VOLLEYBALL HONORS: Palo Verde’s Tingey earns acclaim in new role

When the Palo Verde boys volleyball team lost two powerful outside hitters to graduation last season, Mitchell Tingey didn’t hesitate in taking one for the team.

“He really embraced it and wanted it,” Palo Verde coach Phil Clarke said of Tingey’s transition from middle blocker to outside hitter. “Going into the season, he knew he had to put a lot of work in. He wanted to do it.”

Tingey spent the better part of the winter working on his passing, often coming to the gym on his own.

“He was all business. He did a lot of things on his own time and was self-motivated,” Clarke said. “It doesn’t seem to be the norm nowadays with a lot of student-athletes, but he was the one asking me to get in the gym on his off day.”

For his efforts, Tingey was named the Most Valuable Player of the Sunset Region and Northwest League. Palo Verde (19-4, 10-0) won the league title and topped Centennial for the Sunset Region championship, its first since 2009.

“Physically, he is one of the most athletic guys (in the league),” said Clarke, named the Northwest League’s Coach of the Year. “When you look, he’s undersized at his position. I think he’s (6 feet 1 inch). He’s not the big, intimidating, flashy power hitter. ... He’s really smart at a lot of different shots.”

In league play, Tingey had 82 kills, eight blocks and 103 digs. Clarke said the outside hitter was viewed as a captain his teammates trusted and the “other coach on the floor.”

And though Palo Verde lost to Foothill 3-1 in the state semifinals, Clarke said the progression of the team this season started with Tingey.

“I don’t know if too many people thought going in — because we did lose a decent amount of power from last year — that we had a chance to do what we did,” Clarke said. “First region title since 2009, and that was the first time we won our division in the seven years I’ve been here. He was a big part.”

In the Sunrise Region, Tyler Cucullu of Coronado was named MVP, and the Cougars’ Matt Johnson was honored as coach of the year.

Valley’s Jack Heavey was the Northeast’s MVP. The Vikings’ Matt Porter was coach of the year. In the Southeast, Foothill’s Kendell Andrews took MVP, and the Falcons’ Chris Sisson was top coach.

Centennial’s Blake Frischknecht grabbed the Southwest League MVP, and the Bulldogs’ Scott Nelson was named coach of the year.

In Division I-A, Tech’s Tyler Gardenhire was named the all-state MVP, and Tech’s Tiare Monga was the state coach of the year.