EDITOR'S NOTE: For a full 5A state playoff bracket, click here. For a state volleyball program, click here.

With powerhouse Casteel having moved up to the 6A conference last summer, the 5A Boys Volleyball State Championship bracket is wide open with early favorites Campo Verde, Arizona College Prep. and Cienega looking to hoist a title trophy.

The playoffs get underway May 9, so here’s a few teams to watch as play gets underway.

CAMPO VERDE

The No. 1-seeded Coyotes (19-7, 8-1 5A East Sky) have finished one of the most successful campaigns in program history thanks to a group of players that have been through the same system for all four years, coach Zachary Robinson said.

“It shows. All of them have bought into the culture and continue to show their love for the game with how they play,” Robinson said.

Senior Malakai Bredensteiner leads the way with 263 kills, good enough for Top 10 in the 5A conference this season. He’s also tied for the team lead in blocks with 31 with Owen Horton.

“Owen has done a phenomenal job as a middle blocker and plays all the way around and is leading the team in passing percentage, which makes Carter Skousen’s job as our setter easy,” Robinson said.

Skousen has 553 assists (11th in 5A).

Campo Verde is looking for their first championship since 2019. They host No. 16 Canyon View (10-19, 2-8 5A Northwest Valley) on May 9, 6 p.m.

ARIZONA COLLEGE PREP

The No. 2-seeded Knights (22-7, 7-2 5A East Sky) were one of the top teams in 4A over the past few years, claiming a championship over Northwest Christian (3-2) a season ago.

Now in 5A, they face a new challenge, but coach KJ Struz believes his group is up for it.

“After losing great talent and multi-year starters in 2024, this group took on the challenge to run it back and have had another successful season,” Struz said.

Logan Coking leads the team in kills with 316 (6th in 5A), while Kaden Wong averages 10 assists per set for the group. Wong has 688 total assists this season, good enough for second overall in 5A behind Sunrise Mountain’s Dane Shephard (790).

“[Kaden’s] talent shines bright not only on the team, but in the entire state of Arizona and he has grown tremendously to be the ‘quarterback’ on the court and help bring up the energy and focus when we get in ruts,” Struz said.

Alex Lim, who doesn’t have any stats that jump off the page, is also a key piece of the puzzle for Arizona College Prep. volleyball.

“He has been a huge reason for our success this season as he has shown tremendous resilience after coming back from a season-ending injury two years ago and took a while to recover,” Struz said. “The guys see his work ethic and how much he cares to be the best for his teammates and it shows.”

The Knights will host No. 15 Buckeye Union in their first-round match May 9, 6 p.m.

CIENEGA

The Bobcats (23-5, 14-0 5A Southern) come into the 5A state playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the field having won nine straight, including 14 of 16.

Coach Heather Mott said that much of her club’s success this season is thanks to a “young group of very determined boys.”

“They are hungry and talented, but they are also patient and willing to work hard every day,” Mott said. “Leadership is coming from every kid.”

Cienega won two titles in 2017 and 2022 and made a championship appearance in 2021 but were swept by Casteel (25-15, 25-20, 25-14).

Although the group is young, senior Dawson Briggs leads the way with 214 kills and a 47.2 kill percentage as a “big physical outside” presence on the team.

Another player to watch is Caiden Mott, who is a young setter with a “ton of volleyball IQ” as all three of his older siblings have played volleyball at the collegiate level. As a junior, he’s Top 10 in the 5A conference with 585 assists.

Andrew Keen, a sophomore who is also the youngest of three brothers who have played a lot of volleyball, has 31 total blocks this season.

“These three boys, with the help of all the others, thrive because they have been waiting a long time for their turn. They have watched as other Cienega boys have been successful and now they are in the spotlight,” coach Mott said.

No. 3-seeded Cienega opens their state championship chase May 9 with No. 14 Maricopa at 6 p.m.

OTHER 5A VOLLEYBALL NOTES

Metro Tech reached the playoffs for the very first time and will host No. 9 Desert Edge. … Centennial, the Northwest Valley region champ, is in search of its first playoff win since 2016. … Willow Canyon is making its third straight postseason appearance. … McClintock, the co-Metro region champ, is 13-4 and a win away from tying a school record for wins in a season. It’s making its first playoff appearance in a decade.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on X at @AzPreps365Brian or on Facebook at @Five2MediaWorks. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.