Prep volleyball: Las Cruces, St. Pius win third titles in a row; Legacy Academy also a champ

RIO RANCHO — Threepeat was the big takeaway from the state volleyball championships Saturday. Two teams made it three in a row, while another saw their title streak come to an end at three.

Class 5A

No. 1 Las Cruces 3, No. 2 La Cueva 1: The Bulldawgs (27-0) won a 57th consecutive match, moving into second place on the all-time list, but also won a third straight championship by holding off the pesky Bears (24-3), who refused to go away after getting blown out in the first two sets 25-9 and 25-15, winning 26-24 and losing the last one 25-23.

“We came out playing scared and we had a lot of nerves and they just took advantage of us really quick,” La Cueva coach Steven Archibeque said. “They’re a really good team. Honestly, their defense was spectacular. Everything we were hitting, everything we were doing wasn’t falling.”

A lot of that was because of 6-foot outside hitter Addison Massey who not only controlled the net defensively, but was an absolute debilitating force offensively.

“We had some dominant players and we took advantage of that,” Las Cruces coach Keith Leupold said as the Bulldawgs won for the eighth time. “Massey for four years and (setter) Sydney Pipkin for three years. This was about the senior class wanting to threepeat.”

Massey credited her teammates for helping her out.

“The only reason I’m able to go up and swing big is Sydney Pipkin,” Massey said. “She’s the best setter in the state. And so, she just gives me amazing opportunities.”

Class 4A

No. 1 St. Pius 3, No. 5 Academy 0: The Sartans also completed the threepeat, doing so with a tough match in which the scoresheet showed a sweep, but was actually a hotly contested one as the Sartans (23-3) had to scrape for virtually every point against the Chargers (21-7) in a 27-25, 25-23, 25-18 finale.

“A testament to Academy,” said Sartans coach Jordan Russell, who got a big surprise when longtime life partner and assistant coach Isaiah Bradford dropped to a knee after the match and proposed. “They really pushed us (Saturday) even more than I really thought they would.”

St. Pius, which won its 11th championship, had to come from behind in all three sets, trailing 21-16 in the first set, 9-5 in the second and 10-6 in the third.

“But my girls have grit,” Russell said. “That’s kind of been our motto is to just show grit and battle through the adversity.”

She also does her best to keep the players fresh.

“It doesn’t matter who’s on the court, I typically play my whole bench, my whole roster to make sure we get it done.”

Among those role players, middle blocker Sophia Eakes made an impact, particularly in crucial points.

“It was difficult because I had a rough run the first couple of sets but then I started getting in my rhythm,” she said. “And I settled down and I was able to help my team get a threepeat. It feels amazing that I was able to help my team.”

Class 3A

No. 2 Cobre 3, No. 1 St. Michael’s 1: The Horsemen (24-3) failed in their quest to win a fourth straight, including what would have been back to back against the Indians (24-3), and Cobre coach Julie Gutierrez used that as motivation in the 25-22, 29-31, 25-22, 28-26 win.

“We started in May and we start training really hard and our goal this season from day one was to change the color of that trophy,” she said. “And we talked about it and we worked hard; went to the UTEP camp. As a coaching staff, we got better and therefore, we could make our girls better. From day one, we were talking about it, And they made it come true.”

Class 2A

No. 1 Legacy Academy 3, No.2 Texico 0: It didn’t seem as if the Silverbacks (23-2) had many issues in beating the Wolverines (18-9) 25-19, 25-18, 27-25.

But they would say different.

“It’s great, but it’s surprising,” said middle blocker Eden Griffis. “But we worked hard and it paid off. It’s means a lot because last year we lost to both of these teams (Texico and Mesilla Valley) and so it’s great to work and put in the effort and win.”

Legacy coach Gitaik Hong said his team had a bit more luck than the Wolverines.

“And we were really focusing,” he said. “Our passing, defense and our discipline.”

Griffis, a freshman, said she’s likely to give her medal to her older sister Davina Griffis, who graduated last year and now plays at the junior college at NMMI.

“I might give it to my sister because last year she was a senior and we lost and I know it meant a lot to her, a lot more than it means to me,” she said. “And she’s been such a role model to me.”

Class 1A

No. 4 Quemado 3, No. 1 Melrose 0: The Eagles (24-3) earned the right to go for a theepeat next season by getting the double with a handy 25-14, 25-20, 25-21 win over the Buffaloes (24-3.)

“This one was a little bit different,” Quemado coach Francesca Chavez said. “I think we felt the nerves a little bit more because a little bit more expected. A little bit more pressure. The common theme for us, just to understand that we were going to have roles. We were going to make some points, lose points, but stay the course and hopefully come out on top.”

Prep volleyball state championship: Photos