The top two teams in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school volleyball rankings are set to square off for the second time this season as No. 1
Mater Dei (Santa Ana) and No. 2
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) meet Saturday for California's Southern Section Division 1 title.
The top-ranked Monarchs swept the Trailblazers in September to win the Durango Fall Classic title. Saturday's rematch is also a reprise of last year's section final won by Sierra Canyon. But it's likely not the final meeting as they could battle for a third time in the Southern California Open Division regional final later this month with a state championship match berth on the line.
In Illinois, No. 7
Mother McAuley (Chicago) and No. 8
Marist (Chicago) could clash Thursday in a Class 4A sectional final. McAuley owns a pair of three-set wins this season over two-time defending state champion Marist. Each must navigate past semifinal matchups Tuesday.
MaxPreps Top 25
1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Record: 38-1 | Last week: 1
Freshman Jimin Seung is second on the team with 221 kills and 55 aces.
2. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
Record: 32-1 | Last week: 2
The Trailblazers haven't dropped a set since the Durango Fall Classic final, winning 27 straight.
3. Orangewood Christian (Maitland, Fla.)
Record: 28-2 | Last week: 3
Sophomore Ellie Enger had 14 assists and nine kills in a sweep of Winter Park in the pool play finale. The Rams play Plant in the Open Division semifinals Friday.
4. Allen (Texas)
Record: 38-2 | Last week: 4
Maya Ogbogu hammered 26 kills and Olivia Kitur added 16 in a Conference 6A Division 1 postseason opening win over Flower Mound. Allen's second round is Plano West (Plano).
5. Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio, Texas)
Record: 34-5 | Last week: 3
Season complete.
6. Assumption (Louisville, Ky.)
Record: 37-3 | Last week: 6
The Rockets began their push to a 26th state title Monday with a sweep of North Oldham (Goshen).
7. Mother McAuley (Chicago, Ill.)
Record: 33-4 | Last week: 7
Keira McQuillan and Jayce Prohaska lead the Mighty Macs in kills with 270 and 195, respectively.
8. Marist (Chicago, Ill.)
Record: 29-4 | Last week: 8
The RedHawks take on 31-6 Lyons (LaGrange) on Tuesday.
9. Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)
Record: 40-4 | Last week: 10
The Lions take on Nolan Catholic (Dallas) on Friday in the TAPPS Class 6A semifinals. Prestonwood looks for its fourth state title in five seasons.
10. Carroll (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
Record: 35-1 | Last week: 11
Sarah Stegall had 15 kills and Katelyn Peters added 10 in a sweep of previously-ranked Westfield in their Class 4A semi-state meeting. The Chargers battle Center Grove on Saturday looking for their third straight 4A title.
11. Norris (Firth, Neb.)
Record: 36-1 | Last week: 12
The reigning Class B champions open their defense against York on Thursday. Norris' lone loss is to this year's giant killer Gretna, which is on the other side of the bracket along with Waverly.
12. Duncanville (Texas)
Record: 40-4 | Last week: 13
Peyton Smith had 20 kills in a sweep of Temple in their Conference 6A Division 1 tournament opener. The Pantherettes draw Wylie on Tuesday.
13. Torrey Pines (San Diego, Calif.)
Record: 26-5 | Last week: 14
Lilia Decker had 10 kills in a sweep of La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla) in the San Diego Section Open Division opening round. Tuesday's opponent is Bishop's (San Diego) with a possible final meeting with No. 14 Cathedral Catholic on Friday.
14. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.)
Record: 29-6 | Last week: 15
Sophomore Baylee Wilson had 12 kills against San Dieguito Academy (Encinitas) on Thursday. Coronado is Tuesday's Open Division semifinal opponent.
15. Harrisburg (S.D.)
Record: 27-4 | Last week: 20
Julia Masselink leads the Tigers with 341 kills as they chase a fifth straight Class AA state title.
16. Calvary Christian (Clearwater, Fla.)
Record: 29-2 | Last week: 21
The Warriors face reigning Class 7A state champion Winter Park in the Open Division semifinals.
17. O'Connor (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Record: 29-3 | Last week: 22
Alayah Krein had 24 kills in a five-set win over Liberty (Peoria) to close out the regular season.
18. 'Iolani (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Record: 27-4 | Last week: 9
Texas commit Taimane Ainu'u had 38 assists but the Raiders fell to Kamehameha Kapalama (Honolulu) in four sets in the Division 1 state final Saturday.
19. Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah)
Record: 29-3 | Last week: 23
Utah commit Nafanua Alofipo had 43 assists as Maia Schwalger and Berkleigh Minnick each hammered 14 kills and Maija Mortensen added 11 in a sweep over Skyridge (Lehi) to win the Class 6A state title last Wednesday.
20. Divine Savior Holy Angels (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Record: 42-4 | Last week: 24
The Dashers reached the Division 1 quarterfinals as Harper Wendlick had 14 kills and Maia Kerry added 12 in a four-set win over Brookfield East (Brookfield).
21. Seton (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Record: 24-0 | Last week: 25
Charley Moeddel had 11 kills as the Saints opened the Division 1 postseason with a sweep of Fairfield.
22. Mercy (Farmington Hills, Mich.)
Record: 38-6 | Last week: NR
Penn State commit Kate Kalczynski leads the Marlins with 368 kills.
23. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
Record: 26-5 | Last week: NR
The Monarchs host Valley Christian (San Jose) on Wednesday in the Central Coast Section Open Division semifinals. They beat the Warriors twice in league play but each match went five sets.
24. McKinney Boyd (McKinney, Texas)
Record: 29-7 | Last week: NR
Trinity Johnson had 23 kills as the Broncos upended previously-ranked Hebron (Carrollton) in the opening round of the Conference 6A Division 1 playoffs.
25. Lafayette (Wildwood, Mo.)
Record: 33-5 | Last week: NR
The Lancers take on Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis) on the Class 5 state semifinals. Lafayette, which lost MaxPreps All-American Shaye Witherspoon to a knee injury before the season, is seeking its fifth straight Class 5 state crown.
Next 25
26. Woods Cross (Utah), 30-3
27. Papillion-LaVista South (Papillion, Neb.), 24-6
28. Marian (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), 38-5
29. Argyle (Texas), 36-5
30. McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.), 45-2
31. Antonian Prep (San Antonio, Texas), 45-4
32. Blue Valley West (Stilwell, Kan.), 32-4
33. Lee's Summit West (Lee's Summit, Mo.), 31-3
34. Mercy (Louisville, Ky.), 28-7
35. Marist (Atlanta, Ga.), 41-3
36. Saint Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.), 37-4
37. North Forsyth (Cumming, Ga.), 35-2
38. Plant (Tampa, Fla.), 17-5
39. Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas), 30-7
40. Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.), 34-4
41. Hebron (Carrollton, Texas), 25-8
42. Flower Mound (Texas), 26-9
43. Mill Valley (Shawnee, Kan.), 39-1
44. Yorktown (Ind.), 30-3
45. Westfield (Ind.), 28-3
46. DeLand (Fla.), 27-3
47. Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.), 36-5
48. Kamehameha Kapalama (Honolulu, Hawaii), 29-13
49. Lovett (Atlanta, Ga.), 36-6
50. Mount St. Mary (Oklahoma City, Okla.), 35-9
