While most states have started the postseason, others are putting a bow on theirs and handing out hardware to the state champions. Three teams in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school volleyball teams added to their school's trophy case as No. 6
Fayetteville (Ark.), No. 14
'Iolani (Honolulu, Hawaii) and No. 22
Washburn Rural (Topeka, Kan.) all took home their state's top prize.
In Arkansas, MaxPreps All-Americans
Kennedy Phelan and
Brooke Rockwell helped the Bulldogs to a 37-2 mark and third straight 6A title with a sweep over Southside on Saturday. It was perhaps fitting that the match's final point featured Florida State commit Phelan setting Rockwell, a Stanford beach volleyball pledge, for the season-ending and career-ending point. Phelan was tournament MVP with 37 assists, seven kills and 18 digs.
In Kansas, MaxPreps All-American
Brooklyn DeLeye and Washburn Rural took home the 6A crown and a bit of redemption for 2021. Last season, the Blues entered the semifinals unbeaten before falling in both the semis and third-place game. DeLeye won a basketball title in 2021-22 and the Blues got the school's eighth title, finishing on a 42-match win streak.
And there's plenty of win-or-go-home action still to come as Texas begins its grueling postseason while Georgia and Indiana wraps up their postseason with a pair MaxPreps Top 25 showdowns on Saturday.
Brooke Rockwell (20) of Fayetteville hammers home the match-winning kill for the Bulldogs in their 6A state final against Southside. No. 6 Fayetteville completed the Arkansas three-peat with the title. (Photo: Ted McClenning)
1. (Last week No. 1) Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), 36-0
Recap: The Dons began their postseason trek with a sweep over Del Norte in the San Diego Section Open Division bracket. They still haven't dropped a set and are two matches from a title, facing La Costa Canyon in the semifinals and either Torrey Pines of Bishop's in the finals.
Outlook: Nov. 1 vs. La Costa Canyon
2. (2) Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio), 55-2Season complete.
3. (3) Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), 36-3
Recap: The Mustangs advanced out of Pool A in the Southern Section Division 1 bracket with a 3-0 record, including a 3-2 win Saturday over Mater Dei.
Drew Wright led the team with 25 kills and
Tanon Rosenthal added 17 in the win over the Monarchs. Mira Costa and Sierra Canyon, the Mustangs' finals opponent, split two meetings in August at the Ann Kang Invitational in Hawaii.
Outlook: Nov. 5 vs. Sierra Canyon
4. (4) Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.), 33-1
Recap: Avery Hobson had 15 kills,
Lindsey Mangelson added 11 and
Lauren Harden had 10 in the semifinal sweep over Lake Central.
Macy Hinshaw had 21 assists and
Ava Hunter added 19 as the Royals now draw Yorktown in the 4A finals a week after beating defending state champion McCutcheon.
Outlook: Nov. 5 vs. Yorktown
5. (5) Yorktown (Ind.), 34-2
Recap: Charlotte Vinson hammered 20 kills while
Emilee Hill added 17 (and 21 assists) and
Gretchen Moore chipped in 10 in a four-set semifinal win over Floyd Central. Junior
Kynnadi Bell led the Tigers with 25 assists.
Outlook: Nov. 5 vs. Hamilton Southeastern
6. (6) Fayetteville (Ark.), 37-2
Recap: The Bulldogs completed the 6A three-peat as
Kennedy Phelan set
Brooke Rockwell for a kill on championship point in the 3-0 win over Southside. Rockwell had 17 kills in the title match while
Madeline Lafata added 13 and
Regan Harp chipped in 10. Phelan dished up 37 assists.
Outlook: Class 6A state champions. Season complete.
7. (7) Marian (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), 42-1
Recap: The Mustangs took the CHSL Bishop title with a sweep over Mercy as
Izzy Busignani led the way with 18 kills and
Ava Sarafa tossed 31 assists. They're in regional action against Groves.
Outlook: Nov. 2 vs. Groves
8. (8) Tompkins (Katy, Texas), 36-3
Recap: The Falcons closed the regular season with a sweep of Paetow in which
Cindy Tchouangwa had 18 kills and
Tendai Titley added 12.
Presley Powell and
Erica Dellesky combined for 37 assists as the grueling UIL 6A postseason bracket begins this week.
Outlook: Nov. 1 vs. Fort Bend Austin
9. (10) Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 33-4
Recap: The Trailblazers advanced out of Pool B in the Southern Section Division I playoffs with a five-set win over Marymount.
Sade Ilawole notched her 1,000th assist in the match. Mira Costa lost to Sierra Canyon in the opener of the Ann Kang Invitational, but the Mustangs handled the Trailblazers in the tournament finals.
Outlook: Nov. 5 vs. Mira Costa
10. (11) Oconomowoc (Wis.), 37-1
Recap: Cordelia Kearns became the school's all-time kills leader with 17 in the Raccoons sectional sweeep of Manitowoc Lincoln on Saturday. She can add to her 971 total as Oconomowoc moves onto Division 1 quarterfinals action.
Outlook: Nov. 3 vs. Wauwatosa East
11. (12) Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas), 37-1
Recap: The Lions begin their quest for a TAPPS 6A title on a 25-match win streak and having beaten from UIL heavy-hitters, including Highland Park, Prosper and Clark. Their lone loss was to No. 2 Cornerstone Christian.
Outlook: TAPPS 6A playoffs
12. (13) Highland Park (Dallas), 40-2
Recap: The Scots begin their quest for their first state title this week in the 6A bracket after moving up from 5A last year. UCLA commit
Sydney Breon and Michigan commit
Ceci Gooch lead the Scots' offense while
Grace Braner and
Harper Hall have more than 1,100 combined assists. The two losses are to No. 11 Prestonwood Christian.
Outlook: Nov. 1 vs. Lamar
13. (14) Buford (Ga.), 37-5
Recap: The Wolves are a win from the AAAAAAA title after
Sydney Austin,
Ashley Sturzoiu and
Clara Briley all posted double-digit kills in a semifinal sweep over a North Gwinnett squad that was just outside the MaxPreps Top 25 last week.
Polly Cummings had 37 assists.
Outlook: Nov. 5 vs. Lambert
14. (17) 'Iolani (Honolulu), 35-5
Recap: The Raiders are the tops in the Aloha State after sweeping through the Division I postseason. They capped the title with a 25-18, 25-17, 25-22 win over Kamehameha-Hawaii as
Brooke Naniseni had 16 kills and
Senna Roberts-Navarro had 10 kills and 13 digs.
Outlook: Division I state champion. Season complete.
15. (15) McCutcheon (Lafayette, Ind.), 33-2Season complete.
16. (18) Mother McAuley (Chicago), 35-3
Recap: The Mighty Macs rolled on in the 4A postseason with a 2-0 win over Lane Tech as
Gigi Navarrete had 16 digs in the win. On Monday, they defeated Oak Park 2-0 as
Ellie White had 14 kills and
Tess Hayes and
Olivia Klapp combined for 24 assists. Mother McAuley advanced to the Super Sixteen action this week.
Outlook: Nov. 2 vs. Marist
17. (19) Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), 33-7
Recap: The Rockets reached the state quarterfinals with a straight-set won over Owensboro Catholic on Monday.
Chloe Smith had 13 kills and
Whitney Woodrow set 38 assists in the win as Assumption is in the hunt for its 23rd state title under Ron Kordes.
Outlook: Nov. 3 vs. Mercy
18. (20) Cypress Ranch (Houston), 42-2
Recap: The Mustangs enter the 6A postseason on a 26-match win streak. The two losses this season are to No. 8 Tompkins and No. 2 Cornerstone Christian.
Outlook: Nov. 1 vs Tomball
19. (21) Saint Francis (Mountain View, Calif.), 29-0
Recap: The Lancers continued their unbeaten season with a Central Coast Section quarterfinal sweep of Los Altos. The final four in the CCS Open Division bracket at the Lancers, Valley Christian, Sacred Heart Prep and perennial power Archbishop Mitty.
Outlook: Nov. 2 vs. Valley Christian
20. (16) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 29-8
Recap: The loss ends the Monarchs' Southern Section title hopes, but they should receive a bid into the Southern California Regional Open Division bracket.
Outlook: Southern California regional play
21. (9) Marymount (Los Angeles), 30-10
Recap: The Sailors fell to Sierra Canyon and like Mater Dei won't grab the Southern Section title but should receive a bid into the Southern California Regional Open Division bracket.
Outlook: Southern California regional play
22. (23) Washburn Rural (Topeka, Kan.), 45-1
Recap: Kentucky commit
Brooklyn DeLeye and the Blues got their state title after falling short last season. They beat Blue Valley 25-21, 26-24 in the title match, the eighth in school history.
Outlook: Class 6A state champion. Season complete.
23. (24) Pope (Marietta, Ga.), 44-5
Recap: Sophie Harvey led the Greyhounds into the state finals with 10 kills in a sweep of Johns Creek as sophomore
Ellis Crawford added seven while
Cooper Abney tossed up 23 assists. Pope beat finals foe Sequoyah 3-1 on Aug. 25 in their lone meeting of the season.
Outlook: Nov. 5 vs. Sequoyah
24. (25) Westminster Christian (Miami), 25-0
Recap: Gaby Arroyo had 16 kills and freshman
Gigi Artiles added 12 in a sweep of Riviera Prep in the 3A Regional semifinals. Junior
Alyssa Cadavid had 29 assists in the Riviera Prep win.
Outlook: Nov. 1 vs. Divine Savior Academy
25. (NR) Sequoyah (Canton, Ga.), 37-3
Recap: The Chiefs beat St. Pius X Catholic 3-1 and North Forsyth 3-0 to reach the AAAAAA finals against Pope. Seniors
Sara Siefert (357),
Sydney Huyck (342) and
Rosa Fisher (341) lead the team in kills, while
Taylor Pecht has 1,114 assists this season and 4,571 in her career.
Outlook: Nov. 5 vs. Pope
On the bubble: Cleveland (Tenn.), 49-5;
Dike-New Hartford (Dike, Iowa), 43-2;
Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.), 40-3;
Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.), 25-1;
Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas), 35-5;
Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.), 33-4;
Pace Academy (Atlanta), 41-1;
Jesuit (Portland, Ore.), 31-0;
Plano West (Plano, Texas), 29-3;
Puyallup (Wash.), 27-0
