REGION VOLLEYBALL: Bonanza’s Evans finds openings in Palo Verde defense

Parker Evans has flown a little under the radar on Bonanza's boys volleyball team, with opponents keying on 6-foot-8-inch middle blocker Price Jarman.

Evans might not be underestimated anymore.

He had 16 kills and 14 digs -- including the final three kills -- as the Bengals outlasted Palo Verde, 25-18, 15-25, 20-25, 25-23, 15-6 on Thursday in a Class 4A Sunset Region semifinal at Las Vegas High.

The Bengals (20-0) will face defending state champion Shadow Ridge (15-5) in the region finals at 7 p.m. today at Las Vegas.

The Panthers (15-5) closed off the middle for the early half of the game, using a lineup of six players standing 6-2 or taller to effectively shut down Jarman and the other middle blockers for most of the first three sets.

That was Evans' cue to go to work.

"It was kind of upsetting when we couldn't get a kill, couldn't put it away," said Evans, who had eight kills in the first three sets. "But we kept up our attitudes and stayed positive. We got our passes down, and even though they started getting in serves on us, we just hit our own game and then came back and started killing it."

Jarman finished with 16 kills, 15 digs and four blocks, but much of his damage came late in the match. He had five kills and two blocks in the fifth set.

"They kept setting (Jarman) a lot and then triple-blocking him. They were always on top of him," Evans said. "But once (setter Craig Whiting) started pushing out the sets to the pins, we got Price back open and started playing well, just getting kills everywhere."

Whiting had 44 assists for Bonanza, pushing the ball more to Evans and outside hitters Cru Leavitt and Jared Hyer to take advantage of the defense. Leavitt compiled 11 kills and 13 digs, and Hyer added 11 kills and eight digs.

Evans, a 6-1 opposite hitter, knows much of the attacking onus falls on him when teams go after the middle.

"When someone's getting shut down, I trust the setter to make smarter sets and push them out to the pins," he said.

Kenny DeSoto had 23 digs for Bonanza.

Brandon King had 16 kills, 16 digs and five blocks to pace Palo Verde, which had 14 blocks.

Bonanza coach Joe Cap applauded the Panthers, saying, "Palo completely took us out of our game plan, and it was a barnburner."

Sean Wilson had 27 assists, six kills and three blocks for Palo Verde, and Trent Gneiting added nine kills and five digs. Pat Morrison had 18 digs.

■ Shadow Ridge 3, Centennial 1 -- Justin Kent supplied 12 kills and nine digs to help the Mustangs rally to stun the top-seeded Bulldogs, 18-25, 25-23, 25-23, 27-25.

Cody Tesoro had 37 digs for Shadow Ridge, which got 10 kills from Brandon Fisher and three blocks apiece from Quinn Skouson and Collin Johnson.

Braden Taylor had 14 assists and Jalen Makaiwi 13.

For Centennial (16-4), Leo Durkin notched 26 assists, 12 kills, two blocks and two aces. Dustin Buell added 10 kills, and Mike Robinson had 24 assists and six kills.

SUNRISE REGION

Jordan Royal compiled five kills, five assists, four digs, two blocks and an ace to propel Silverado past host Las Vegas 25-15, 25-16, 26-24 in a Sunrise Region semifinal.

Silverado (18-2) clinched a state berth and advanced to face Southeast League rival Coronado (17-3) in the region final at 5 p.m. today at Las Vegas.

"This is one of the greatest feelings ever," Royal said of the state berth. "I've wanted this since even before I started playing my freshman year. I've always wanted to be here. And now that I'm here, I feel like we really accomplished something for our school."

Kyle Divicino had eight kills and six digs, and Brian Theophil added seven kills and six digs to lead the Skyhawks, who breezed to a two-set advantage.

But Las Vegas (18-2) started strong in the third, charging to a 9-5 lead after a kill by Ronnie Adams, who finished with four blocks and three kills.

The final set featured 12 ties and three lead changes.

After an ace by Jacob Bevell gave Las Vegas a 24-21 lead, Royal put down a thunderous kill and added a block to fuel a matching 5-0 tear by Silverado.

Indigo Varela had 20 assists and six digs for the Skyhawks.

Luke Hansen had 17 assists, five kills and three blocks for Las Vegas. Jimichael Baker had seven kills and Jace Turner five.

■ Coronado 3, Green Valley 0 -- Chris Andrulis had 26 kills and 13 digs to help the Cougars eliminate the Gators, 25-21, 25-19, 25-17.

Byrin Romney dished out 39 assists for Coronado, which trailed only twice. Jahren Makanoa supplied 11 digs, seven kills and two aces, and Brandon Dau had 17 digs and three kills.

Beau Gronert led Green Valley (13-7) with 13 kills, five digs and two blocks, and Nick Hevrin added 24 assists. Dimitri Santos supplied six kills, and Michael Martinez had 15 digs.