This year has carried a single through-line for Valley Christian volleyball: defend what you built. The Trojans closed the 2025-2026 regular season at 30-10, a perfect 10-0 in region, 17-0 in conference play and the winners of eight straight heading into the bracket – numbers that don't just hint at momentum, they prove a program identity.
Under sixth-year head coach Tyler Trathen, Valley didn't tiptoe through the schedule; they stress-tested it. They pushed into the semi-finals of the Westwood Tournament of Champions as one of only three 3A schools in a 6A heavy field, beat Desert Ridge and 6A power Sunnyslope before bowing out to defending 6A champ Xavier, and later drove to California to claim the SoCal Invitational Diamond Bracket championship. From sweeping Seton Catholic to reverse-sweeping Gilbert Christian, the Trojans have looked every bit like a team built for November.
If last year's state title set the expectation, this season's balance has made it sustainable. Valley has hammered down 1,311 kills across 103 sets while serving at 93 percent efficiency Sydney Simon (Jr.) brings a terminal arm with 369 kills on .352 hitting, while Sadie Wahlin (Jr.) dominates the net with 303 kills and 139 blocks, including 89 solo. Sophomore Elyse Wolf stretches the pin game with 253 kills and 381 receptions, and setter Ansley Venkatesh (Jr.) keeps the offense humming with 981 assists, orchestrating tempo that punishes every defensive lapse. Senior Libero Ellie Gregg remains the anchor with 479 digs and 413 receptions – her reads and leadership setting the emotional tone for every rally.
Junior Sadie Wahlin says, "My mindset for my offense is to be as efficient as possible. When I go up to hit the ball I visualize myself getting a kill every time."
Their strength has always come from unity, a blend of experience and trust that shows up when the match tightens. Down 0-2 to Gilbert Christian in September, the Trojans didn't flinch – they regrouped, tightened serve-receive, and stormed back for a reverse sweep that felt like the season in miniature: poise under fire and faith over fear.
"When I'm playing defense," Ellie says, "especially since I am the libero, I know that I have to try to get every ball up even if it looks to hard. Defense is my job and I don't want to let me or my teammates down and if I don't get a ball up, the next time I will try even harder."
Those same habits carried through the final week, when Valley swept Apache Junction and Florence to cap the regular season. Venkatesh tallied 28 assists and 8 aces against the Prospectors, Hirsch posted a carrier-high 12 digs and 3 aces against the Gophers, and the Trojans looked every bit the defending champions – fast, composed, and unrelenting.
Heading into playoffs, Coach Trathen's message hasn't changed.
"I have told the girls from the very beginning that it is always harder to go back-to-back. We can't look at what we have done, but what we can do. We can control only what we have in front of us. We are taking each game one at a time and are working hard to get back to the final game and win another championship!"
Their roster has the depth, discipline, and drive to go the distance. The next few weeks will demand clean first contact, decisive swings, and the same relentless focus that has defined the 2025-26 season. The crown isn't something they're chasing – it's something they've trained to defend.
Valley opens state play against Sanford on November 8 at Millennium, with the winner advancing into a likley rematch against Gilbert Christian in the quarterfinals later that evening. It's a familiar matchup with familiar stakes – the reverse sweep in September was a turning point in Valley's season, and both teams know exactly what the other brings across the net. If the Trojans advance, a semifinal showdown on November 13 at Mountain Pointe could feature Seton Catholic or Snowflake, two disciplined, well-coached programs that thrive on long rallies and serve pressure. The path isn't soft, but it's one Valley has walked before.
On the opposite side of the bracket sits Northwest Christian, the probable finalist and a team built around size, pace, and ball control. If both sides handle business, the titles will be decided at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum on November 15 at 12:15pm – the same floor where Valley lifted the trophy last year. The message remains simple: defend first contact, trust the system, and play with the same calm, connected edge that has defined the Trojans from August to now. The crown isn't a chase – it's a standard, and Valley is prepared to uphold it.
