That rebuilding project coach Tyler Trathen thought he had this year was shelved. 

The Valley Christian Trojans wanted to repeat that championship feeling from last year—despite dressing just one senior this year. Mission accomplished. 

The Trojans swept Northwest Christian 25-19, 25-20, 25-16 Saturday at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum to defend their title. There was a two week stretch this season in which Valley Christian faced a gauntlet but finished unscathed (6-0). 

That’s when Trathen felt he had another potential champ in his hands. 

“They definitely proved me wrong and showed it,” Trathen said. 

That lone senior on the team? 

She wound up with MVP honors to cap her high school indoor career in style. 

Ellie Gregg (right), the only senior on Valley Christian's roster, took home MVP honors in her final high school indoor game. (Jose Garcia photo/AZPreps365)“It’s really exciting, but also really sad,” said senior libero Ellie Gregg about her final match. 

Valley Christian didn’t show signs of a letdown after Thursday’s emotional semifinal five set match, which included an epic third game.

The Trojans lost that game 35-33 to Gilbert Christian and lost the following game 25-10 before the fifth set gut check.

“Faith over fear,” was Trathen’s message to his young squad, which prevailed 15-13 in the fifth set. 

On Saturday, the finalists went back and forth at the start of each game before Valley Christian’s versatility took over.

Setter Ansley Venkatesh (36 assists) had her options of Trojans weapons. Valley Christian’s blocking was also on point. 

That helped the team take its biggest lead (19-12) in Game 1. Valley Christian also closed the game with one of Sadie Wahlin's five blocks.

 

In the second game, Elyse Wolf had five kills for Valley Christian, but her team didn’t start to pull away until back-to-back back sets from Venkatesh were put away by Wahlin and Tori Miller. That was followed by a Northwest Christian timeout, trailing 21-18.

Venkatesh kept the offense in system with the help of Gregg (match high 16 digs) to close the second game. In the third game, Northwest Christian’s offense started clicking behind setter Tatum Naber (26 assists), forcing Valley Christian to call its first timeout of the match while leading 9-8. 

Later on in the final game, Northwest Christian’s Ava Parsons somehow dug a powerfully hit kill attempt, allowing teammate Lilly Bliss to finish the rally with a kill. Northwest Christian was down 21-16 at that point, but that dig wasn’t enough to help the runner-up steal the momentum. 

No. 2 seed Northwest Christian (27-7) made its 20th state title appearance, which is the third highest total in the state. The aptly last-named Izabella Bombinski finished with a Northwest Christian high 14 kills. 

She’s just a freshman. 

Northwest Christian made its 20th volleyball championshp appearance Saturday at the historic Veterans Memorial Coliseum. (Jose Garcia photo/AZPreps365)

Top-seeded Valley Christian (34-10) won its 12th title in its 16th appearance in the big game, and it didn’t take the Trojans long to start planning for next year.  With almost everybody back, the goal was set in the season ending huddle. 

Said Trathen, “Three-peat.”  

Valley Christian