Schuermann, Shadow Ridge reach final

When Shadow Ridge needed someone to step up Tuesday, Mark Schuermann came through.

But he wasn't the lone clutch performer for the Mustangs during their 25-23, 25-23, 25-23 victory over host Silverado in their Class 4A boys state volleyball semifinal match.

Schuermann, who had 17 kills against the Skyhawks, made key contributions in all three games. The Mustangs (21-3) will play Centennial (34-4) for the title at 6 tonight.

Schuermann closed out the first game with a kill, and he had kills that broke 22-22 and 23-23 ties in the second game.

In the third game, the Mustangs had a one-point lead before Schuermann came up with consecutive kills to put them ahead 21-18.

"We try to emphasize so many players doing so many different things on offense," Shadow Ridge coach Christian Augustin said. "We don't have a one-dimensional offense at all. We try to emphasize our middle, we try to emphasize our right side and we try to emphasize our outside. In doing so, it opens it wide up for everyone else."

Josh Shea added 32 assists for the Mustangs.

Sunrise Regional champion Silverado owned a 15-8 lead over the Mustangs in the opening game, and then rebounded from an 8-1 deficit to take a 22-21 lead in the second game.

"Falling behind definitely hurt us," Skyhawks coach Eric Drum said. "It took all our energy to fight back."

Richie Arguello had 29 assists and three kills for Silverado (32-9).

Centennial reached the final by defeating Las Vegas 22-25, 25-18, 25-16, 25-15 in their semifinal match.

After losing the first game, the Bulldogs took a 9-8 lead in the second on the first of Jordan Leach's two consecutive kills and led the Wildcats (17-5) the rest of the match.

"It kind of shook us a little bit," Centennial coach Scott Nelson said of losing the first game. "It got us determined to do the things we do best, and we weren't doing them in the first game."

Mike Tagliaferri had 43 assists and Breyden Burley and Chandler Tidwell each added 13 kills and 11 digs for the Bulldogs.