SUNSET REGION: Gneiting, Panthers serve notice in semifinal win

After Cimarron-Memorial’s boys volleyball team had tied up its match at one set apiece, Palo Verde’s Trent Gneiting knew there was one specific area where the Panthers could regain an advantage.

The service line.

Gneiting served four aces to go along with 15 kills as the Panthers downed the Spartans, 25-9, 21-25, 25-16, 25-20 in a Sunset Region semifinal at Legacy on Thursday.

Palo Verde (15-3) advanced to the region title match at 5 p.m. Friday against Shadow Ridge (20-0).

“In the second set, we missed five serves. I told my team going into the third that we needed to be aggressive on our service,” Gneiting said. “We couldn’t miss anymore. I knew I had to do my part. So I just went up there and tried to rip it as hard as I could, and it paid off.”

The Panthers faced little opposition in breezing to the first-set victory, but Cimarron’s Kyle Henriksen willed his team back in the second, when he had four kills and three blocks.

Henriksen roared as he put down a thunderous kill that set up set point in the second set, as the Spartans (13-7) took a 24-20 lead.

But Gneiting knew it was anything but over.

The senior team captain served five straight points as the Panthers opened the third set on a 8-2 run and never looked back.

“I think we realized they were here to play,” Gneiting said. “This is the playoffs, and it’s win or go home. They were really defiant and trying not to drop off after that loss.”

Jordyn Martin had 16 kills, four blocks and seven digs — including three kills, a block and an ace in the pivotal third set for Palo Verde.

“After that (second set), there wasn’t much we had to say,” Palo Verde coach Phil Clarke said. “Cimarron stepped it up; they took it to the next level, and we got a little complacent. We played really well in game one, took it off a bit, and Cimarron took advantage.

“After game two, they said to themselves, 'we’ve got to go out and win this.’ It was do-or-die for both teams. We’re in the same division, so we know each other really well. From this point, you’ve got to go beat people. You can’t just expect anyone to give you the game. We bounced back nicely in game three, and it was good to see them close out game four.”

Andrew Weston distributed 36 assists, and Vince Hipwell supplied eight kills for Palo Verde.

Henriksen finished with nine kills and four blocks for Cimarron. Teammate Braydon Egbert had 10 kills and 11 digs, and Salvador Garcia supplied seven kills and six blocks.

Taylor Larsen had 22 assists and three aces for the Spartans.

Shadow Ridge 3, Centennial 1 — At Legacy, Tanner Maxwell had nine of his 20 kills in a pivotal third set to lift the Mustangs by the Bulldogs, 25-21, 23-25, 25-14, 25-21 and into the Sunset title match.

Brandon Fisher added 15 kills for Shadow Ridge, including a team-high five in the first set.

Braden Taylor had 25 assists, two kills and two aces, and Jalen Makaiwi supplied 11 assists for the Mustangs. Teammate Cody Tesoro notched 18 digs and five assists.

Dustin Buell had 11 kills and five blocks for Centennial (11-8), which got 11 kills from Dane Hunsicker and 31 assists from Chet Durkin.

Tanner Bonds supplied six kills and four blocks for the Bulldogs.