Sierra Vista’s Unforgettable Weekend

From Friday, April 4, to Saturday, April 5, 2025, the Sierra Vista Men’s Volleyball team tirelessly battled at the Aggies Classic Tournament held at Durango High School. Despite a challenging start on Friday with two losses, the Lions managed to secure a win that advanced them to the next stage of the tournament. The weekend resulted in a hard-fought championship match against Virgin Valley, where the Lions narrowly fell 2-0 in a nail-biting finale.
Friday’s competition opened with a matchup against Coronado High School, where Sierra Vista lost in two tight sets, 0-2 (23-25; 23-25). The Lions bounced back in their second game, battling three intense sets against Liberty High School with a 3-2 victory (24-26; 25-21; 15-11). During that match, Sierra Vista’s team captain and nationally ranked athlete, Regi Beshiri, reached a major milestone—recording his 1,000th career kill, according to MaxPreps. The day concluded with another close match against Silverado High School, ending in a 0-2 loss (18-25; 23-25).
The following morning, the Lions came out “fired up” and ready to dominate, carrying that energy throughout the day. Sierra Vista set the tone of the day with a solid 2-0 victory over Mater East High School (25-21; 25-22), followed by an effortless performance against Durango High School, winning again in straight sets (25-10; 25-23). The Lions kept the momentum rolling with another 2-0 win over Cheyenne High School (25-23; 25-12), and a 2-0 victory against Meadows High School (25-14; 25-12). Vista’s final matchup before the championship was against Copper Hills High School, where the Lions battled out a tight game 2-0 (25-22; 25-23), securing their well earned place in the title match. The tournament concluded with a hard fought 0-2 loss to Virgin Valley High School (24-26; 23-25), leaving everyone on the edge of their seats as the lead shifted back and forth. Beshiri remarks, “Everyone came prepared and after playing that first game I think everyone clicked into playing their best and from there we just continued to play our hearts out.”
Assistant coach and biology teacher Nicholas Hevrin, who is currently recovering from an ACL injury sustained during a recent volleyball practice, remarks, “They grew as a team by having more fun. There are times where we can get too wrapped up in wanting to win that we forget it’s supposed to be fun. We were able to get more in sync by just having a good time together.” Coach Hevrin also highlighted the star players— Ben La (12), Jeremiah James (11), and Zaihen Bailey (11) —for stepping up during the tournament, playing new positions and “rising to the challenge.”
The Lions “wrapped up” the Aggies Classic Tournament with a second-place finish after a long, competitive weekend. While Vista’s Men’s Volleyball team has room for improvement, this tournament showcased their unwavering resilience and strength as a team.