By Rebecca Daly
Volleyball Writer
Tuesday night’s game focus is a 2022 6A State Championship rematch between Hamilton and Corona del Sol.
Both teams have made several championship appearances over the years. Under current Head Coach Sharon Vanis, Hamilton won back-to-back state championships in 2020 and 2021. Corona del Sol took the crown from Hamilton the next year in both of the teams' last appearance in the championship.
Corona del Sol looks like a high contender this year, sweeping every regular season game, as well as a near-perfect performance in both tournaments the team competed in so far, under head coach Ben Maxfield.
This powerhouse Corona del Sol team has some key players to look out for. Junior middle blocker Hayden Connor is a dynamic player on the court. She holds the number one spot in the state for total blocks with 49, and leads the state with a 0.542 hitting percentage. She is also ranked 2nd in the state for kills, with 176.
Another key player for the Aztecs is junior libero and defensive specialist Erin Clark. She is ranked 2nd in the state for digs with 228, and 3rd in the state for serving aces with 40.
Hamilton also looks good this season, starting with a 4-1 record. The Huskies lost their first game, before competing in the House of Payne Girls Volleyball Tournament, but have been on a roll in the following regular season games.
Some key players on Hamilton are freshman middle hitter Makinlee Landis, who is ranked 22nd in Arizona and 3rd in the conference for total blocks with 25. Senior opposite hitter Raegan Richardson is ranked 20th in the state for kills with 103.
Both teams are looking to head back to the championship again and regain the crown. It is expected to be a fiery match Tuesday night at Hamilton High School, given the talent and level of competition these teams play at.
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