Reece Andrews is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Mesa High School for AZPreps365.com

Mesa High baseball has already kicked off their season with the 2022 Pinon/Huffman Pinal County Memorial Invitational with a bumpy start going 0-5 over the weekend but they kick off official power point play Tuesday March 1st at 3:45 p.m. at  Boulder Creek.

“It was all mental. It wasn’t physical. Mental things are easier to cure than physical things,” said varsity head coach Ramon “Ray” Figueroa. 

Junior catcher Raul Perada followed up, “Our defense wasn’t on but when it was our hitting wasn’t good and when our hitting was good on defense wasn’t on.”

Figeroua wanted to emphasize mistake-free baseball and that the team knows they are better than their performance. 

“If you make an error you just have to brush it off and be ready for what’s next. You can’t keep it in your head,” sophomore outfielder Zeke Alcala reiterated his coach's words.

 

Sophmore outfielder Zeke Alcala joking around with his teammates (Reece Andrews/AZPreps365)

Despite the nonideal start to the season the team still has confidence in themselves and in coach Figueroua. “They seem real confident and that’s obviously a good thing when your team goes 0-5 at a tournament and still feels confident,” said Figueroa.

Sophomore second baseman/pitcher Brandon McKnight has his eyes set on the prize, “Hopefully win state. That's obviously the main goal but other than that grow as a team, improve in baseball and get a pretty good record this year.”

But Figueroa's goal is to make sure his kids are good people and not just baseball players, “They’re going to make their parents proud. It might not be in baseball but they’ll be proud.”

Head coach Ray Figueroa pitching at batting practice(Reece Andrews/AZPreps365)

As for the boys volleyball team Tuesday, March 1st against the state champion runner ups, Sandra Day O’Connor, will be their official start to the season at home at 5:30 p.m.

Mesa lost to Sandra Day O’Connor twice last season once in the regular season, once in the playoffs and both times with a final score of 3-0.

The Jackrabbits are looking for a different outcome this time under new head coach Venese “Vee” Hiapo. 

The kids seem to already love her and her unique analytics heavy coaching style.

Head coach Vee Hiapo writing up a play (Reece Andrews/AZPreps365)

“I’ve loved her coaching style so far. She seems to care so much about the game. She brings so much to the Mesa high volleyball family and I’ve really enjoyed playing on her team so far and we’re just getting started,” senior setter Hank Stoddard said.

And Hiapo seems to love Mesa and the kids right back.

“I enjoy being at Mesa highschool. They are very similar to being back in Hawaii. They’ve got culture, they’ve got community, they believe in the strength of the family. I have enjoyed being here”

Hiapo is a very accomplished coach as she humbly bragged. She’s won three state championships and is coming into an already successful volleyball program where she’s looking to add more. 

“I believe this is boys volleyball’s 21st year here at Mesa. It’s a great tradition and we are always at the top so a lot of schools look forward to facing us because we’re a challenge,” senior captain opposite/outside hitter David Meek said. 

Senior setter Hank Stoddard winding up a big spike (Reece Andrews/AZPreps365)Hiapo cares a lot about the numbers on the court but maybe more of the boys numbers off. She reiterates how smart they are on and off the court and she wants to make sure they succeed in both areas.

“They’re student athletes and this school is an A+ school,” Coach Vee said, “They are first students and then athletes and that’s how we try to approach it always,”

Just like with baseball’s Brandon McKnight, senior captain libero Henry Mason reiterated the same sentiment of what he hopes to get out of the season.

“I’m trying to help this team go as far as possible. Win state obviously and I just want us to be able to improve throughout the season”