Volleyball has continually made playoffs over the years and did it again this year going to quarter finals.

With a team of unproven players (the Pumas lost eight players last year to graduation), Perry’s 2014 season was one that fans will remember for a long time. With nine new players on the team, head coach Brian Pomerantz thought he was in for a challenge this year, but the youth of the team rose to the two others starters skill.

“With two returning starters we played exceptionally well,” Brian Pomerantz said.

After a successful regular season in which the Pumas were inside of the top-10 in the Power Rankings, PHS earned the No. 9 seed in the state tournament, and had to travel to Tucson Sahuaro to play No. 24 McClintock.

Perry defeated McClintock 3-0 in straight sets. The first set was only won by four points but the Pumas won the next two sets 25-10 and again, 25-10 to move on to the second round against  No. 8 Sahuaro.

Although the Cougars had a strong home-court advantage, senior Jalen Cross and company swept the Cougars in their own gym, 25-23, 25-22, and 25-16.

Cross, who led PHS in kills (309), solo blocks (40) and block assists (76), admitted that the team’s eyes might have been looking forward to a third-round matchup against top-ranked Mesa.

“[Sahuaro] wasn’t seen as a big threat, the real threat was Mesa,” Cross explained, “Mesa was the only team that stood in our way for finals.”

The thought among several players was that they had beaten the other three teams in the tournament previously in the season, and if they could overcome Mesa, they would move on to face the teams they have already beaten.

“We beat three out of the four teams that were in quarter finals and we were only a few points away from beating Mesa High,” Pomerantz said.

Junior Michael Hoffman noted that the Jackrabbits would be a challenge for PHS., but said “Looking at film, Mesa [didn’t] look that unbeatable,”

Arriving at the game many players were confident but lost in the fourth set to Mesa High. The sets were close scoring 22-25, 15-25, 25-22, and 24-26. Only winning the third set Perry was out against Mesa in quarter finals.

“Although we wanted to proceed to finals our season went exceptionally well and next year I hope the team can again go to playoffs,” Hoffman said.

Along with Cross, junior Wyatt Veach was also in the top-3 in several statistics, including a combined 95 blocks, and Hoffman with 434 digs. Hoffman also led all Pumas in serving aces with 50.

Pomerantz is losing four valuable seniors this season,, but with nine players returning next season – including Veach and Hoffman, among others – the Pumas hope to reload for a special 2015 campaign.