Salpointe @SalpointeVB state champions #AZPreps365 https://t.co/4dtvnZ7c6x pic.twitter.com/SHPAKR6PyS
— Andy Morales (@AndyMorales8) November 21, 2020
Salpointe knocked off top-seeded Notre Dame Prep in five sets to capture the 4A championship played Saturday afternoon at Mesquite High School in Gilbert. Ranked No. 2 in the conference, Salpointe (18-2) also ended a five-match losing streak to the Saints dating back to 2014 when both programs were on the rise.
The Saints swept the Lancers in the state playoffs 2014 and 2015 with the 2015 victory coming in the semifinal round en route to a state title for Notre Dame Prep. The Saints moved up to the 5A Conference in 2016 but the wins over the Lancers kept coming with regular season 3-2 victories in 2016 and 2017 but the Lancers went on to win back-to-back state championships in both of those campaigns. The two programs did not meet again until the Saints were reconfigured back to the 4A level once again this fall.
Notre Dame Prep entered the state final with an unblemished 17-0 record with one of those victories coming at the expense of Salpointe in late October. That sweep looked rather easy on paper but that’s why the matches are played….
LINK: Story at AZPREPS365
Andrea Owens @SalpointeVB #AZPreps365 https://t.co/5YyluZcwIU pic.twitter.com/mNNmYVWVL0
— Andy Morales (@AndyMorales8) November 21, 2020
NOTES
The championship was the third for Salpointe head coach Heather Moore-Martin and it tied her with former Sahuaro coach Pauline Jordan on the Southern Arizona list for big schools. Moore-Martin also coached the Catalina boys to two state championships, giving her five combined titles.
In attendance was Moore-Martin’s high school teammate Stacy Engle Iveson. Iveson had five digs in the state final in 1983 to help lead Catalina to a state championship under legendary coach Mary Hines before moving on herself to build a legendary softball coaching career.
Former Arizona basketball standout Matt Muehlebach watched his daughter Megan win a state championship as a freshman for Salpointe. Muehlebach played in the 1986 California Interscholastic Federation Division 1 state final.
Brandy Kishbaugh @SalpointeVB #AZPreps365 https://t.co/t68VF3TNUU pic.twitter.com/mvEBruqGs1
— Andy Morales (@AndyMorales8) November 21, 2020
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
St. David (9)
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)
2016: 1A (Tylene Miller)
2019: 1A (Tylene Miller)
2020: 1A (Tylene Miller)
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)
Sahuaro (5)
1974: 5A (Pauline Jordan)
1975: 5A (Pauline Jordan)
1976: 5A (Pauline Jordan)
1981: 5A (Cherrie Brinlee)
1982: 5A (Cherrie Brinlee)
Rincon/UHS (3)
1973: 5A (Toni Edwards)
1979: 5A (Toni Edwards)
1993: 4A (Juanita Kingston)
Salpointe (3)
2016: 4A (Heather Moore-Martin)
2017: 4A (Heather Moore-Martin)
2020: 4A (Heather Moore-Martin)
Your 2020 4A State Champions @SalpointeVB #AZPreps365 https://t.co/KJUxekVkI2 pic.twitter.com/J2GiXfVBK4
— Andy Morales (@AndyMorales8) November 21, 2020
Catalina (2)
1972: 5A (Mary Hines)
1983: 5A (Mary Hines)
Valley Union (2)
1974: 1A (Joe Burnside)
1985: 1A (Mike Thompson)
Benson
2005: 2A (Kimberly East)
Bisbee
1977: 3A (Mary Riley)
Bowie/San Simon
2007: 1A (Casey Lewis)
Flowing Wells
1991: 4A (Ed Nymeyer)
Nogales
1975: 3A (Shelley Copeland)
Sabino
1989: 4A (Tim Demarchi)
San Manuel
1974: 3A (Diane NaDeau)
Sunnyside
1990: 4A (Rosa Lara)
BOYS VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Catalina Foothills (3)
2006: 4A/5A-II (Andrea Fyock)
2007: 4A/5A-II (Andrea Fyock)
2008: 4A/5A-II (David Thistle)
Catalina (2)
2010: 4A/5A-II (Heather Moore-Martin)
2011: 4A/5A-II (Heather Moore-Martin)
Canyon del Oro
1996: 4A/5A (Melva Lundy)
Cienega
2017: 5A (Heather Mott)
Sahuaro
2009: 4A/5A-II (Sandy Novak)
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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014, he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017, a 2019 AZ Education News award winner and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. He was the first in Arizona to write about high school beach volleyball and high school girls wrestling. 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 and on AZPreps365.com. Andy is the Southern Arizona voting member of the Ed Doherty Award, recognizing the top football player in Arizona, and he was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Andy was named an Honorary Flowing Wells Caballero in 2019 and he was a member of the Amphi COVID-19 Blue Ribbon Committee and was given the Amphi Distinguished Service Award. Contact Andy Morales at amoralesmytucson@yahoo.com
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