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Sky Pointe sweeps Mojave, to play Desert Oasis for 4A volleyball title — PHOTOS

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Sky Pointe sweeps Mojave, to play Desert Oasis for 4A volleyball title — PHOTOS


The fourth time proved to be the charm for the Sky Pointe boys volleyball team.

After losing in the Class 4A state semifinals each of the last three seasons, the Eagles have made it to the final game for the first time as a member of the 4A classification.

Sky Pointe, the Sky League’s No. 1 seed, swept Desert League champion Mojave in three sets 25-22, 25-15, 25-19 Monday night at Sky Pointe in a 4A state semifinal.

“This is a team that everybody kind of underestimated. Physically we’re undersized, not a ton of our players play for big club (teams), but at the end of the day, we’re a brotherhood,” Sky Pointe coach Emma Sproule said. “This is a solid (group) of 14 (players) who work really hard day in and day out.”

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Sky Pointe (21-13) will play Desert Oasis — a 27-25, 25-22, 25-16 winner over Liberty in the other state semifinal Monday — at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Sunrise Mountain High School for the 4A title.

“It feels fantastic because the last three years we made it to the semifinals. Every time, we lost in the semifinals,” Sky Pointe junior middle blocker Brad Rappleye said. “But now we finally broke the curse and made it through.”

Sky Pointe won the 2018 3A title and was the 3A runner-up in 2019. The Eagles lost in five sets last year to eventual state champion Basic in the semifinals.

On Monday, things were shaping up to be another tightly contested contest between the two league champions during a back-and-forth first set. The Eagles pulled through for the opening set win behind three consecutive kills from Tucker Jenkins to secure the set win.

Sproule said she saw the confidence of winning the first set radiate toward the rest of the match for her players.

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“We told them (at the start of the year), ‘We just need you guys to be sponges and absorb all that we’re going to give you,” Sproule said. “It’s going to be a lot of information and there’s going to be a time when you need to apply it and tonight was the time to apply it.

“I’m really proud of the team that showed up tonight. The team that won was well deserved.”

Sky Pointe went on a 7-1 run in the middle of the second set to build its lead and roll to the set win. In the third set, Mojave didn’t go away, but the Eagles capitalized on several Mojave (28-10) service errors and completed the sweep in front of a packed home gym.

“We played as a team,” junior starting libero Dallas Hashimoto said. “We rarely have games where we’re all really in sync like that. It just felt really good it played out like that.”

Jenkins had 10 kills for Sky Pointe and Rappleye, who was named the 4A Sky League player of the year, added eight kills and three blocks. Kaleb Law led Mojave with 10 kills.

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Sky Pointe defeated Mojave in five sets in the regular season on March 9, and the Rattlers had a two-set win in a tournament on March 28.

No. 1M Desert Oasis 3, No. 1L Liberty 0: At Desert Oasis, Jacob Wienke racked up 11 kills, eight digs and four blocks as the Diamondbacks (22-9) rolled to a 27-25, 25-22, 25-16 semifinal victory over the Patriots (20-11) after prevailing in an extended opening set.

Jaiden Alarcon added 14 assists and seven digs for Desert Oasis, and teammate Carson Lampkin had 15 digs. Desert Oasis won the 2022 4A title in its only apperance in a boys volleyball title game.

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X. Review-Journal reporter Jeff Wollard contributed to this report.

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Nevada QB Thaddeus Thatcher commits to Oregon State, breaks down his decision

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Nevada QB Thaddeus Thatcher commits to Oregon State, breaks down his decision


Las Vegas (Nev.) Arbor View quarterback Thaddeus Thatcher announced his commitment to Oregon State and broke down why he chose the Beavers. 

After taking official visits to Oregon State, UNLV, UCF and Michigan, the talented signal caller announced for the Beavers moments ago. 

“I’m very excited about my decision,” Thatcher said. “Coach Shep (Jamarcus Shephard) has assembled a really great staff and I’m really excited to work with coach (Mitch) Dahlen.

“Coach Dahlen has worked with so many draft picks and it’s really exciting to have the opportunity to be developed by someone like him.”

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The potential to compete for early playing time was another big factor for Thatcher. 

“They’re going to give me a chance to compete for a spot right away,” Thatcher said. “That’s something I was interested in and so I’m excited about the opportunity.

“My whole family gets along with the entire Oregon State staff and we really believe in Coach Shep. I really think he’s going to be able to get things back on track and I’m excited to be a part of that.”

We originally had a commit prediction in for Michigan with Thatcher and there was strong buzz he was close to committing following his unofficial visit back in early April. 

Thatcher decided to take his official visits instead and the Beavers hosted him on May 29. Oregon State started to build momentum with Thatcher following the trip and the Beavs were able to hold off strong competition.

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Thatcher is one of the region’s top dual-threat quarterbacks and two-sport athletes. He’s a talented basketball player as well but his fixture is on the grid-iron. 

As a junior, Thatcher completed 168-240 passes (70%) for 2,625 yard and 29 touchdowns with just five interceptions. He also rushed for 605 yards and seven more scores and will be a four-year starter for the Aggies, one of the top teams in the state. 

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After transgender sports ballot initiative dropped, proposal introduced for ‘27 Nevada Legislature

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After transgender sports ballot initiative dropped, proposal introduced for ‘27 Nevada Legislature












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Transgender sports proposal by Nevada assemblymember after ballot initiative is dropped | Politics and Government | News























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