36 play-in games from 6A-4A take place on Tuesday prior to the first round on May 3.
Aaron SchmidtArizona Republic
The AIA's 2024 boys' state high school volleyball tournament begins on Tuesday, as 24 play-in games will be held across the state to see which teams will earn entry to this year's tournament in the 6A through 4A conferences.
Each of the top eight teams in each conference automatically garnered entry into the tournament. Final rankings for these teams will be released along with the state championship bracket this week. After all of Tuesday's play-in games are completed, the first round of the 2024 AIA boys volleyball championship will take place on May 3 for all three conferences. The 6A-4A quarterfinals will be held on May 7, Semifinals will be held on May 9 and the championship for 6A-4A will be held on May 11.
Here's a preview of the 2024 AIA boys volleyball tournament:
6A
As the only undefeated team in 6A, Sandra Day O'Connor looks to bounce back after falling to Mountain View in the quarterfinals last season. They took down Brophy Prep in March, handing the Broncos their lone loss of the year. Brophy Prep is looking for revenge of their own, falling in the semifinals in the last three seasons.
Brophy Prep's Connor Oldani dominated 6A play, leading the division with a .530 hitting percentage and 469 kills, all while recording 62 blocks en route to leading the team to a 16-1 record.
Highland, which finished this season 14-3, has fallen to Perry and Sandra Day O'Connor in the state championship in the last two seasons. The Hawks are looking for vengeance, proven by their six-match win streak to close out the regular season where they didn't allow a single set.
Here are the automatic qualifiers and play-in teams for the 6A state tournament:
Automatic Qualifiers: Sandra Day O'Connor (17-0); Brophy Prep (16-1); Shadow Ridge (16-1); Perry (15-3); Highland (14-3); Chandler (13-5); Mountain View (12-5); Mesa (10-7).
Play in (Tuesday games): No. 24 Sunnyside at No. 9 Westwood; No. 17 Red Mountain at No. 16 Rincon/University; No. 18. Boulder Creek at No. 15 Hamilton; No. 21 Marana at No. 12 Liberty; No. 22 Corona del Sol at No. 11 Desert Vista; No. 20 Tucson at No. 13 Basha; No. 19 Maricopa at No. 14 Desert Ridge; No. 23 Sunnyslope at No. 10 Mountain Ridge.
5A
In 5A, four teams — Cactus Shadows, Cienega, Williams Field and Casteel — finished with 16 wins. Williams Field ended its regular season on an eight-game win streak following their lone loss of the season to Casteel on April 2. Williams Field's Jaxton Payne led all of 5A with a .502 hitting percentage, while the Hawks' Luke Raymond finished second in 5A with 925 assists, trailing Buckeye's Marc Vera by just two assists for the division lead.
Coming off a state title in 2023, Casteel is looking to go back-to-back after its 16-2 season. Casteel's Brody Hirst (.371) and Camdon Varney (.361) are among 5A's leaders in hitting percentage, while Varney is also among 5A's leaders in kills and aces with 368 and 47.
Here are the automatic qualifiers and play-in teams for the 5A state tournament:
Automatic Qualifiers: Cactus Shadows (16-0); Cienega (16-1); Williams Field (16-1); Casteel (16-2); ALA - QC (13-2); Canyon View (14-3); ALA Gilbert North (12-4); Higley (10-7).
Play in (Tuesday games): No. 24 Independence at No. 9 Catalina Foothills; No. 17 Centennial at No. 16 Sunrise Mountain; No. 18 Metro Tech at No. 15 Verrado; No. 21 Mountain View Marina at No. 12 Ironwood; No. 22 Buena at No. 11 Willow Canyon; No. 20 Buckeye Union at No. 13 Ironwood Ridge; No. 19 Desert Edge at No. 14 Millennium; No. 23 Apollo at No. 10 Campo Verde.
4A
Northwest Christian dominated the 4A scene in 2024, wrapping up the season undefeated without giving up a single set all season. The team has four players - Kelson Evans, Jackson Schlesinger, Jack Hubbard and Devon Helmer - among the top 10 in hitting percentage all throughout 5A.
Northwest Christian is coming off a state title loss to Deer Valley, which finished this season at 10-6. In 2022, the team fell to the ALA Patriots in the semifinals. Northwest Christian was the No. 1 seed in both of these tournaments, and will likely be the No. 1 seed entering the 2024 state tournament.
Here are the automatic qualifiers and play-in teams for the 4A state tournament:
Automatic Qualifiers: Northwest Christian (17-0); AZ College Prep (15-2); Benjamin Franklin (15-3); Prescott (15-3); Salpointe Catholic (14-3); Seton Catholic Prep (14-3); Scottsdale Christian (13-3); Deer Valley (10-6).
Play in (Tuesday games): No. 24 Greenway at No. 9 Cactus; No. 17 Peoria at No. 16 ALA - West Foothills; No. 18 Sabino at No. 15 Eastmark; No. 21 Walden Grove at No. 12 Estrella Foothills; No. 22 Gilbert Christian at No. 11 Barry Goldwater; No. 20 Marcos de Niza at No. 13 Flowing Wells; No. 19 Mica Mountain at No. 14 Agua Fria; No. 23 Valley Christian at No. 10 Odyssey Institute.
