Feb. 27 marked the beginning of the high school boys volleyball season. West Valley Preps asked coaches in and around Surprise to take a look at their teams:

DYSART DEMONS

4A Black Canyon Region

Coach: Sallyann Carter (second year as Dysart head coach)

2025 Record: 12-6, 7-3 region (4A play-in)

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Seasoned players. I have six seniors and most of them I have coached since they were freshman. They are all personally driven to be the best they can in the court 

What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Leaving last years success and failures behind them  recognize that they have refined their sport and anticipate that their opponents have also 

Who are your team leaders? Setter Kyle Giacoletti-Moody, and outside hitters Ryan Shetterly and Matthew Erickson.

Who are newcomers to the varsity squad that could make an impact? Sophomore Jonathan Curiel Lopez. This season we are working towards running a 6-2. Jonathan is refining his setting skills and proving to be an asset to make that happen. Junior Cooper Medling, is coming to us straight from the soccer field. This is his first year playing volleyball. He is quickly grasping the fundamentals. I look forward to watching his growth this season.

What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? Dial in every practice and every game. We have the skills, we have the potential, we have strong OH hitters and a great libero Pao Apistar and my middles are locked in on the net. We just need to get out and do it.

PARADISE HONORS PANTHERS

4A Black Canyon Region

Coach: Marquis Kelly (first year as Paradise Honors head coach)

2025 Record: 9-10, 4-4 region (Reached 4A first round)

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Our mindset has been great to start the year. We want to be aggressive and we want to play fast.

What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? We will need to execute at a much cleaner rate. There have been a handful of challenges having such a mix of athletes in the gym. Some guys have played for years and some guys are starting year one.

Who are your team leaders? Seniors Patrick Dyson and Chase Sapp. Non seniors Brandon West and Parker LaChance.

Who are newcomers to the varsity squad that could make an impact? Freshman middle blocker Dylan Allsup has been a great additional to the varsity squad. He brings great energy at the net and some real consistency from the behind the service line.

What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? The boys will need to be present in each game to make the state tournament. As a player, it’s easy to get caught up in the lights and a loud crowd, but true execution of the game plan and tucking a few egos will make this panther squad a team many won’t want to see across the net.

SHADOW RIDGE STALLIONS

6A West Valley Region

Coach: Daniel Velasquez-Wilson (third year as Shadow Ridge head coach)

2025 Record: 10-25, 4-2 region (4A play-in)

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Our hunger and willingness to compete. We’re a young group that genuinely loves to play, and that energy shows every time we step on the court.

What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? With only one returning starter, this is a rebuild year for us. Our focus will be on gaining experience, building chemistry, and becoming more consistent as the season progresses.

Who are your team leaders? Even with a younger roster, we’ve had athletes step into leadership roles and set the tone with their work ethic and competitiveness. Logan McMullen has been a key presence, along with Alex Rivera, an Ottawa University Arizona commit, who brings experience and leadership to the group.

Who are newcomers to the varsity squad that could make an impact? We have several newcomers who will play meaningful roles right away. David Thompson is a young but talented sophomore libero who will anchor our backcourt. Chase Boyer, a senior setter, along with Alex Rivera, will take on a large part of running our offense. Bennett Christie will be a huge part of what we do as a six-rotation pin, impacting the match in both serve receive and offensively. Xziah Flores is a strong presence at the net and will impact the match on both sides of the ball.

What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? We have a tough schedule, and 6A boys volleyball is extremely competitive, so it will be a challenging start to the year for us. We’re measuring success through growth. If we continue to improve week by week and work toward playing our best volleyball in late April and May, then we’ll give ourselves a chance. From there, anything can happen.