Many of the top players at Torrey Pines pose for photos in the preseason. The Falcons won California Challenge last weekend. Note: Torrey Pines has the best photography of any school in California on its team web pages. Photo: tpvolleyball.com.
Archbishop Mitty and Torrey Pines move up into the No. 2 and No. 3 spots after Torrey Pines tops previous No. 2 Santa Margarita in the title match of the California Challenge. The Eagles then gave a valiant effort to try to knock off No. 1 Mater Dei on Tuesday but fell short. This week’s highest ranked newcomer is Buchanan of Clovis.
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(Previous rank in parentheses)
(After matches of Tuesday, Oct. 10)
1. (1) Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 27-4
Tuesday night marked the third match of the season so far between the Monarchs and league rival Santa Margarita. Compared to last week’s rankings, it was another No. 1 vs. No. 2 meeting but the Eagles were coming in off of a loss to Torrey Pines in the title game of the California Challenge. Mater Dei dropped the second and third games of the match 20-25 and 14-25 but came back to win 25-18, 20-25, 14-25, 25-23 and 15-11. Natalie Berty had 22 kills for the Monarchs, who also are now 2-1 vs. the Eagles this season.
2. (3) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 19-4
We should get a chance to watch the Monarchs in person this weekend at the Stockton Classic, which has sort of become head coach Bret Almazan-Cezar’s annual trip to his former stomping grounds. They move up to No. 2 for continuing to roll in the very tough West Catholic Athletic League and because we had them in front of Torrey Pines for winning in the second of two matches between those teams.
Taylor Walker is one of eight juniors on the roster at Long Beach Poly. Photo: @LBPolyVB/Twitter.com.
3. (4) Torrey Pines (San Diego) 20-3
Head coach Brennan Dean told the San Diego Union-Tribune he was just hoping to reach the semifinals of this year’s California Challenge after the Falcons lost in the quarterfinals last season. They did better than that. His girls knocked off previous state No. 2 Santa Margarita in last Saturday’s title match 25-18, 25-21. Northwestern-bound Kiara McNulty was named tourney MVP.
4. (5) Long Beach Poly (Long Beach)21-3
For overall schedule, the Jackrabbits certainly aren’t up there with Santa Margarita or Marymount or a few others. They just happen to still own a head-to-head win over Santa Margarita, which comes back into play when the two of them are right next to each other in the rankings. Poly still has a league match coming up against Lakewood and will be looking to sweep that series this season.
5. (2) Santa Margarita (Rancho SM) 23-7
This is where the Eagles have to fall after their losses to Torrey Pines and Mater Dei. They also, remember, had a head-to-head loss to Long Beach Poly very early in the season. The schedule, in general, remains one of the toughest not just in the state but in the nation so seven losses is still actually not that bad. We certainly still think Santa Margarita would crush a number of teams in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 even though the Eagles aren’t in there. So would a bunch of other California teams.
6. (6) Redondo Union (Redondo Beach) 18-4
Jasmine Davis had 16 kills as the Seahawks downed Mira Costa last week in the first of what is always two very spirited, competitive matches between the two rivals each season. It took five games before Redondo prevailed 21-25, 27-25, 25-20, 18-25, 15-13. Nalani Iosia also had 23 digs and four aces.
7. (7) Temecula Valley (Temecula) 20-2
The Golden Bears remain in the thick of the race for the Southwestern League title and last weekend went to the California Challenge and lost their only match of the weekend to Santa Margarita. Their best win came against a Lone Peak of Utah squad that was No. 40 in the FloVolleyball Flo50 natonal rankings. Temecula Valley is No. 27 in the same poll.
8. (8) Central (Fresno) 32-2
The Grizzlies swept three games from Clovis East in their Dig Pink event on Tuesday night and last week also swept Clovis. They still have Buchanan to play one more time in the Tri-River Athletc Conference before going into the CIF Central Section D1 playoffs.
9. (9) Marymount (Los Angeles) 22-7
We talked to Sailors’ star Grace Frohling on Sunday for a SportStars’ Magazine feature story and she admitted how tired everyone was after playing in the California Challenge all weekend. Still, it wasn’t a bad trip. The Sailors got to the semifinals of the 32-team event and their loss was to eventual tourney champ Torrey Pines. Still no reason for a rankings drop.
10. (10) Marin Catholic (Kentfield) 19-3
We could have a NorCal Open Division preview this Saturday in Stockton since the Wildcats also are going to the Stockton Classic and they could run into Archbishop Mitty there. Oak Ridge of El Dorado Hills, who we have on the State Top 20 bubble, also is in the field, along with Monte Vista of Danville and St. Ignatius of San Francisco.
11. (11) Lakewood 21-4
Coach Mike Wadley’s team had a solid showing at the California Challenge. They beat Great Oak of Temecula a few days after that team had beaten Vista Murrieta and they also notched a win against previous No. 20 Sacred Heart Cathedral (SF). Lakewood then lost in the quarterfinals to eventual tourney champ Torrey Pines.
12. (14) St. Ignatius (San Francisco) 25-5
The Wildcats faced previous No. 20 Sacred Heart Cathedral on Tuesday night and swept their WCAL rivals in three games. They also won their previous two WCAL matches against Presentation and bubble team Valley Christian.
Monte Vista and San Ramon Valley players battle at the net from match earlier this season. Photo: SportStars Magazine.
13. (12) Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach) 8-7
It’s still a funky record for the Mustangs, but we certainly weren’t going to drop them far or not at all after their 50-50 five-game match loss to Redondo. According to the South Bay Daily Breeze, Kate Reilly had 17 kills to lead Mira Costa. Sami Underwood was right behind with 16.
14. (15) Westlake (Westlake Village) 15-0
We still have two weeks to go until the Warriors will play some top state level competition at the Redondo Power Classic. They beat Calabasas on Tuesday and will play Thousand Oaks later this week.
15. (17) Canyon Crest Academy (San Diego)
14-6
Hannah Martin of the Ravens was named to the California Challenge all-tourney team after a weekend that saw the girls lose only to higher ranked Marymount. They won a quarterfinal match over bubble team Sierra Canyon also posted wins against Los Osos, Clovis North and Campolindo.
16. (18) Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 15-5
It was generally a good showing for all of the CIF San Diego Section teams at the California Challenge. The Dons’ only loss was to nationally ranked Santa Margarita. They also beat Palm Desert, Ironwood Ridge of Arizona, Sacred Heart Cathedral of San Francisco and Great Oak. Kareena Wurl was named to the all-tourney team.
17. (19) Monte Vista (Danville) 22-1
Head coach Sara Dukes Johnson’s club will warm up for the Stockton Classic this weekend with a Thursday match against Dougherty Valley. The Mustangs also swept Livermore on Tuesday night. Monte Vista’s only loss is to No. 10 Marin Catholic.
18. (13) Vista Murrieta (Murrieta) 12-4
The Broncos followed up their big win from the week before over nationally ranked Temecula Valley with a loss in the Southwestern League to Great Oak of Temecula. That earlier win over the Golden Bears, however, is still enough to keep them in the State Top 20.
19. (NR) Buchanan (Clovis) 27-5
Two of the Bears’ losses are to Central of Fresno, one was to Santa Margarita, one was to Long Beach Poly and the only other one was to a team from Hawaii. They won on Tuesday night of this week over Clovis North.
20. (NR) Corona del Mar (Newport Beach) 13-4
After a 2-3 start, the Sea Kings have been one of the state’s top teams. Their only loss since then was to Long Beach Poly and they have a recent win over Marymount. A tough match listed on the schedule for Tuesday vs. Beckman (Irvine) was not reported.
TEAMS THAT DROPPED OUT
Previous No. 16 JSerra (SJ Capistrano); No. 20 Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco).
TEAMS ON THE BUBBLE
Carlmont (Belmont) 20-2
Culver City 21-2
Edison (Huntington Beach) 14-9
Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood) 15-7
Huntington Beach 22-6
JSerra (SJ Capistrano) 16-6
La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad) 14-7
Los Alamitos 18-9
Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) `15-4
Palos Verdes (PV Estates) 16-8
Sacred Heart Cathedral (SF) 20-7
Santiago (Corona) 20-4
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) 21-6
St. Francis (Mountain View) 16-7
Valley Christian (San Jose) 12-9
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
