Cooper Hancock is a student journalist at Arizona State University assigned to cover Coronado High School for AZPreps365

The Dysart Demons swept Coronado (25-12, 25-18, 25-21) on Tuesday to continue the Don's season-long struggles.

It was Coronado's final home match, putting its forgettable record at 0-15.

Coronado's Senior Night honored the team's four seniors before and during the game as head coach Alex Smothers played them in all three sets. 

“We put a lot on our seniors this year and they stepped up and showed out,” Smothers said. “It was all about representing them.”

From their first match on August 30 to their final home match, the Dons never continued to improve their game. Senior Rosanna Becerra, who has been in the program since her freshman year, experienced the progression.

“That is probably the best team I’ve ever had, we always had the best energy, and we always had fun,” Becerra tearfully said following the match. 

For a coach who was tasked to coach a young and inexperienced team, Smothers was able to take the best from his players, despite the discouraging results. 

“If you were here, the first day of practice, you wouldn’t realize that this is the same team,” Smothers said. “We’re still improving and over time, we’re going to get what we deserve.”

For Dysart (7-9), the win was much needed in their playoff aspirations with one final game on Thursday against Vista Grande, the top team in the 4A conference's Black Canyon region. 

Dysart head coach Larissa Shaw and her team had to make quick adjustments asthe Dons never game up. 

“They played hard and had some good plays that kept us on our toes,” said Shaw.

Dysart junior captain Mia Fleming led her team to make adjustments from Coronado’s surprise performance. 

“I think we did a good job playing to the whistle and adjusting to whatever position we were put in,” Fleming said. “It’s important to go into a match with a mindset that you guys are on the same level.”

Coronado will play in its second of back-to-back games on Wednesday against Cortez at 6 p.m.