Odds stacked against local teams in first round

Patty Harvick spent the last week being an optimist, hopeful that her team would make the state playoffs. Optimism may be in short supply though now that the San Luis girls' volleyball team qualified.

The Sidewinders will head up to Phoenix today to play Xavier Prep in the first round of the 5A-I State Tournament. The Gators come into the tournament as the No. 1 seed and boast a record of 35-6.

Along with San Luis, Yuma High and Cibola will be traveling to the Phoenix area today to play in the first round of the 5A-II playoffs. The Criminals will face Peoria-Centennial (15-2) and the Raiders will play Scottsdale-Horizon (10-6).

"(The girls) have all got Internet access and they know their record and apparently there are some videos online that they've seen. We have a chance, but it's slim," Harvick said.

"I was excited that we made (the playoffs). We're realistic about our chances. The fact that the girls worked hard for it and that they're going to get the experience of going to state is exciting."

But Harvick isn't the only coach with an underdog mentality. After losing the Gila Valley Region Tournament to Lake Havasu, Cibola dropped to the No. 12 seed in the 5A-II bracket. Though their opponent has a similar record, Raiders head coach Vivian Klee said she expects the match to be an uphill battle.

"I know it's going to be tough, but we've been telling the girls all season that any team can fall," Klee said. "If they go to play and do their best and play strategically, we can catch them off guard."

Cibola started off the season with a string of seven straight region wins, but a loss to San Luis on Oct. 27 started a string of matches which the Raiders finished 1-2.

"We hadn't been playing well in the weeks prior to (the region tournament)," Klee said of her team's finish to the season. "It's hard being on top on the region because everyone is out to get us. We played tight the last few weeks of the season."

But Klee admitted that the toughest part of the season may have just begun. She said that she anticipates Horizon to be much taller than her team and has spent the past few days working in practice with that inn mind.

"I imagine they're a strong hitting team, so we've been working on our defense on the left and center attack," Klee said.

While Klee was working on defense, Yuma High coach Manny Garcia was working on getting his team healthy. The Criminals, who were bounced by Havasu in the second round of the GVR tournament, were without outside hitter Magaly Gallegos. She'll return for today's game against Centennial.

Unlike his counterparts at Cibola and San Luis, Garcia said there was no hint of doubt from any of his players heading into today's matchup.

"We've just had our mind on practice," Garcia said. "We've talked about nothing but positive things. Everything has been really positive and the girls are really looking forward to meeting a team of this caliber."

But Valley teams have been unkind to the Criminals this season. In matches against Mesa-Westwood and at Mesa-Red Mountain, Yuma High was swept.

The second round of the playoffs will be held on Thursday with the higher-seeded team hosting the match.