The agony and the ecstasy of high school volleyball playoffs was in full display this past week. Champions were crowned while upsets sent others into the offseason.
Among the title winners this weekend were No. 9
Mother McAuley (Chicago), which downed
Benet Academy (Lisle) 2-1 for the Illinois 4A title. Michigan commit Ellie White was sensational in powering the Might Macs to their 16th state crown.
Wayzata (Plymouth) saw its 65-game win streak snapped earlier this season, but rebounded to win the Minnesota 4A title, the third in four years for the Trojans (they didn't play in 2020 because of COVID). Ohio's
Ursuline Academy (Cincinnati) and Arizona's
Corona del Sol (Tempe) and
Horizon (Scottsdale) also join the rankings after winning the Arizona 6A and 5A titles, respectively.
Horizon players celebrate their Arizona 5A title victory over Millennium. The Huskies jump to No. 25 in the MaxPreps Top 25 with the championship. (Photo: Steven Davis)
Recap: The Dons took down Lakewood and Torrey Pines in straight sets to keep their unblemished season going. They are two wins from a CIF Open Division title, but must get past No. 5 Mira Costa in the SoCal Regional finals and then either No. 11 Saint Francis or No. 17 Archbishop Mitty.
Outlook: Nov. 15 vs. Mira Costa
2. (2) Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio), 55-2Season complete.
3. (6) Marian (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), 46-1
Recap: The Mustangs continue their march toward a Division 1 title with wins over Stoney Creek and Dakota in the regional round.
Ava Sarafa is closing in on 5,000 career assists, only the 16th play in history to do so according to the MaxPreps National Volleyball Record Book. The only team to beat them, Northville, remains on the opposite side of the bracket.
Outlook: Nov. 15 vs. Clarkston
4. (7) Tompkins (Katy, Texas), 41-4
Recap: Cindy Tchouangwa had 16 kills in a Regional Finals sweep of Cinco Ranch and is approaching 600 on the season for the Falcons.
Tendai Titley added 11 kills as Tchouangwa also had six blocks and the tandem of
Presley Powell and
Erica Dellesky had 35 combined assists.
Outlook: Nov. 18 vs. Dripping Springs
5. (8) Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), 38-4
Recap: The Mustangs saw four players notch double-digit kills in a thrilling five-set win over Sierra Canyon.
Drew Wright led the way with 17,
Tanon Rosenthal had 15,
Erin Inskeep added 12 and
Charlie Fuerbringer tallied 10.
Outlook: Nov. 15 vs. Cathedral Catholic
6. (3) Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.), 34-1Season complete. Class 4A state champion.
7. (5) Fayetteville (Ark.), 36-2Season complete. Class 6A state champion.
8. (9) Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas), 40-1
Recap: The Lions got 23 kills from
Macaria Spears in the sweep over Bishop Lynch, finishing the year with 544.
Camille Edwards added 29 assists. The lone loss was to Cornerstone Christian.
Outlook: Season over, TAPPS 6A champion
9. (13) Mother McAuley (Chicago), 39-3
Recap: The Mighty Macs were that indeed, capturing their 16th state title with a
2-1 win over Benet Academy. Michigan commit
Ellie White had 20 kills
and nine digs in the MaxPreps Top 25 battle, winning 25-22, 17-25,
25-14.
Olivia Klapp had 20 assists and Northwestern commit
Gigi Navarrete added 20 digs.
Outlook: Season complete. 4A state champion.
10. (11) Buford (Ga.), 38-5Season complete. Class AAAAAAA state champion.
11. (14) Saint Francis (Mountain View, Calif.), 33-0
Recap: Juniors
Taylor Williams and
Erin Curtis have powered the Lancers to within one win of a CIF Open Division state final berth. They straight-setted San Ramon Valley in the NorCal Regional semis and need to beat Mitty for the sixth time this season, though the Monarchs are the only team to take Saint Francis to five sets.
Outlook: Nov. 15 vs. Archbishop Mitty
12. (4) Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 35-5
Recap: The Trailblazers dropped a five-set thriller to No. 5 Mira Costa in the SoCal Regional semis, losing 15-13 in the fifth. Pitt commit
Olivia Babcock was excellent in the loss, hammering 26 kills with six blocks and 25 digs.
Danica Rach added 11 kills and 14 digs while
Sade Ilawole dished up 51 assists.
Outlook: Season complete.
13. (12) 'Iolani (Honolulu), 25-5Season complete. Division I state champion.
14. (18) Washburn Rural (Topeka, Kan.), 43-1Season complete. Class 6A state champion.
15. (19) Pope (Marietta, Ga.), 44-5Season complete. Class AAAAAA state champion.
16. (NR) Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.), 29-4
Recap: Olivia Swenson had 14 kills and
Avery Jesewitz added 10 as the Trojans captured their third 4A title in four seasons with a sweep of Lakeville North. Metro Player of the Year
Stella Swenson had 35 assists.
Outlook: Season complete. Division 1 state champion.
17. (NR) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 30-8Recap: The Monarchs swept Oak Ridge and get a sixth shot to beat NorCal and WCAC foes Saint Francis. Mitty took Saint Francis to a fifth set in each of the last two meetings - the league finale and the section title game.
Outlook: Nov. 15 vs. Saint Francis
18. (25) Pace Academy (Atlanta), 42-1Season complete. Class AAAAA state champion.
19. (NR) Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.), 40-3Season complete. Class 5A state champion.
20. (15) Yorktown (Ind.), 34-3Season complete. Class 4A runner-up.
21. (NR) Ursuline Academy (Cincinnati), 25-3
Recap: Freshman
Ella Grimes and sophomore
Katie Gielas each 14 kills, while
Brooke Bultema added 13 and sophomore
Lindy Radaszewski pitched in 11 as the Lions beat Magnificat 3-1 for the Division 1 title. Senior
Lindsey Green dished up 48 assists for Ursuline, which lost to Mount Notre Dame, Mercy McAuley and Kentucky power Assumption.
Outlook: Season complete. Division 1 state champion.
22. (NR) Corona del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.), 39-5
Recap: The Aztecs got 25 kills from Washington commit
Kierstyn Barton in the five-set title win over Hamilton.
Alyssa Aguayo added 14 kills and
Ella Lomigora had 11 as Corona del Sol took the fifth set 15-6. Junior
Julia Owens had 57 assists for the champions.
Outlook: Season complete. Class 6A state champion.
Recap: Brookelyn Talmadge paced the Blue Eagles with 19 kills and five blocks as they avenged last season's postseason loss to Paul VI with a Non-Public A girls title. IHA, which had its streak of 13 straight state titles snapped last year, downed Paul VI 25-16, 23-25, 25-23.
Outlook: Season over, Non-Public A champion
24. (NR) Flint Hill (Oakton, Va.), 36-0
Recap: The Huskies lost their first set of the season, but pulled off the title beating Norfolk Academy 19-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-19. The Huskies were powered this season by
Sydney Bryant (352 kills).
Outlook: Season complete. VISAA Division I state champion.
25. (NR) Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 32-10
Recap: Sophomore
Teraya Sigler willed the Huskies to the 5A title win over Millennium with 26 kills on 37 percent hitting.
Kendal Murphy added 13 kills and
Grace Greenlee pitched in 10 as Horizon won 3-1. Sophomore setter
Avery Ashcraft had 29 assists while junior
Ryder Blackburn added 19.
Outlook: Season complete. Class 5A state champion.
On the bubble: Cleveland (Tenn.), 49-5;
Notre Dame Academy (Park Hills, Ky.), 32-5;
Papillion-LaVista South (Papillion, Neb.), 34-5;
Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.), 37-5;
Skutt Catholic (Omaha, Neb.), 32-10;
McCutcheon (Lafayette, Ind.), 33-2;
Sequoyah (Canton, Ga.), 37-3;
Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), 32-7;
The Woodlands (Texas), 43-9;
Northville (Mich.), 45-3,
Venice (Fla.), 22-4,
Puyallup (Wash.), 33-0
