Nevada

Boys volleyball playoff preview: 5A state title up for grabs

Published

2 years ago

May 6, 2024

Boys volleyball playoff preview: 5A state title up for grabs

Class 5A boys volleyball teams enter the state tournament with a fair amount of knowledge about their opponents.

Most of the top teams have played each other at least once, whether going through the rigors of league play or facing off in tournaments.

And if those regular-season results revealed anything, it’s that the 5A state title is truly up for grabs.

The boys volleyball playoffs begin Monday with 4A state first-round matchups. The 5A and 3A playoffs begin with state quarterfinals Tuesday.

Here’s a breakdown of how the playoffs shape up:

Class 5A

League champions: Green Valley (Desert), Coronado (Mountain)

The favorite: Coronado

Coronado emerged as the league champion out of the challenging Mountain League on a tiebreaker over Palo Verde. Outside hitters Dexter Brimhall and Dane Galvin and middle blocker Jayden Bell lead a balanced attack.

The Cougars haven’t lost to a Nevada team since a four-set defeat to Palo Verde on March 26. They avenged the loss with a four-set win April 17.

Dark horse: Palo Verde

Palo Verde was the runner-up in last year’s title game, losing to Shadow Ridge in five sets. The Panthers have beaten most of the other 5A playoff teams.

Palo Verde could face a semifinal matchup with Green Valley, which beat the Panthers in a two-set sweep in a tournament March 30.

Potential first-round upset: No. 3M Arbor View over No. 2D Shadow Ridge

Arbor View finished third in the Mountain League and has to start the playoffs on the road. The Aggies swept Shadow Ridge, the two-time defending 5A state champion, on March 28 and ended the regular season with a sweep of Desert League champion Green Valley on April 30.

Class 4A

League champions: Mojave (Desert), Del Sol (Mountain), Basic (Sky)

The favorite: Mojave

The Rattlers dropped just six sets as they rolled to a 12-0 Desert League record to claim the league title and No. 1 seed with a first-round bye. By being at the top of the bracket, Mojave would avoid Del Sol or Basic until the state title match.

Dark horse: Bishop Gorman

Gorman lost a five-set thriller to Basic in its regular-season finale, which dropped the Gaels to the No. 2 seed and out of a first-round bye. The Gaels have a few of the state’s top outside hitters. Drew Dennis is third in the state with 453 kills, and TJ Woodson is third with a .370 hitting percentage.

Potential first-round upset: No. 4S Cimarron-Memorial over No. 2D Tech

Cimarron-Memorial defeated Tech twice in tournament play, in a two-set sweep March 2 and three sets April 13. The Spartans finished fourth in the more challenging Sky League, and one of their best wins was a five-set win over Basic on March 28.

Class 3A

League champions: Virgin Valley (Desert), Boulder City (Mountain)

The favorite: Boulder City

The Eagles look poised to win their third straight 3A title. Boulder City dropped one set in league play, and its only losses have been to 5A, 4A and out-of-state opponents. Travis Hess leads the state with a .515 hitting percentage and is third with 88 blocks.

Dark horse: Coral Academy

Coral Academy is the only team to win a set against Boulder City and would not have to face the Eagles until the title match.

Potential first-round upset: None

Boulder City, Virgin Valley, Coral Academy and Valley should all roll in their quarterfinals.

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.

Boys volleyball playoff schedule

State tournaments

All games at 6 p.m. at higher seed

Class 5A

Tuesday

State quarterfinals

No. 4M Desert Oasis at No. 1D Green Valley

No. 3D Centennial at No. 2M Palo Verde

No. 4D Sierra Vista at No. 1M Coronado

No. 3M Arbor View at No. 2D Shadow Ridge

Class 4A

Monday

State first round

No. 3M Las Vegas High at No. 3S Sky Pointe

No. 4D Legacy at No. 2S Bishop Gorman

No. 4M Chaparral at No. 3D Durango

No. 4S Cimarron-Memorial at No. 2D Tech

Wednesday

State quarterfinals

Las Vegas-Sky Pointe winner at No. 1D Mojave

Legacy-Bishop Gorman winner at No. 2M Spring Valley

Chaparral-Durango winner at No. 1S Basic

Cimarron-Memorial-Tech winner at No. 1M Del Sol

Class 3A

Tuesday

State quarterfinals

No. 4M Western at No. 1D Virgin Valley

No. 3D Moapa Valley at No. 2M Coral Academy

No. 4D Mater East at No. 1M Boulder City

No. 3M Canyon Springs at No. 2D Valley

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Nevada

Nevada Family Law Group’s Caston addresses separation risks after deadly Smith’s dispute

Published

11 hours ago

May 16, 2026

Press Room

Nevada Family Law Group’s Caston addresses separation risks after deadly Smith’s dispute

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A domestic dispute led to a deadly shooting at a Smith’s in the valley this past Tuesday, and the man accused of the killings is now facing multiple felony charges.

Alejandro Estrada, who is charged with the two deaths at the store, is being held without bail. He faces 11 felony charges, including two counts of murder.

Court records show one of the victims, Amanda Frias Rosas, was involved in an ongoing child support case with Estrada.

Marilyn Caston, a junior partner at Nevada Family Law Group, discussed challenges that can arise for separated couples.

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Nevada

Vegas casino pulls plug on prediction market conference amid Nevada crackdown

Published

24 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Press Room

Vegas casino pulls plug on prediction market conference amid Nevada crackdown

A Las Vegas casino abruptly pulled the plug on a prediction market conference over fears the event could draw scrutiny from Nevada gambling regulators, according to a report.

Predict 2026 had been slated for the Aria on the Strip before the MGM-operated resort canceled the booking just days after signing the agreement.

‘The [Aria] is issuing this notice in light of Nevada’s current regulatory and enforcement position regarding prediction markets,’ a lawyer for the resort wrote in a termination letter cited by Barron’s.

The dispute highlights escalating tensions between state gambling regulators and prediction market firms such as Kalshi and Polymarket, which let people bet on the outcomes of all kinds of events.

Nevada regulators have taken an especially aggressive stance toward the fast-growing sector, arguing that some sports-event contracts resemble unlicensed wagering that bypasses state gaming rules and taxes.

Last October, the Nevada Gaming Control Board warned casino license holders that maintaining ties to prediction market operators could factor into whether they remain eligible for gaming licenses.

“If a Nevada licensee chooses to offer Sports and Other Event Contracts in Nevada or decides to partner with other entities offering Sports and Other Event Contracts in the state, the Board will consider these developments as it evaluates the suitability of the entity to maintain a Nevada gaming license,” regulators said in the guidance cited by Barron’s.

While Predict 2026 was not sponsored by any prediction market company, Aria’s legal notice indicated that regulators had become increasingly sensitive even to indirect promotion of the industry.

The Aria, which opened in 2009 and is operated by MGM Resorts after being sold to Blackstone in 2021, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The showdown highlights the widening divide between traditional casino operators and the new entrants into the prediction market space.

Legacy gaming giants such as MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment have largely stayed away from prediction markets even as companies including DraftKings have launched competing platforms to challenge businesses like Kalshi.

Prediction market operators insist that their event contracts are federally regulated financial instruments overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, allowing them to operate nationwide for users over 18.

Some state gaming regulators, however, have argued that sports-related contracts closely resemble sports betting and should fall under state gambling laws.

Nevada officials have already taken direct legal action against Kalshi.

The Nevada Gaming Commission sued the company over its sports event contracts, and the platform was briefly barred from operating in the state earlier this year, according to Barron’s.

The Post has sought comment from Polymarket, Aria and the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

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