O’Connor completes 4-peat in Arizona beach volleyball
The Sandra Day O’Connor girls beach volleyball team poses with their fourth consecutive state team Division I team championship trophy April 30 in Queen Creek after defeating Xavier Prep.
Independent Newsmedia/Jason W. Brooks
O’Connor girls beach volleyball junior Kaiya Kearney dives for a dig against Xavier Prep in the Eagles’ fourth consecutive state team Division I team championship clinching match April 30 in Queen Creek.
Independent Newsmedia/Jason W. Brooks
O’Connor girls beach volleyball junior Kaylee Woodruff leans for a dig against Xavier Prep in the Eagles’ fourth consecutive state team Division I team championship clinching match April 30 in Queen Creek.
Independent Newsmedia/Jason W. Brooks
QUEEN CREEK — In the first decade of beach volleyball as a sanctioned sport in Arizona, one North Valley squad has been the definition of a dynasty.
The O’Connor Eagles wrapped up their fourth consecutive Division I crown by sweeping Xavier Prep, 3-0, April 30 in the team finals at Casteel High School. The duos of Leyton Heldt and Kaylee Woodruff, Kaiya Kearney and Imani Huesca and Sami Mondino and Alyssa Archiello were all victorious against the rival Gators.
Coach Jamey Spartz — after being doused by a water cooler again —said this year’s team was bolstered by strong freshman and sophomore players.
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WEST VALLEY PREPS
O’Connor completes 4-peat in Arizona beach volleyball
Independent Newsmedia/Jason W. Brooks
The Sandra Day O’Connor girls beach volleyball team poses with their fourth consecutive state team Division I team championship trophy April 30 in Queen Creek after defeating Xavier Prep.
Independent Newsmedia/Jason W. Brooks
O’Connor girls beach volleyball junior Kaiya Kearney dives for a dig against Xavier Prep in the Eagles’ fourth consecutive state team Division I team championship clinching match April 30 in Queen Creek.
Independent Newsmedia/Jason W. Brooks
O’Connor girls beach volleyball junior Kaylee Woodruff leans for a dig against Xavier Prep in the Eagles’ fourth consecutive state team Division I team championship clinching match April 30 in Queen Creek.
QUEEN CREEK — In the first decade of beach volleyball as a sanctioned sport in Arizona, one North Valley squad has been the definition of a dynasty.
The O’Connor Eagles wrapped up their fourth consecutive Division I crown by sweeping Xavier Prep, 3-0, April 30 in the team finals at Casteel High School. The duos of Leyton Heldt and Kaylee Woodruff, Kaiya Kearney and Imani Huesca and Sami Mondino and Alyssa Archiello were all victorious against the rival Gators.
Coach Jamey Spartz — after being doused by a water cooler again —said this year’s team was bolstered by strong freshman and sophomore players.
“We can keep building,” Spartz said. “We had three freshmen who contributed to varsity this year. The level of play and the number of schools with strong programs is really rising with the popularity of the sport, though.”
The Eagles finished a 16-0 season and have not lost a match as a team since March 2022. After graduationg six seniors from the 2024 champions, O'Connor's young crew pushed its winning streak to 59.
Mondino and Archiello are sophomores; three Eagle juniors played April 30. But most championships are won with at least some senior leadership; senior Leyton Heldt teamed with junior Kaylee Woodruff to easily win their two-set match against Xavier.
Heldt can say she was a state champion all four years of high school beach volleyball.
“We’re really close, and I wouldn’t ask for a different group to do this with,” Heldt said. “The competition was hard. Facing Xavier is always intense.”
Wednesday, April 30
DIVISION I ARIZONA TEAM BEACH VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Finals — at Casteel H.S., Queen Creek
SANDRA DAY O’CONNOR 3, XAVIER PREP 0
Matches completed:
No. 2: Leyton Heldt / Kaylee Woodruff, OC, def. Kylie Barr / Emma Robescu, 21-17, 21-13; No. 3: Kaiya Kearney / Imani Huesca, OC, def. Elle Freeland / Gracie Graf, 21-9, 21-13; No. 4: Sami Mondino / Alyssa Archiello, OC, def. Sophia Peterson / Delaney McHale, 21-16, 21-8.
Jason W. Brooks News Editor | Chandler Independent
Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.
Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.
Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.
Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.
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