Max Zepeda is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Mountain High School for AZPreps365.com

After a contentious two months of regular season play, Desert Mountain Volleyball’s 2023 season is nearly its climax, which looks to be another year of playoff contention.

As of Thursday night, the Wolves are the No. 11 team in the 5A Conference, according to AZPreps365.com, and are in a position to at least make a play-in game and have the hosting rights for that contest.

Desert Mountain has experience in this situation. Just one year ago, the Wolves won their play-in game against McClintock, only to fall to the perennial powerhouse Notre Dame Prep in the Round of 16. This was a similar result to what Desert Mountain experienced in 2020, in which it was also eliminated in the Round of 16 by Goodyear powerhouse Millennial, who is currently ranked No. 2.

However, how it utilized its final two regular season matches was essential for Desert Mountain. It lost in three sets Wednesday. however, it did so to the two-time defending 5A state champion and No. 3 ranked Horizon. Then, the next day, Desert Mountain returned home to host the same squad that ended the Wolves’ season a year ago: No. 4 Notre Dame Prep. Notre Dame Prep beat Desert Mountain, also in three sets.

The Wolves' veteran leadership was critical in these final two games, as seniors like opposite hitter Vivian Adamucci and outside hitter Aubrey Johnson, and juniors like setter Olivia Colleto bring their playoff experience to this young Desert Mountain roster.

“We have played deep into seasons before, but I think this may be the best team I’ve played on since I got here,” Adamucci said. “We have the depth to make a run as long as we keep playing our game.”

One could argue, though, that the attention on the youth of the Wolves' roster is well-deserved. That conversation begins and ends with freshman opposite hitter Nylah Bibby, who currently is fourth in the 5A Northeast Valley region in kills with 221 behind Adamucci’s 222. Bibby’s character and demeanor on the court this season have proven that she plays as if she is a veteran of high school competition.

Overall, the Wolves’ loss to Chaparral last week has kept them behind their archrival for most of the season, as they sit just behind the Firebirds in the AZPreps365.com rankings at No. 9 and 11, respectively.

“We know we can compete with the great teams out there if we just do the little things,” Desert Mountain head coach Dana Achtzehn said. “We have been hanging around 9, 10, 11, 12 in the rankings all year, and if we get the little things right, we can go far.”