“Uh,
oh, we’ve got a swimmer!’’ McHale said.
It
was a volleyball, seemingly trying to make an escape.
McHale,
accompanied by his young son, took a long pole similar to the ones used for
cleaning pools, slipped through a gate, climbed up the canal bank and attempted
to guide the ball back to land.
For
the Gators, there’s no escaping the fact that despite falling to Gilbert Perry
in the state quarterfinals last year, signaling the first time in seven seasons
that they did not win the state title, that they remain a major force on the
beach.
Xavier,
which opens the season on Friday (Feb. 22) with a home match against Scottsdale
Notre Dame Prep, has close to 20 players on its roster. That depth should give
McHale some flexibility when some of his players are involved with indoor and
beach club tournaments, not unusual. McHale said that unlike some sports, the
club and high school teams have a good working relationship.
Among
the Gators’ top players are seniors Trinity Cavanaugh and Lydia Rush, junior
Abby Converse and sophomore Serena Turner.
And
McHale recently received some encouraging news when senior Shannon Shields told
him that she would be coming out to play.
McHale
said Shields, who as a setter helped Xavier’s indoor team win its second
straight 6A Conference state title and was selected the Gatorade Player of the
Year for Arizona, originally was not going to return but turned around and
changed her mind.
“She
said, “Ah, I’m coming out after all,’ ’’ he said. “She said, “I am going to be
busy (also with club and preparing to go to the University of Louisville in the
fall -- indoor), but I’m going to make it work.’ I guess she just couldn’t
resist.’’
Even
without Shields, the Gators have a lot of talent coming back.
Not
that you want your team to lose a match, particularly in the state tournament,
but McHale indicated that it could be a good thing for the Gators and help them
in the long run.
“I
think it was a valuable learning experience,’’ he said.
“Some
of the girls didn’t get to see us not succeed,’’
said McHale, whose team lost just one game in its first six seasons and three
last season for a 68-4 overall mark. “It was hard for some of them to play with
a sense of urgency. Sometimes you think you are automatically going to win. Now
they’re going to have to give everything they have, not have it be just a
given.’’
In
addition to Shields, Xavier has others ticketed to play in college – Cavanaugh
in beach at TCU and Conrad and Turner down the road in beach at Stanford.
“We
have a bunch of athletic kids who are hungry,’’ McHale said.
The
coach gives a number to certain courts, the top one and so on down, and the
players “scrimmage’’ to try to reach the top court. That helps motivate them.
Agility
drills also a part of the workouts.
“We
like to keep the kids moving,’’ said McHale, who is joined by assistant Kristen
Jones.
Xavier Prep 2018-19 beach volleyball
roster
Katie
Anthony, Fr.; Tori Burton, Jr.; Brianna Butkiewicz, Jr.; Analy Carbine, Jr.; Trinity
Cavanaugh, Sr.; Abby Converse, Jr.; Eliza Dominguez, Jr.; AG Gordon, Fr.; Tessa
Guthrie, So.; Ania Hiler, So.; Grace Lincoln, Jr.; Zaira Reyes, So.; Lydia
Rush, Sr.; Shea Sciarappo, Sr.; Shannon Shields, Sr.; Alexa Shiner, Fr.; Kate
Tellez, Jr.; Tiffany Tellez, Fr.; Serena Turner, So.
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