Chicago was home to the most pivotal match last week as it relates to the MaxPreps Top 25 high school volleyball rankings as No. 6
Mother McAuley (Chicago) beat No. 8
Marist (Chicago) 21-25, 25-18, 26-24 in a playoff preview.
The rivals met before a raucous crowd of about 2,000 fans. See highlights in the video via the NFHS Network. Expect a rematch in the Class 4A sectionals.
Marist is looking for its third straight state title and fifth overall while McAuley aims for its 18th title and first since going back-to-back in 2022 and 2023.
No. 16 Corner Canyon has two matches remaining before it steps into the postseason looking to repeat as Utah state champions. The Chargers climbed into the MaxPreps Top 25 in September after a 10th place finish at the Durango Fall Classic. (PHOTO: Jenni Webber)
One of the most interesting early-round playoff matchups could come Saturday in Indiana as No. 23
Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers) awaits the winner of
Carmel and
Westfield for a Class 4A Sectional 8 semifinal matchup.
Westfield (23-2) is just outside the MaxPreps Top 25 at No. 33 with its only losses coming against No. 11
Carroll (Fort Wayne) and Hamilton Southeastern.
In California, head coach Stefanie Wigfall notched the 400th victory of her career at Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) last week as the No. 2 Trailblazers swept league foe Marymount (Los Angeles). She has 411 total victories including her time at St. Monica (Santa Monica).
MaxPreps Top 25
1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Record: 34-1 | Last week: 1
The Monarchs close the regular season Tuesday vs. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita), the only team to beat them this season.
2. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
Record: 28-1 | Last week: 2
Hanna McGinest and Kendall Omoruyi combined for 28 kills in a sweep of Marymount (Los Angeles) last week.
3. Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio, Texas)
Record: 34-5 | Last week: 3
The independent Texas program finished its season with a five-set win Wednesday over Midway (Waco). Claire Bolton hammered 28 kills with Sydney Whisenton adding 39 assists and 19 kills.
4. Orangewood Chrsitian (Maitland, Fla.)
Record: 23-2 | Last week: 4
The Rams await the winner of The Master's Academy (Oviedo) and Circle Christian (Winter Park) for a Tuesday Class 2A District 4 semifinal.
5. Allen (Texas)
Record: 33-2 | Last week: 5
With two weeks left in the regular season, the Eagles close out with matches against Rock Hill (Frisco), McKinney Boyd (McKinney) and Walnut Grove (Prosper).
6. Mother McAuley (Chicago, Ill.)
Record: 25-3 | Last week: 7
Peyton Heatherly had 29 assists and 15 digs while Keira McQuillan had 10 kills in a three-set win over No. 8 Marist.
7. Assumption (Louisville, Ky.)
Record: 31-3 | Last week: 8
DuPont Manual (Louisville) and Notre Dame Academy (Park Hills) remain in the regular season before the Rockets look for a 26th state title in Kentucky's winner-take-all postseason.
8. Marist (Chicago, Ill.)
Record: 23-4 | Last week: 9
The RedHawks have lost twice this season to Mother McAuley but will likely get a third bite at the apple as the two are likely to meet in sectional play once the Class 4A postseason starts.
9. Iolani (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Record: 22-3 | Last week: 6
USC beach commit Georgie Lee had 23 kills in a five-set loss to Kamehameha Kapalama (Honolulu) to close out the regular season. The Oahu rivals should meet again in the Division 1 playoffs.
10. Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)
Record: 35-4 | Last week: 10
Taylor Johnson led the Lions with 16 kills in a sweep of Bishop Lynch (Dallas) while Elizabeth Kowalchyk dished up 34 assists.
11. Carroll (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
Record: 30-1 | Last week: 12
The first step for the Chargers in a Class 4A three-peat is Fort Wayne Snider (Fort Wayne) in the Sectional 5 bracket on Saturday.
12. Norris (Firth, Neb.)
Record: 30-1 | Last week: 13
Alli Bornschlegl had 13 kills and Malorie Boesiger posted 28 assists as the Titans earned revenge for their lone loss in a 2-0 win over Gretna on Saturday.
13. Duncanville (Texas)
Record: 35-4 | Last week: 14
Sophomore Peyton Smith passed 500 kills on the season with 18 in a sweep of 31-7 Mansfield on Friday.
14. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.)
Record: 25-5 | Last week: 18
The Dons swept West Ranch (Valencia) to win the Southern California Invitational but got the title match with a 25-20, 25-20 semifinal win over No. 15 Torrey Pines (San Diego). The Falcons snapped Cathedral Catholic's five-year San Diego Section Open Division title streak last season and the pair are on a collision course again.
15. Torrey Pines (San Diego, Calif.)
Record: 20-5 | Last week: 11
Emery Gonzales had 22 assists and Stella Delgadillo and Parker Herrin combined for 14 kills in the loss to No. 14 Cathedral Catholic.
16. Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah)
Record: 24-2 | Last week: 15
Maia Schwalger, Berkeley Minnick and Maija Mortensen lead the hitting attack with nearly 600 kills as the Chargers look for the Class 6A repeat.
17. Hebron (Carrollton, Texas)
Record: 31-7 | Last week: 16
Setter Kamryn Mullian sits at 999 assists as the Hawks have four games remaining in the regular season.
18. Calvary Christian (Clearwater, Fla.)
Record: 25-1 | Last week: 17
The Warriors easily advanced in their opener of the Class 3A District 9 tournament, winning 25-2, 25-8, 25-7. They await the winner of Boca Ciega (Gulfport) and Tarpon Springs.
19. Marian (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)
Record: 28-3 | Last week: 21
Quinn Nelson had 19 kills, Sophie Smith added 17 and Callie Lefevre chipped in 12 in a four-set win over previously-ranked Mercy (Farmington Hills) on Saturday. Freshman Molly Hickey had 51 assists.
20. Yorktown (Ind.)
Record: 25-2 | Last week: 22
The Tigers draw Mt. Vernon (Fortville) on Thursday in the opening round of the Class 4A Sectional 9 bracket.
21. Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.)
Record: 25-3 | Last week: 24
Brooklyn Sigler, Mia Zabel, Hayden Reeves, Malea Oliver and Karleigh Smith have combined for more than 1,100 kills this season.
22. Mill Valley (Shawnee, Kan.)
Record: 30-0 | Last week: 25
In five wins last week, only Hayden (Topeka) took the Jaguars to three sets as Riley Riggs had 14 kills and Josie Danielson added 12.
23. Harrisburg (S.D.)
Record: 17-4 | Last week: NR
Josalyn Samuels had 23 assists and Julia Masselink pounded 13 kills in a sweep of No. 25 Papillion-LaVista South on Saturday. The Tigers also grabbed wins over No. 24 Lafayette, Olathe West (Olathe, Kan.) and Skutt Catholic (Omaha, Neb.).
24. Lafayette (Wildwood, Mo.)
Record: 28-4 | Last week: NR
Despite losing Nebraska commit Shaye Witherspoon to a season-ending knee injury prior to the year, the Lancers have proved to be the state's standard bearer. Sophomore Aubrey Toti leads the team with 381 kills and Hailey Lowery has 404 assists.
25. Papillion-LaVista South (Papillion, Neb.)
Record: 18-5 | Last week: 19
Junior Tess Solomon had 21 assists in a sweep of Skutt Catholic as the Titans bounced back from losses to Harrisburg and Lafayette.
Next 25
26. Flower Mound (Texas), 23-7
27. Mercy (Farmington Hills, Mich.), 29-6
28. Divine Savior Holy Angels (Milwaukee, Wis.), 38-4
29. O'Connor (Phoenix, Ariz.), 23-3
30. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 19-5
31. Woods Cross (Utah), 24-3
32. Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas), 25-6
33. Westfield (Ind.), 23-2
34. Seton (Cincinnati, Ohio), 20-0
35. McKinney Boyd (McKinney, Texas), 25-6
36. Plainfield (Ind.), 24-5
37. Argyle (Texas), 31-5
38. Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.), 18-11
39. Marymount (Los Angeles, Calif.), 21-10
40. McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.), 37-2
41. Antonian Prep (San Antonio, Texas), 40-4
42. Lee's Summit West (Lee's Summit, Mo.), 25-3
43. Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), 18-6
44. Saint Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.), 29-4
45. Mercy (Louisville, Ky.), 22-7
46. Marist (Atlanta, Ga.), 34-3
47. Blue Valley West (Stilwell, Kan.), 23-4
48. North Forsyth (Cumming, Ga.), 29-2
49. Oviedo (Fla.), 22-3
50. Hebron Christian (Dacula, Ga.), 41-5
