Olivia Clark is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Cicero Preparatory Academy for AZPreps365.com

A strong offensive night for Cicero Preparatory Academy enabled the Centurions to dominate San Manuel in straight sets, 25-8, 25-12, and 25-12. 

Tuesday’s match was a tough test for the Miners (1-15, 0-6) as they faced the three-time defending 1A state champions in Scottsdale. Cicero Prep (16-1, 6-0) came into the match with five consecutive wins under their belt.

In set one, the Centurions built a 13-point lead through their strong offensive performance.  Junior Pepper Burman finished the set with eight straight aces.

Burman also contributed five kills throughout the three sets.

Burman felt that the team started off the night with high energy which was a contributing factor to their overall performance. The Centurions were able to switch up their usual plays, keeping the match engaging for both the team and the fans. 

“We experimented a lot in our plays and we really just continued to carry that energy,” Burman said. She felt that the opportunity to change their plays is what helped them finish strong in every set. 

Senior Nicole Damian also made a strong impact throughout the match, contributing eight kills and five aces.

Damian said that she always walks onto the court with a confident mindset.

“If I'm given the ball, I’m going to put it away,” she said. 

In set two, Cicero Prep started with a three-run lead and finished out the set with a nine-point run. Senior Kate Harrigan credited six of those nine points with three kills and two aces.

In the final set the Miners started off strong offensively and later lost that momentum as the Centurions closed out the final set with a six-point run to finish off the night strong. Cicero Prep coach Brook Dockter said this match gave him the opportunity to give others on the roster more playing time.

“Being able to add some depth and make sure some kids get in some important time is a big deal and everyone performed well,” he said.

Dockter said even though this match was another region game for Cicero Prep, this win allows for more momentum going into the postseason.

“It solidified to make sure that we’re region champs so that’s one step towards the bigger goal." 

As their regular season comes to an end, the team is looking forward to taking their victories into the post season to secure a fourth consecutive 1A state title.

With a roster of 15 players, 11 are seniors finishing off their last season playing for Cicero Prep, which makes this year extra meaningful for the team.

Damian said the end of the season is “a lot of lasts for a lot of the team.” 

One important takeaway for Damian from Tuesday’s  match that she takes with her into the postseason is to “be present in every moment and enjoy every last moment of it.”

San Manuel High School will travel to Fort Thomas (10-8, 4-2) for a 1A East contest on Oct. 29 at 5 p.m.