ROUNDUP: Skyhawks not perfect, still overcome Gators
Kyle Divicino knows that every night won’t be perfect for Silverado’s boys volleyball team.
The junior outside hitter also knows the Skyhawks still can win on those nights.
Divicino had 24 kills to help Silverado overcome 15 service errors and grind out a 25-23, 25-22, 25-27, 25-18 win over Green Valley to stay unbeaten in Southeast League play.
“That’s what you’ve got to do (is grind out wins) — that’s what an experienced team does,” said Divicino, who also had two of Silverado’s four aces. “That’s what we’re trying to do right now.
“We’re showing ourselves as a veteran team, and we’ve got to act like one. We can’t fall apart in games or let the pressure get to us.”
Divicino posted back-to-back kills to help Silverado (12-1, 9-0 Southeast) overcome Green Valley’s Beau Gronert and his five kills in a tight first game and then took over in the second.
Divicino poured in eight kills and directed a 6-1 game-ending run after the Gators (8-5, 6-3) took a 21-19 lead.
Gronert finished with 11 kills, including three during a crucial 5-2 run early in the second game that helped the Gators maintain control.
But Divicino scored four points during Silverado’s final charge, and the Skyhawks got a big boost when Jordan Royal blasted a kill to cap the second game.
The Gators redeemed themselves in the third game, though Silverado maintained a lead no greater than two points en route to a 24-23 mark.
Green Valley’s Wesley Reed and Dallas Tueller spiked back-to-back kills, and Gronert posted two blocks with Silverado on game point before Tueller added a kill that put Green Valley on the board.
“(Green Valley is) a very good team,” Silverado coach Eric Drum said. “And it feels good because I know that we have veteran players that can handle a game like that.
“It’s not always what we want, but on any given night, that can happen. It’s nice to know that we can battle through those rough games.”
Indigo Varela dished out 45 assists for Silverado, and Jordan Royal supplied 10 kills. Brian Theophil had seven kills and an ace in his return to the Skyhawks’ starting lineup following injury, which Drum admitted might have contributed to the slow start.
“We went with a lineup we haven’t gone with in a long time,” he said. “It was Brian’s first real game back, so there was some rust going on with the whole team.”
Silverado kept its dreams of winning the Southeast League intact with an undefeated league record that includes a 3-2 win over second-place Coronado and a pair of 3-1 wins over the third-place Gators.
“I think this is our shot to take the team to the next level, and that takes all of us,” Divicino said. “I’m working on my game, and I know the rest of the team is working hard, too.
“We’re going to keep doing our thing, and we can go to far places.”
Nick Hevrin had 30 assists for Green Valley, and Reed supplied 11 kills. Gronert added four blocks, and Tueller finished with six kills.
Coronado 3, Basic 2 — At Basic, Byrin Romney had 51 assists and 12 digs to help the Cougars rally for an 18-25, 21-25, 25-16, 25-21, 15-8 win over the Wolves.
Chris Andrulis tallied 18 kills, four blocks and four aces for Coronado, and teammate Jahren Makanoa added 13 kills and 10 digs.
Basic’s Tanner Humphreys had 11 kills and 11 digs, and Mark Bowman added 10 kills and nine blocks for the Wolves. John Fitzgerald distributed 36 assists, and Robby Nelson supplied 30 digs for Basic.
Del Sol 3, Foothill 1 — At Del Sol, Eric Beil had 19 kills, 15 digs and four aces to lead the Dragons to a 25-13, 27-29, 25-19, 25-18 victory over the Falcons.
Cameron Ely had 10 kills and 13 digs for Del Sol, and teammate Dennis Takahashi added 31 assists.
Kendall Andrews had seven kills for Foothill. Darius Gates supplied 11 digs for the Falcons, and teammate Corey Philpot added 12 assists.
Tech 3, Liberty 1 — At Liberty, Alexis Prado had 18 assists and five kills to help the Roadrunners to a 25-22, 25-27, 25-19, 25-19 win over the Patriots.
Dalton Webb added 13 kills and two blocks, and Adan Hernandez had 10 kills and six blocks for Tech.
Oscar Palma paced Liberty with seven assists and three aces. Daniel Filimona had seven kills, and Gil Lim added four assists for the Patriots.
Shadow Ridge 3, Cimarron-Memorial 0 — At Shadow Ridge, Brandon Fisher had 10 kills, and Jalen Makaiwi added 12 assists and three aces to lead the Mustangs to a 25-16, 25-23, 25-17 win over the Spartans.
Braden Taylor added 14 assists and two aces for Shadow Ridge.
Ares Manumaleuna led Cimarron with 11 kills and seven digs. Tanner Maxwell added 11 kills and 13 assists for the Spartans.
Cheyenne 3, Mojave 0 — At Mojave, Carlos Mezquitan had nine assists, and Cameron Patterson added seven kills as the Desert Shields swept the Rattlers, 25-7, 25-15, 25-15.
Christian Limtiaco led Mojave with six digs.
Palo Verde 3, Legacy 0 — At Legacy, Sean Wilson had 23 assists and three kills to help the Panthers down the Longhorns, 25-7, 25-16, 25-13.
Brandon King supplied nine kills and seven aces, and teammate Jordyn Martin had six kills and two digs for Palo Verde.
Erik Valerio dished out 16 assists, and Justin Paquin added five kills and five digs for Legacy.
Centennial 3, Arbor View 0 — At Arbor View, Leo Durkin had nine kills, five aces and 19 assists as the Bulldogs swept the Aggies, 25-14, 25-9, 25-22.
Mike Robinson had five kills and four aces, and Ryan Ramin had six kills and two aces for Centennial.
