The penultimate week of the high school volleyball season saw No. 1
Byron Nelson (Trophy Club) roll into the Conference 6A Division 1 state final in Texas looking to win back-to-back championships.
The reigning national champions must get past No. 25
Dawson (Pearland) in order to become the second team in state history to win consecutive titles in the highest classification. Byron Nelson has dropped only one match over that span. The Bobcats (41-0) have won their past 77 matches dating back to last season with the last loss coming Aug. 16, 2024 in a tournament in Hawaii.
In California, the Open Division Southern regional final features No. 2
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) vs. No. 3
Mater Dei (Santa Ana) on Tuesday. Sierra Canyon is looking for its second state title after winning the 2017 Division II crown. Mater Dei seeks its third championship after winning Open Division titles in 2018 and 2023, a season in which the Monarchs were also crowned national champions.
The Mater Dei-Sierra Canyon winner takes on the victor of No. 7
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) and
Rocklin. Mitty has played for the Open Division title in three of the past four years, losing all three. Rocklin is coached by Bret Almazan-Cezar, who led Mitty to 11 state titles and a national championship in 2009.
No. 9
Marist (Chicago) moved up eight spots in this week's MaxPreps Top 25 after a sweep of No. 18
Benet Academy (Lisle) in the Illinois Class 4A final. It's the second straight title for the RedHawks and exorcised two regular-season losses to Benet Academy. It was the fourth straight title for coach Jordan Vidovic, who also won back-to-back boys titles with Marist.
No. 4 Xavier College Prep won its second straight Arizona Class 6A title Saturday. The Gators will finish in the top 10 of the MaxPreps Top 25 in back-to-back seasons. (PHOTO: Mark Jones)
1. Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas)
Record: 41-0 |
Last week: 1
Class 4A state champion. Season complete.
State champion. Season complete.
The Monarchs haven't dropped a set since Oct. 14 and are led by Minnesota commit
Makenna Crosson.
Gabi Zachariasen and
Bergen Stiff each had 16 kills in a sweep of Sturgis Brown on Friday in a Class AA play-in game. The Tigers take on Mitchell on Thursday in the tournament's first round.
Washington commit
Samantha Destler had 20 kills and
Elle Vandeweghe had 14 as the Sailors lost to Sierra Canyon for the fourth straight time after besting their league foe in the Durango Fall Classic final.
The
Sea Hawks fell to Mater Dei in the opening round of the Southern
California Open Division regional. Redondo Union collected wins this season
over No. 2 Sierra Canyon, No. 3 Mater Dei, No. 7 Archbishop Mitty, No. 9
Marist, No. 12 Marymount and No. 23 Skyview.
Class 3A state champion. Season complete.
15. Winter Park (Fla.)
Record: 31-1 |
Last week: 14
Class 7A state champion. Season complete.
For the first time since 1998, the Dragons are competing for a state title after sweeping Tomball.
Kinsley Young had 12 kills and five blocks in the win as Southlake Carroll now takes on Austin for the Conference 6A Division 2 crown.
The Redwings have reached the Class 4A championship match in each of the past four seasons but have come up short in all four appearances.
Sarah Floyd had 13 kills as the Scots are back in a state final for the first time since 2008. Arizona commit
Gigi Whann leads the team with nearly 700 digs.
Class 5 state champion. Season complete.
Liv Hosford had 16 kills and junior
Mallory Wandel chipped in 14 as the Rams swept Forest Hills Northern (Grand Rapids) on Thursday to advance to the Division 1 quarterfinals on Tuesday against Traverse City Central (Traverse City).
Avery Koonsen pounded 26 kills and
Sloane Ranney added 13 as the Eagles outlasted O'Connor 16-14 in the fifth set to advance to their first state final. Up next, No. 1 Bryon Nelson on Saturday.
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