Sanctioned just last spring, Syracuse and outgoing coach Corrie Vigil carry the same motivation that planted themselves in the first-ever 6A state semifinals a year ago. Vigil intends to retire at the end of the current season after 30-plus years coaching and teaching volleyball, girls and boys.

In her second season coaching at the boys level, Vigil and the Titans (12-3, 4-0 Region 1) entered Thursday as the eighth-ranked program in the state.

Vigil said the decision to step away from coaching revolves around family, including a newly arrived granddaughter.

“The idea of coaching boys, I just love it,” Vigil said. “I’m going to miss it because these are good guys and I’ve loved working here in the program at Syracuse. Coaching the boys is very different than coaching the girls and that experience has been fun and stuff, but what it comes down to is family and I don’t want to miss out. …

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

“I liked the idea of getting a program started. It’s about time they got it sanctioned and stuff, and it’s only to get better.”

Primed for one last run, the Syracuse roster — largely familiar from last spring’s 23-9 finish — is eager for another deep run at state.

“(Vigil)’s doing what she can to (finish) strong,” junior Chase Barrett said.

Barrett, who doubles as libero and outside hitter, helped recruit Syracuse’s team captain and senior Gabe Meredith into the program two years ago. With Barrett’s encouragement, Meredith rose to the title of team captain in as little as two seasons playing competitively. Meredith also pointed to Vigil’s open-book coaching philosophy that amassed 161 wins during her eight seasons coaching the girls program from 2016 to 2023.

The pair quickly took to Vigil’s coaching style in producing a winning season last spring.

“She’s very good with outside perspectives,” Meredith said. “She trusts us to fix things on our own and be able to grow together.”

Two matches into April, Syracuse features three stat leaders on its starting lineup: Barrett, already averaging 3.8 kills per set, leads the region with 172 total digs; Meredith leads Syracuse killing at 43%; sophomore setter Talon Morris leads the region with 376 assists.

In discussing the team’s growth in Year 2, Barrett pointed to the receiving end as one of this season’s biggest milestones. The Titans are maximizing their touches at an all-time level, Barrett said.

“This team’s deepest in the way that we fight back,” Barrett said. “Against Davis, we were down by (eight) in the second and third set and came back to win both sets. … We still make a lot of unforced errors and if we could clean those up a little bit and start faster then we’re going to frustrate a lot of teams from the start and it’ll really push us to go far at state.”

As the region race heats up, Meredith’s looking for Syracuse to start fast and stay there.

“We pick it up fast once we get aggressive,” Meredith said. “Once we get the energy going I really feel like we’re a force to be reckoned with. … As the captain, I feel like I can just bring out a lot of energy at the beginning and just communicate and control what I can control.”

Next week includes another home bout with third-place Farmington on Tuesday, April 15, and a non-region tournament on Friday, April 18.

Connect with sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.