Crosstown rivals Chandler and Hamilton high schools rarely disappoint when it comes to thrilling matchups in all high school sports.

However, there was a strong possibility both schools’ girls volleyball teams wouldn’t face each other Tuesday night, or at all this fall. That’s because of the coronavirus pandemic and girls volleyball being considered a “moderate risk” or contact sport. The Arizona Interscholastic Association eventually decided to proceed with the season in August, while deferring to school districts to make final decisions for the teams.

“Nobody knew if we were gonna have a season and you finally get a season,” Hamilton coach Sharon Vanis said following her team’s 3-2 road win Tuesday night.

“I just don’t think the environment’s different. The atmosphere’s different with the masks and everything else, so you don’t know what to do with your first match, so now we can kind of settle in a little bit, she added. 

“We just build on it and that’s what you do in any sport.”

The top-ranked Huskies defeated the Wolves in a fifth set tiebreaker. Hamilton and Chandler traded sets won in both teams’ season opener (25-13, 23-25, 25-14, 21-25, 15-8) at the latter team’s homecourt.

“I don’t think anyone looks forward to playing Hamilton. Sharon’s been the class of Arizona for the past 10 years. I really like the way our team fought,” Chandler coach Bobby Robson said.

After Hamilton dominated in the first, Chandler stormed back to win the second and fourth sets against the Huskies roster that’s stockpiled with top recruits. This includes their best outside hitters in seniors Jordan Middleton (team-high 20 kills, 13 digs), who has committed to USC, along with Colorado-bound Jahara Campbell (16 kills) and junior Micah Gryniewicz, who committed to Alabama. Junior libero Tatum Thomas has committed to GCU

“We weren’t playing bad and Chandler was playing really good,” Vanis said. “We were making so many mistakes and errors, so I just told them in the last game, ‘If we can keep our unforced errors to a minimum then we’ll be OK. But credit to Chandler, they played hard and they do every time we come here, can’t take anything away from them.

“It’s a first match, a crazy match but that’s where you get better. And who doesn’t want to win in five? That’s going to happen to us again and we gained some confidence from this match to know that we can.”

Masks, fans distancing 

It will take some time to adjust to the new normal: Coaches, players, parents and spectators wearing masks that somewhat muffle their cheers as they watched from the bleachers and sidelines. 

People in the crowd sitting visibly distant to adhere to six-foot social distancing and a sign at the event’s entrance to enforce that rule.

“Being back on that court, it was amazing. I had so much fun, happy with my teammates finally playing our first game of the season,” Middleton said. “It was a bit odd, looking out and seeing everyone in masks, though. “

Also, there was no concession stand in Chandler’s gymnasium foyer. The concern lies in cross-contamination when buying popcorn, soda and other refreshments from volunteering parents, community members and the high school employees. 

However, like Vanis, Robson preached in his pre-game pep talk to his team to be “grateful” they’re having a girls volleyball season.

“Despite who you’re playing and what level your team is at, it feels really good to just compete,” Robson said. “That’s what was missed for the past six months or so was not necessarily just playing but getting to compete against a team, playing as a group and working hard towards something. That’s what I missed. I talked to the (Chandler) girls prior to the match and I’m like, ‘There’s a lot of girls in Arizona and in the country who aren’t playing, so let’s be grateful for that.'”

There was barely a club season this summer because of the pandemic, so this is their first time back to play in their shortened 16-game season.

“I’m relieved they actually get a season. I’m super excited to play Chandler,” said Alisa Ethridge, the mother of Hamilton senior captain and setter Diana Ethridge.

“There was no club in the summer. They kept working out. They kept playing as much as they could,”  said Jamie Campbell, mother of Hamilton senior outside hitter Jahara Campbell said. “I’m lucky my daughter is already recruited but it’s hard for the kids that are not. This helps.”

For those players who haven’t been heavily recruited before this uncertain fall season, it definitely helps that Chandler’s and other high school programs’ games are being livestreamed.

Chandler’s multimedia and film teacher, and girls basketball head coach Glenda Skalitzky had the Hamilton-Chandler game livestreamed on Sports360AZ.com to help that player recruitment cause.

“We’re trying to do it for the most sports that we can, so right now so right now we’re fully concentrated on (girls) volleyball and football. Obviously, cross-country is stuff we can’t do, with especially all the protocols and everything else, we want to be able to have families and coaches be able to see the kids play.”

Playing for bragging rights against players they’ve grown up with in the local volleyball club circuit feels like a relief to the parents and players.

“It definitely feels good to be back. I feel like we’ve been playing a lot longer than most teams in 6A. Being ranked high in the state and playing Chandler as our first game back, I honestly wouldn’t want it any other way,” Gryniewicz said. ‘Usually we play hard against them anyway, but with the rankings and the uncertain season, I think it just brought out the best in both of our teams…

“With coronavirus and everything being so uncertain, even I had doubts to be able to get on a (college) campus and make the decisions I wanted to make. But us having this high school season is gong to be a good opportunity for everyone to get film and refine their game for club season if we have next year. I think it will work out for everybody.”

Have tips for us? Reach the reporter at [email protected] or at 480-486-4721. Follow his Twitter @iam_DanaScott.

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