SUNSET REGION: Balance helps Mustangs open tourney with win

Offensive balance has helped Shadow Ridge’s boys volleyball team rebuild quickly from last year’s state championship season.

It also served the Mustangs well to start the postseason Tuesday.

Outside hitters Justin Kent and Brandon Fisher tallied 17 and 15 kills, respectively, to rally Shadow Ridge to a 19-25, 25-19, 25-12, 25-14 win over Spring Valley in the Sunset Region quarterfinals at Legacy.

“If we’re all on, we can be a really good team and could beat pretty much anybody,” said Kent, who added three aces. “Like Coach says, it takes will and determination to do it. That’s all it is.”

Shadow Ridge (14-5) advanced to meet rival and Northwest League champion Centennial (16-3) in the semifinals at 3:40 p.m. Thursday at Las Vegas High. The winner clinches an automatic trip to the state tournament.

Kent is the only returning starter from last year’s state title team, but coach Christian Augustin is pleased with how quickly his team has progressed.

The Mustangs got seven kills from Quinn Skouson, six kills from Quyntin Starks and five kills from Collin Johnson.

“I’m very pleased with the development of our middles, Skouson and Johnson,” Augustin said. “Both of them really open up the game for our outside hitters. When you start opening up that net, it makes a big difference.”

Jalen Makaiwi dished out 27 assists for Shadow Ridge, and Braden Taylor had 19 assists. Cody Tesoro added 32 digs and three aces for the Mustangs.

After dropping the first set, Shadow Ridge closed the second on an 8-1 run to steal momentum. The Mustangs dominated the third and fourth sets, fittingly ending the match on a kill from Kent.

“Our setters were taking over,” Kent said of Makaiwi and Taylor. “We just came together as a team after we had those beginning jitters.”

Bonanza 3, Arbor View 0 — Price Jarman racked up 18 kills, six blocks and two aces to carry the Bengals (19-0) to a 25-16, 25-16, 25-19 sweep of the Aggies (10-9).

Parker Evans supplied nine kills and 12 digs for Bonanza, and Jared Hyer added nine kills. Craig Whiting dished out 39 assists for the Bengals.

Bonanza will play Palo Verde (15-4) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Las Vegas High with a trip to state on the line.

Genaddy Shataev led Arbor View with 10 kills and 10 digs, and Kealyn Butler tallied 10 kills and eight digs. Dylan Mengert had six kills and five blocks for the Aggies.

Centennial 3, Clark 1 — Leo Durkin had 15 kills, 17 assists and four aces to help the Bulldogs hold off the Chargers, 25-21, 23-25, 25-13, 27-25.

A Centennial hitting error gave Clark a 25-24 lead in the fourth set, but Durkin answered with a kill and consecutive aces to end the match.

Dylan Morris had eight kills and three aces for Centennial, and Dustin Buell contributed nine kills and three blocks.

George Huang paced Clark (9-10) with 14 kills and three blocks. David Samson had 32 assists for the Chargers.

Palo Verde 3, Sierra Vista 0 — Brandon King had 13 kills as the Panthers rolled to a 25-9, 25-9, 25-22 sweep of the Mountain Lions (8-11).

Sean Wilson had 23 assists and seven digs for Palo Verde.

Cameron Carlson paced Sierra Vista with eight kills.