By GANNON HANEVOLD
Moapa Valley Progress
A relatively new tradition for the Pirates’ week of pride called M-Week rose again last week with the annual men’s volleyball tournament, better known as “Peach Fuzz”. Peach Fuzz is a yearly tournament where MVHS boys can sign up to play on a team for the week, then compete for a championship.
This year, seven new teams were created with 6-9 players each and two coaches on each team. Ultimately, the event proved to be a success.
In an after school setting, the tournament began with the seven teams playing either three or four total games in a round robin schedule style. After that, the four teams with the best record were seeded into a short tournament to win the title.
After over fifteen games, the seven teams awaited their results. Claiming the top seed would be “Kiss my Ace.” In the second seed would be “2 Legit 2 Hit.” Third seed went to the “Ace Kickers” and the fourth seed would be decided after a three way tie for the spot with a 1-2 record. That team turned out to be “Straight Trash Homies.”
Both of the top two seeds went into the tournament undefeated, the Ace Kickers would be 2-1, and the “Straight Trash Homies” remarkably made it despite a losing record.
In the semifinals, the Ace Kickers and 2 Legit to Hit battled it out in a close one. But 2 Legit to Hit would remain undefeated and make their way to the championship match.
Meanwhile, the Straight Trash Homies lost by six to Kiss my Ace in their final round robin match.
Results were different in the tournament. The Straight Trash Homies rallied to win by a decent margin and somehow make the championship despite a sub-.500 record.
2 Legit to Hit, who were led by coaches Dannika Gordon and Shelbi Walker, featured Tyler Holmes, Lucas Walker, Kasen Kolhoss, and Rowdey Blackwell, among others, on the court.
Meanwhile, the Straight Trash Homies were led by Israel Rubio, Nathan Waite, Zach Anderson, Luke Hauver, and Jacob Leavitt on the court. Coaching there would be Hanna Mortensen and Emilie Barraza.
In the championship game, the score would never be close. Despite their fourth seed and still just average record, the Straight Trash Homies dominated and won the championship 25-10.
“All the guys were super into it,” said Homies coach Emilie Barraza. “Their participation and their attitudes made us coaches excited to be a part of it. Some of the games weren’t going our way but they still kept a good attitude which is extremely important.”
Nathan Waite, who helped lead the winning team, said, “I think we just kind of learned to get up and set it, because when we could spike it, no one could return it. Everyone was there to have a good time and win.”
Kessa Evans, who helped organize the event and coached one of the teams, said of the tournament as a whole, “Everything ran smoothly once we got the games going. The players loved the competition.”
Evans advocated strongly for the tournament sticking around as a tradition as well. “Since we don’t have a men’s volleyball team at our school, it’s a good opportunity for them to play,” she said. “It’s a fun twist on M week and gets everyone involved.”
MVHS Student Body President Kasen Kolhoss also supported the event. “The turnout was great!” he said. “Everyone had fun playing and watching. You know everyone is enjoying it when the crowd is getting loud whether it’s cheering or laughing.”
As for why they were laughing, Kolhoss joked about why his team might have lost the championship match. “I missed like twelve points,” he said, accepting blame for the loss. “My coaches told me to stand in the back corner and not move.”
Israel Rubio, who played an integral part on the winning side, made it clear as to why other players should sign up next year and in the years moving forward. “It’s an opportunity to show some skills on the court and enjoy some friendly competition,” Rubio said. “It’s one of my favorite sports and I’ve played it for as long as I can remember.”
While the Straight Trash Homies defied odds to win a championship this year, their spot as champions will likely be on the line once again a year from now, as a new and exciting tradition picks up steam.
