
1976: 3A (Lois Seibel)
1979: 3A (Bobby Nelson)
1990: 2A (Bobby Nelson)
1988: 2A (Bobby Nelson)
1989: 2A (Bobby Nelson)
1990: 2A (Bobby Nelson)
St. David (6)
1972: 1A (Donald Roylance)
1976: 1A (Orland Merrill)
1982: 1A (Orland Merrill)
1983: 1A (Orland Merrill)
1989: 1A (Orland Merrill)
2013: D-V (Tylene Miller)
Sahuaro (5)
1974: 5A (Pauline Jordan)
1975: 5A (Pauline Jordan)
1976: 5A (Pauline Jordan)
1981: 5A (Cherrie Brinlee)
1982: 5A (Cherrie Brinlee)
Duncan (3)
1972: 2A (Barbara Stauffer)
1973: 2A (Barbara Stauffer)
1977: 2A (Joe Burnside)
Rincon/UHS (3)
1973: 5A (Toni Edwards)
1979: 5A (Toni Edwards)
1993: 4A (Juanita Kingston)
Catalina (2)
1972: 5A (Mary Hines)
1983: 5A (Mary Hines)
Valley Union (2)
1974: 1A (Joe Burnside)
1985: 1A (Mike Thompson)
Benson (1)
2005: 2A (Kimberly East)
Bisbee (1)
1977: 3A (Mary Riley)
Bowie/San Simon (1)
2007: 1A (Casey Lewis)
Flowing Wells (1)
1991: 4A (Ed Nymeyer)
Nogales (1)
1975: 3A (Shelley Copeland)
Sabino (1)
1989: 4A (Tim Demarchi)
San Manuel (1)
1974: 3A (Diane NaDeau)
Sunnyside (1)
1990: 4A (Rosa Lara)
STATE PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
DIVISION II
Tuesday, Nov. 4: (6:30 pm)
No. 1 Ironwood Ridge will host No. 16 Avondale Agua Fria
No. 3 Catalina Foothills will host No. 14 Yuma Kofa
No. 5 Salpointe will host No. 12 Glendale Deer Valley
No. 8 Cienega will host No. 9 Sahuaro
No. 11 Tucson High at No. 6 Prescott
DIVISION III
Friday, Nov. 7
Prescott Valley
No. 14 Safford vs. No. 3 Flagstaff, 2 pm
No. 16 Empire vs. No. 1 Monument valley, 2 pm
DIVISION IV
Thursday, Nov. 6
Prescott Valley
No. 3 Thatcher vs. No. 14 Phoenix Veritas Prep, 7 pm
No. 12 Tombstone vs. No. 5 Sedona Red Rock, 5 pm
No. 16 Willcox vs. No. 1 Chandler Prep, 7 pm
DIVISION V
Friday, Nov. 7
Prescott Valley
No. 3 Desert Christian vs. No. 14 Rancho Solano Prep, 10 am
No. 4 St. David vs. No. 13 Academy of Tucson, 10 am
No. 5 The Gregory School vs. No. 12 Phoenix Valley Lutheran, 8 am
Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014 and has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here, on AIA365.com and on the pages of the Vail Voice and the Tanque Verde Voice. Contact Andy Morales at AMoralesMyTucson@yahoo.com
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