The Arizona Republic

Mountain Pointe’s Mann helped lead dominance

- Richard Obert DAVID KADLUBOWSK­I/THE REPUBLIC To celebrate the richness of high school athletics in our state, The Arizona Republic is examining the greatest dynasties in each sport over the past halfcentur­y. Next up: Boys volleyball. It's only been ar

Boys volleyball

No. 1 Phoenix

1995-2009

The Pride became the first school in state history to win the boys volleyball championsh­ip in 1995, under coach Fred Mann. Mann would lead the Pride to six more state titles, including back-to-back seasons in 1999 and 2000, 2002 and '03 and 2008 and '09. Mann has left his mark in Arizona in the last quarter century as the greatest high school boys volleyball coach.

No. 2 Tucson

2006-11

Over this six-year span, the Falcons won three state titles in a row and played in five state championsh­ip matches. The 2006 and '07 teams under coach Andrea Fyock won a combined 75 matches.

No. 3 Phoenix Brophy Prep, 19982006

Coach Tony Oldani has done a remarkable job keeping the Broncos in the

Mountain

Catalina

Pointe,

Foothills, title hunt every year. Brophy won its first title in 1998 and its last in 2006. The '06 team won 32 matches. The Broncos last reached the state final in 2015, losing out to Chandler Hamilton in a five-set classic.

No. 4 Anthem Boulder Creek, 201416

This team came together behind coach Troy Dueling (now leading Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor's program), winning state titles in 2014 and 2016. The '16 team went 41-4, beating Gilbert Perry for the title.

No. 5 Tucson Catalina, 2010-11

For two years, there was nobody better in Tucson and in Arizona, for that matter, as the Trojans won back-to-back Division II state titles. The 2011 team went 29-2, sweeping Catalina Foothills 3-0 in the final. The 2010 team went 20-0, the last team to go undefeated, along with Division I Glendale Deer Valley, which went 22-0 in the same year to take the D. I championsh­ip.

No. 6 Gilbert Highland, 2004-13 During a 10-year run, the Hawks reached the Division I state final five times. They won back-to-back crowns, behind coach Vee Hiapo, in 2004 and '05 and won state again in 2013, beating rival-Gilbert in three sets.

No. 7 Chandler, 2017-current

The Wolves' program really ramped up under coach Bobby Robson, who, in the last three years, led Chandler to 31-, 37- and 26-win seasons. Chandler won its first state championsh­ip in boys volleyball last season, beating Mesa Mountain View in five sets. The Wolves were 6-2 this season, before that ended in mid-March by the pandemic.

 ??  ?? Fred Mann won seven state championsh­ips as the boys volleyball coach at Phoenix Mountain Pointe.
Fred Mann won seven state championsh­ips as the boys volleyball coach at Phoenix Mountain Pointe.

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