The best overall season in Aurora boys volleyball since it first became sanctioned culminated with the first state championship for the area.
Eaglecrest — a qualifier for every state tournament since the sport’s debut in 2022 — won the title with an upset victory over top-seeded Littleton Public Schools with a lineup that included a lot of talent that appears on the 2025 Aurora Sentinel All-Aurora Boys Volleyball Team.
Semifinalist Grandview also has good representation among the area’s best, which is picked by the Sentinel in conjunction with balloting of Aurora city coaches.
Coach Chad Bond’s Raptors had a great mix of players with experience as well as those who accepted the roles that were needed of them. Senior outside hitter Jackson Shaw was a lynchpin of every phase of play for a team that went 23-5. The Colorado High School Activities Association All-State first team selection piled up 360 kills, which were the second-most among Aurora area players and he attacked from all over the court, which taxed defenses.
On a team that played exceptional defense itself, Shaw also loomed large as he ranked third among locals in total digs with a total of 277 that were most among any non-libero. The Centennial League first teamer is headed to Dominican University, where his older brother, Ayden, already plays.
Dye, who like Shaw was on Eaglecrest’s varsity roster for four seasons, played a key role as a middle hitter and was one of the Raptors’ most dangerous weapons. While Shaw and junior Ashton Bond were the primary targets for a slew of Eaglecrest setters, Dye racked up 185 putaways (down 14 from the previous season on 55 fewer attempts) and posted a career-best hitting percentage of .360. The CHSAA 5A All-State first teamer and All-Centennial League first team selection and Cumberland University signee ranked fifth among Aurora area players with 59 blocks.
Junior Max Chen (a Smoky Hill student) had immense value for Eaglecrest as a libero. He rose to the occasion in the state championship match with 17 digs to help blunt a potent Littleton Public Schools attack. Chen — who also played in the band during the season — accrued 258 digs for the season and was an All-Centennial League second team pick.
Grandview very nearly took the next step towards playing for a state championship thanks to the high-powered offensive duo of sophomore hitters Alex Garcia and Connor Deickman along with junior setter Devan Hall.
In his second season as a starter, Hall was the only player in Colorado (regardless of classification) to amass 1,000 or more assists as he dished out 1,008 of them (with an average of 10.7 per set). Of those 1,008 assists, 73 percent of them came on kills from Garcia and Deickman, who were the only teammates in the state to record 300 or more kills.
Garcia paced the state with a whopping 397 (up nearly 50 from his impressive debut season and with a hitting percentage that rose significantly) and part of what earned him a spot on the CHSAA All-State first team and All-Centennial League first team. Garcia’s service game was incredible impactful as he racked up 58 aces (third in 5A) plus 165 digs and 35 blocks.
Deickman made the All-State second team as well as the All-Centennial League first team with a season that saw him take a big step forward from his impact freshman campaign. He racked up 341 kills (up 97 from 244 last season on 86 more opportunities), while he finished with a hitting percentage of .322. Deickman also led all Grandview players with 178 digs, while he added 53 blocks and 34 service aces.
Vista PEAK Prep could not make up for the losses to graduation from a 2024 season that saw the program win 19 matches and qualify for the regional postseason, but had one of the state’s top talents in senior Tristan Rowley.
The 6-foot-6 outside hitter — a recruit of the University of Maryland Easternshore Division I program — earned 5A/4A City League Player of the Year honors and CHSAA All-State second team accolades. Rowley average of 5.3 kills per set easily led locals and he had 310 for the season (in just 58 sets) and gave him 902 for a four-year varsity career. Additionally, Rowley hit a state-best .420, while he racked up 66 blocks and 38 service aces.
In utility roles on the All-Aurora first team is Cherokee Trail senior Jaeden Barnes and Regis Jesuit senior Callen Wolf, who were first team All-Centennial League and All-Continental League, respectively.
Barnes — a Fort Valley State University signee — played out of usual position while with the Cougars and supplied a needed 244 kills, in addition 191 digs and 27 service aces. Barnes received CHSAA All-State honorable mention accolades, as did Wolf, who was integral to Regis Jesuit’s performance. His 250 kills ranked fifth among Aurora area players, while he also had 290 assists.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
