MVHS Boys Volleyball Advances to Playoffs

By LAURA ROBISON

The Progress

The Moapa Valley High School boys volleyball team has exceeded expectations in it’s first full season. The team is currently ranked #1 in the 3A Desert Division with an overall record of 14-10, and a league record of 9-1.

As the regular season has ended, the team has only lost one league game, against Coral Academy. And this week the Pirates enter the quarter-final playoffs on their quest for a state championship.

Last year the boys played but it was a shortened season due to COVID protocols and restrictions, and there were no games played at the state level.

“With this being only the 2nd year these boys have ever played volleyball, that is freaking awesome!” said head coach Tiffany Frederick. “These boys have excelled tremendously in less than a year.”

Frederick highlighted a few players who helped the team get where they are.

Senior, Jeremiah Mortensen, was the only boy to play volleyball for his first time. Frederick said that he has showed great improvement by coming to preseason open gyms and staying after practices to work on hitting and serving.

Junior, Landon Kelly, leads the team with 147 kills.

Junior Joe Whitmore, and Senior Cole Neilson, lead the team with the highest hitting percentages. Whitmore also leads the team with the most blocks.

The team libero, Trent Nelson, a junior, leads the team with the most digs and serve receives.

Junior, Jayden Bunker, has had quite a few serving streaks getting in 90 percent of those serves. Junior, Nick Hoy is 100% on his serves.

Frederick said that sophomore Max Fellars is not only an amazing setter, he’s also got some wicked serves.

According to the 2022 national high school boys volleyball stats on Maxpreps, Fellars is 7th in the nation, serving 99 aces so far this year. But because he has played less sets than the others on the leader board, he is actually number 1 in the nation for aces per set!

“We couldn’t be more proud!” Frederick said. “I wish I could say that we taught him that…but it was all him. So many reps!”

Frederick specifically mentioned team captains Fellars and Hoy, who did a fabulous job leading the team this year.

“Everyone on our team has played a huge part in getting us to this #1 spot going into the state championships,” Frederick said.

Since MVHS is ranked #1 in the Desert league, the team will play Western at home for the state quarter finals.

That first playoff game will be held on Wednesday, May 11, at 6 pm in the Pirate gym!