Take the I-17.

Exit on Happy Valley Rd. and head west.

On 35th Ave., make a right. Keep driving for a short distance until you find the volleyball throne.

The north Phoenix campus of Sandra Day O’Connor is now the head honcho of the big school Arizona volleyball scene. Its beach team dynasty clinched its third consecutive Division I crown Wednesday after winning its first three doubles matches versus Queen Creek at Casteel High.

The nationally ranked O’Connor boys are the favorite to win the 6A indoor crown this season if they reach the title match for the fourth time in the last six seasons. The indoor O’Connor girls won their crown in the fall for the first time.

That sure is some fertile volleyball ground O’Connor sits on.

“It feels amazing obviously,” O’Connor beach coach Jamey Spartz said. “The fact that these girls worked so hard all season and knew that it was about culture, being together and playing for each other, they just proved it tonight.”

Sandra Day O'Connor beach volleyball coach Jamey Spartz celebrates with a couple of her players after her team went up 2-0 in Wednesday's Division I team beach volleyball final. (Jose Garcia/azpreps365). 

A herculean effort was needed to defeat O’Connor’s loaded team (12-0) on the sand this season.

Upsetting Piper Rama and Devyn Wiest also is a chore. The state’s top-ranked pairs team (16-0) defeated fellow No. 1 seed Elle Evers and Tatum Riggs 21-19, 21-12 to kick off O’Connor’s 3-0 run.

A couple of minutes later, O’Connor’s No. 3’s, Iana Loera and Kinsley Singleton, wrapped up their match with a 21-18, 21-13 victory.

But Natalie Gilbert and Kate Smith, O’Connor’s 4’s, got the honors to clinch the title with a 21-10, 21-19 win.

Queen Creek’s 2’s and 5’s actually had their opponents on their heels.

Madisyn Crnjac and Izzy Mahaffey lost their first set to O’Connor but were up 19-14 in the second set when O’Connor locked up the title. Grace Johnson and Hadli McRae were ahead 21-17, 16-8 for Queen Creek, making its second team title appearance, before their match was called.

Queen Creek's Hadli McRae (No. 2) and Grace Johnson came close to handing Sandra Day O'Connor a rare loss this season. (Jose Garcia/azpreps365)

Once a beach team wins three matches the title is then awarded. O’Connor may not be done collecting championship hardware.

Rama and Wiest will begin the pairs state tournament on May 1 as the top-seeded team.

“When I started with this program I knew there was something special about it,” said Rama, who has a chance to finish with six indoor and outdoor titles. “I’m just so happy that I got to contribute the last four years, and I love this team so much. They are like my best friends. Being on this team has really been an honor. I love everyone.”

Sandra Day O'Connor's 2024 championship dreams became a reality Wednesday. (Jose Garcia/azpreps365)