Coronado armed to defend state title

Having the proverbial bull’s-eye on its back is nothing new for the Coronado boys volleyball team.

That’s what happens when you’ve reached the Class 4A state final each of the past four years.

This season, that target will be even larger.

The defending state champion Cougars welcome back four starters — and 11 seniors in all — and are favored to win the Division I title.

Coronado opens the season at 6 p.m. today when it plays at 2011 state champion Bonanza.

“We’re the team to beat, and I think people are gunning for us, but that’s just going to make us work harder,” senior setter Connor Stephenson said. “We’re fine with having the pressure on us. We like to accept a challenge. It’s good for us because we know everyone is going to bring their 'A’ game against us.”

The Cougars, who lost in the state title match in 2009, 2010 and 2011, knocked off then-undefeated Shadow Ridge in a state semifinal last year and rallied from two sets down to upset Silverado in the final. Coronado had dropped its first three matches against Silverado, including a 3-0 sweep in the Sunrise Region final.

That big-match experience should serve Coronado well this season.

“We know how to win the big one,” senior opposite hitter Tyler Cucullu said. “I feel like we do have that confidence coming back ... and that will help us in the future win those close games.”

In addition to Stephenson and Cucullu, the Cougars return senior libero Coltin Romney and senior outside hitter Matt Pettit. Stephenson was a first-team All-Southeast League selection as a junior, and Cucullu had the match-winning kill in the state final.

Junior outside hitter Max Osmundson also is expected to make an impact.

“We’re two-deep at every position,” fourth-year coach Matt Johnson said. “There’s competition at every spot. That reinforces the fact that each guy has to perform his best each day in practice.

“We have a balanced attack, but the most important things are how well we serve and how well we pass. If we do those two things well, we’ll have a successful year.”

The majority of Coronado’s players have been playing together since their freshman year, and Stephenson and Cucullu said the team’s chemistry is its biggest attribute.

“We’re all friends. We hang out a lot off the court,” Stephenson said. “It makes it a lot easier to communicate with each other. We kind of know where each other is going to be, and we know how each other plays.”

Las Vegas, which has won eight straight Northeast League titles, and Silverado each was hit hard by graduation but figure to contend in the Sunrise Region, along with Foothill and Valley.

Shadow Ridge returns four starters and is expected to be challenged in the Sunset Region by Bonanza, Centennial and Palo Verde.

'“We have the same expectations as last year. We want to put up another banner and get another ring,” Cucullu said. “And we’re all willing to work hard to get that.”