Aya Abdeen is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Ridge High School for AZPreps365.com

In the 2021 season, the Desert Ridge High School varsity volleyball team went 7-28 and won one of the last 18 games at the end of the season. It went 1-9 against 6A Conference teams.

This season, the Jaguars surpassed last season’s win total by three games. Their record through 36 games is 10-24-2 (0-7 in 6A) as they came up short in the playoff race. 

Randi Eaton returned for his second stint as the Jaguars’ head coach. He was previously the head coach from 2009-17. 

Eaton described the Jaguars’ improvement from the 2021 season to the 2022 season as “vital” to their success.

Senior defensive specialist and libero Reese Grochowski said she noticed a change in Eaton’s coaching style and how he relied on his players to play hard.

“Last season, our coach was kind of more lenient on things,” Grochowski said. “And I think Randi really brought us all together and really pushed us. And I think that's what changed everything.”

Desert Ridge began the season with a win over the Basha Bears on Aug. 30. They went on an eight-game losing streak in the Neutral Tournament. Since then, the Jaguars had a season filled with ups and downs with winning streaks and losing streaks. They managed to stay alive in playoff race until the end of the season.

On Oct. 20, with playoff seeding on the line, the Jaguars, then-ranked No. 25 in the 6A conference standings, took on the Queen Creek Bulldogs. They hoped to win and to climb into the top 24 in order to have a chance at the playoffs. However, they fell to the Bulldogs in three sets.

The postseason will begin Nov. 3 with the top eight ranked teams in the 6A Conference qualifying. 

Despite the Jaguars’ tough end to a season by falling short in the playoff race, they appreciate their accomplishments and improvements. 

“This season, we had a lot of good things, like hitting and new postures,” Grochowski said.

Senior outside hitter Courtney Grant agreed with her teammate and said the connection between coaches and players improved from the past season.

“The way the team worked on communicating and their blocking has gotten a lot better from 2021,” Grant said. “And I think we’re just decent.”

Advancements and adjustments were building toward the team’s success as they look into the next season, focused. The future is bright for the volleyball culture of Desert Ridge.

“I think they’ve improved a lot this season,” said assistant coach Heidi Hoopes. “We've gotten into the groove as we've come into the last stretch of the season.

“Everybody has come close together and have a strong morale with each other and a good attitude with each other.”