There was no dropoff  expected from Xavier volleyball this season. After the first major invitational of the season this weekend at Westwood High, none has been detected.

Xavier ran its 2011 record to 13-0 and won all nine matches at the 20th annual Westwood Tournament of Champions Invitational. The Gators lost just one game -- a three-set match to Corona del Sol in pool play. They knocked off last year's 4A-I champ Sunnyslope in the gold division quarterfinals, beat last year's 5A-I runner-up Hamilton in the semis and toppled 5A-I semifinalist from 2010, Gilbert High, 2-0 in the title match.

Led by setter and all-around standout Bianca Arellano, Xavier won the first came fairly easily and the second with a little tougher challenge from Gilbert. Sophomore Mia Teilborg led Xavier in the title match with 10 kills, followed by senior Abby Hornacek (8 kills) and middle Megan O'Sullivan (6 kills). Arellano had 25 assists and seven digs.

Xavier hooks up with last year's 5A-II state champ, Horizon, in its next match on Tuesday night at 6 at Horizon.

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There are usually several top-notch prep football games on the same night and possible to see just one start to finish.

Not this week. Unbeaten Chandler and Basha meet for the first time ever in a regular season game at Basha. That takes place with a Thursday night special that will be broadcast by Fox Sports Arizona. Both teams were expected to advance mcuh further than the first round in last year's 5A-I playoffs, but were derailed in that effort by Desert Ridge and Gilbert High, respectively.

On Friday it's a rematch of the 2010 5A-I title game between Desert Ridge and three-time defending big-school champ Hamilton. The game takes place at Desert Ridge. Both schools are 3-0 with Desert Ridge mowing down its three foes with ease. Hamilton had a tough time in its opener dispatching Mountain Pointe. The Huskies have followed that up with a pair of romps to extend their record big-school winning streak to 43.

It's not out of the realm of possibility that these four teams could be semifinalists come the third week of November. A few others like Desert Vista, Brophy and Mountain Pointe are certainly in that mix with their performance to date and track record. Maybe Mesquite and Red Mountain if they can begin to generate more offense or at least more consistency.