COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 10, 2007) – USA Volleyball announced today that its 2008 USA Volleyball High Performance Championships will be hosted by the city of Tucson (Ariz.) on July 23-27. Matches will take place on 15 courts in the Tucson Convention Center exhibition halls and arena in downtown Tucson. The event is expected to have a $2.4 million economic impact on Tucson.

For the second year in a row, the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships will combine both the boys’ and girls’ events into one concurrent tournament format. Titles up for grabs for girls include Girls’ International Junior, Girls’ International Youth, Girls’ National Youth and Girls’ National Select. Championships to be contested for boys include the Boys’ International Youth and Boys’ National Select.

“We are looking forward to conducting the 2008 USA Volleyball High Performance Championship in Tucson,” said Tom Pingel, USA Volleyball Managing Director of High Performance Indoor National Programs. “I am confident Tucson will be a great site for this event, one in which the teams will have a wonderful experience.”

“We are pleased to be hosting the 2008 USA Volleyball High Performance Championships in Tucson,” said Jonathan Walker, president of the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We believe that Tucson is a perfect match for the needs of the athletes and organizers both for the competition and off-time attractions and activities our city has to offer.”

Age divisions for all USA High Performance Programs: Women’s Junior – born on and after Jan. 1, 1989; Girls’ Youth – Born on and after Jan. 1, 1992; Girls’ Select – born on and after Jan. 1, 1994; Men’s Junior – born on and after Jan. 1, 1989; Boys’ Youth – born on and after Jan. 1, 1991; Boys’ Select – born on and after Jan. 1, 1993.

Divisions will be comprised of teams from Region High Performance Programs, USA Volleyball High Performance Programs, international clubs and/or national teams. USA Volleyball clubs may not enter this event unless they are representing their USA Volleyball Region.

To increase the festive atmosphere of the event, an Opening Ceremonies and dinner buffet will be held in the Grand Ballroom of the Tucson Convention Center the evening of July 22.

Pool play for all division will take place July 23-25. Bracket play for all divisions will take place on July 26 with the finals of all International Divisions settled that day. Championships for the National Divisions will be completed by 12:30 p.m. on July 27.

The USA Volleyball High Performance Championships Manual will be posted on the USA Volleyball web site under the High Performance section no later than Jan. 1, 2008. The manual will include topics such as entry process, entry fees, hotels, meetings dates, etc.

The 82-team event will be hosted locally by Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau, Joseph Volleyball Camps, Inc., and the Arizona Region.

Host hotels, which will be detailed in the Championship Manual, are within walking distance of the arenas.

Sahuaro 3, Rincon/University 0: At Sahuaro, the Cougars nearly doubled Rincon's kill total in a 25-19, 25-17, 25-22 state tournament quarterfinal win.

Sahuaro held Rincon's Brice Nzeukou, who had 13 kills in a first-round game against Santa Rita, to just seven on Thursday.

Most of his frustration came thanks to Colin Kennedy, who finished with 12 blocks.

"Our main priority in this game was to block him," Kennedy said. "We know he's their best hitter."

After winning five of six points to end the first game, Sahuaro opened up a 4-0 lead in the second — the first point coming on a diving save by junior Kyle Tatum.

"My adrenaline takes over, and I just dive for everything," Tatum said. "I love the intensity."

Tatum led the Cougars with 26 assists.

— Michael J. Craven

The Sahuaro High School boys volleyballl team lived up to its No. 1 seeding in the 4A Kino Region championship on Thursday. It defeated a pesky Rincon/University team that beat two teams in as many nights to advance to the title match.

The Cougars, the tournament host, beat the No. 4 Rangers 3-0 (25-17, 25-23, 25-17).

Rincon defeated Sabino and Cienega to get to the finals of the state's toughest region. Four of the top eight teams in the state's Power Rankings for 4A/5A Division II reside in the Kino Region - Sahuaro (No. 2), Cienega (No. 4), Rincon (No. 7) and Sabino (No. 8).

Cougar Kyle Tatum kept the score close in Game 2. He tied the game 20-20 with a kill off a Mitchell Toone assist. Tatum also assisted on the game-winner in all three games.

"I just had to keep running things, spreading it out and keep them guessing," Tatum said. "We just had to bring a lot of intensity to the game and play really hard. We had to get our serves in especially. We've had some trouble in the past with serves."

Tatum finished with 15 assists, 10 digs, seven kills and the only ace for the Cougars. Toone finished with 12 assists, nine digs and six kills.

"They were much better this time when we played them," Sahuaro coach Sandy Novak said of Rincon. "They are a very good defensive team. Our passing was really good tonight and that helped us a lot. When we pass well, then our setters have a much better time setting the ball."

Colin Kennedy led Sahuaro with 11 kills. Brother Dillon Kennedy had eight.

"That's the best we played Sahuaro all year," Rincon coach Juanita Kingston said. "For them to play Sahuaro that tough in any of those games after what we did Tuesday and Wednesday, I'm as happy as I can be. They're ready. Let's bring on the state tournament."

Brice Nzeukou and Logan Mauney each had eight kills and teammate Matt McDaniel had 11 assists

According to the state's Class 4A/5A-II volleyball power points, Sahuaro is not considered Arizona's team to beat. But according to the Cougars, the seeding doesn't tell their whole story.

After sweeping Rincon/University in three games (25-17, 25-23, 25-19) on the Cougars' home court to take the Kino championship Thursday, several Sahuaro players talked about needing to reclaim the confidence they owned during their run as the No. 1 team in the state earlier this year.

"It seems like we had one bad match and then all of a sudden we're not the top team anymore," said Sahuaro outside hitter Josh Harner, referring to a loss to Sabino two weeks ago that eventually shifted the Cougars from the No. 1 spot to No. 2 in power points.

"But we have the same amount of wins as (current No. 1 Catalina Foothills) and played in a tougher region. We wanted to make a statement that we're still on top."

After cruising to a 25-17 win in the opening game, Sahuaro found itself trailing 22-21 late in Game 2 before the Cougars reeled off four of the next five points. Colin Kennedy capped it with a game-winning kill.

With the Cougars leading 20-16 in the finale, Harner laced two aces to stifle the Rangers' comeback bid.

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Sahuaro's Kyle Tatum, right, watches his spike sail past Rincon/University blockers during the Kino Region championship