The win-or-go-home scenario of postseason sports is always ratcheted up when the finals go to a Game 7 or, in the case of volleyball, a fifth set.
In Georgia, that was the scenario for two teams in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school volleyball rankings over the weekend. No. 13
Buford grabbed the AAAAAAA crown with a 19-17 win over
Lambert (Suwanee) while No. 19
Pope (Marietta) survived its fifth set with a 15-12 triumph over previous No. 25
Sequoyah (Canton).
Indiana's 4A final on Saturday saw a battle of top 10 teams as No. 3
Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers) won its first state title with a four-set victory over previous No. 5
Yorktown. The Royals were indeed regal in swinging the third set their way, coming back from down 15-8. HSE's lone senior, Avery Hobson, led the charge with 17 kills and 19 digs.
While the Texas postseason continues, the nation's top team,
Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), grabbed a San Diego Section Open Division title and CIF SoCal Regional Open Division one seed. The Dons still haven't dropped a set this season and face a SoCal bracket filled with talented and upset-minded squads. One of those teams is the SoCal two-seed
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth), which won the Southern Section Division 1 title over former No. 3
Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach) behind a monster effort from Pitt commit Olivia Babcock.
Buckle up, it should be a fun two weeks as the volleyball season winds up.
No. 19 Pope celebrates it Georgia AAAAAA state title after a five-set battle over Sequoyah on Saturday. (Photo: Ed Turlington)
Recap: The Dons won the San Diego Section Open Division title over Torrey Pines and, not surprisingly, earned the top seed in the CIF Southern California Open Division field. The bracket is filled with SoCal's best, including Sierra Canyon, Marymount, Mater Dei and Mira Costa, but the Dons still haven't dropped a set this season.
Outlook: Nov. 9 vs. Lakewood
2. (2) Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio), 55-2Season complete.
3. (4) Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.), 34-1
Recap: The Royals claimed their first state title with a remarkable finals win over Yorktown that saw them claw back from down 15-8 in the third set with the match tied at 1. They won the third set 25-23 and the fourth set 25-18 for their crown.
Avery Hobson, the lone senior, led the Royals with 17 kills and 19 digs.
Outlook: Season complete. Class 4A state champion.
4. (9) Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 34-4
Recap: The Trailblazers captured the Southern Section Division I title with a sweep of previous No. 3 Mira Costa.
Olivia Babcock was dominating with 22 kills in the win as they now turn their attention to the SoCal Open Division bracket and a date with reigning MaxPreps National Champion Marymount. Sierra Canyon owns a 2-1 advantage this season over their league rival.
Outlook: Nov. 9 vs. Marymount
5. (6) Fayetteville (Ark.), 36-2Season complete. Class 6A state champion.
6. (7) Marian (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), 44-1
Recap: The Mustangs rolled on in the Division I postseason, downing Grove and Bloomfield Hills to get to the Regional semifinals. They're riding an 11-match win streak following their lone loss of the season, 2-0 to Northville on Oct. 15.
Outlook: Nov. 8 vs. Stoney Creek
7. (8) Tompkins (Katy, Texas), 38-3
Recap: The Falcons got 23 kills from
Cindy Tchouangwa and 19 from
Tendai Titley in a 3-1 win over Cypress Creek in the 6A Region 3&4 Area finals. The seniors have combined for nearly 1,000 kills this season.
Outlook: Nov. 8 vs. Ridge Point
8. (3) Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), 36-4
Recap: The Mustangs were swept by Sierra Canyon in the Southern Section Division 1 finals as
Drew Wright had 16 kills and
Erin Inskeep added 10 in the loss. They're on the same side of the SoCal Open Division bracket, meaning wins by Sierra Canyon and the Mustangs provides a rematch on Nov. 12.
Outlook: Nov. 9 vs. Newport Harbor
9. (11) Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas), 38-1
Recap: Jadyn Livings had 16 kills while
Macaria Spears added 14 and
Mikala Young chipped in 12 as the Lions advanced in the TAPPS postseason. They take on a Parish Episcopal team they've twice swept this season in the 6A finals.
Outlook: Nov. 11 Parish Episcopal
10. (11) Highland Park (Dallas), 42-2
Recap: The Scots bounced Flower Mound 3-1 in the 6A Region 1&2 area finals behind six blocks from UCLA commit
Sydney Breon.
Outlook: Nov. 8 vs. Guyer
11. (13) Buford (Ga.), 38-5
Recap: The Wolves claimed their third Georgia state title, the first AAAAAAA however, in dramatic fashion beating Lambert 19-17 in the fifth set.
Ashley Sturzoiu led the team with 22 kills while
Polly Cummings had 54 assists.
Sydney Austin and freshman
Clara Briley combined to add 31 kills.
Outlook: Season over, AAAAAAA champion
12. 'Iolani (Honolulu), 25-5Season complete. Division I state champion.
13. (16) Mother McAuley (Chicago, Ill.), 37-3
Recap: Ellie White had 10 kills and
Tess Hayes and
Olivia Klapp combined for 30 assists in the Super Sectional sweep of Joliet. The Mighty Macs are a win away from the 4A finals and a possible match against fellow Illinois power and No. 21 Benet Academy.
Outlook: Nov. 11 vs. St. Charles East
14. (19) Saint Francis (Mountain View, Calif.), 31-0
Recap: The Lancers needed five sets to beat Archbishop Mitty for the Central Coast Section Open Division crown, but got 29 kills from
Taylor Williams to earn victory. They grab the top seed in the Northern California Open Division bracket, which also includes second-seed Mitty and three-seed Oak Ridge.
Outlook: Nov. 9 vs. St. Francis (Sacramento)
15. (5) Yorktown (Ind.), 34-3
Recap: The Tigers could overcome the Royals in the 4A finals despite 15 kills from sophomore
Charlotte Vinson and 10 from senior
Gretchen Moore. Two of the three losses this season were to Hamilton Southeastern.
Outlook: Season complete. Class 4A state runner up.
16. (21) Marymount (Los Angeles), 30-10
Recap: The Sailors were idle last week after falling from the Southern Section Division 1 pool play tournament. They earned a seven-seed in the SoCal Open Division bracket.
Outlook: Nov. 9 vs. Sierra Canyon
17. (20) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 29-8
Recap: The Monarchs were idle last week after falling from the Southern Section Division 1 pool play tournament. They earned a four-seed in the SoCal Open Division bracket.
Outlook: Nov. 9 vs. Torrey Pines
18. (22) Washburn Rural (Topeka, Kan.), 43-1Season complete. Class 6A state champion.
19. (23) Pope (Marietta, Ga.), 44-5
Recap: The Greyhounds won the state title with a 15-12 fifth set victory over Sequoyah as
Sophie Harvey pounded 25 kills and
Ellis Crawford added 13.
Cooper Abney had 44 assists and 20 digs in the victory as
Dayla Ortiz led Pope with 27 digs.
Outlook: Season complete. Class AAAAAA state champion.
20. (24) Westminster Christian (Miami), 27-0
Recap: The Warriors swept Lake Highlands Prep in the Florida 3A semifinals and look for the unbeaten season in the finals vs. Clearwater Central Catholic.
Outlook: Nov. 11 vs. Clearwater Central Catholic
21. (NR) Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.), 36-4
Recap: Ava Novak led the team to a sweep over O'Fallon with seven kills as the Redwings look for their first title since 2019. A 4A finals scenario includes a battle royale vs. Mother McAuley.
Outlook: Nov. 11 vs. Barrington
22. (NR) Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas), 38-5
Recap: Samantha Hoppes and
Sydnee Peterson provided the offense for the Bobcats with 10 kills each as freshmen
Kylie Kleckner and
Ashlyn Seay had nine and seven, respectively.
Outlook: TBA vs. Boswell
23. (NR) Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.), 27-1
Recap: Brookelyn Talmadge had 14 kills in a sweep of Notre Dame in the NJSIAA Non-Public, Group A semifinals. Junior
Kalena Stavish had 23 assists in the win.
Outlook: Nov. 9 vs. Union Catholic
24. (NR) Plano West (Plano, Texas), 31-3
Recap: Blaire Bayless had 11 kills in a sweep of Pearce in the 6A Region 1 Area final.
Darci Pickel and
Sophia Wei combined for 28 assists.
Outlook: Nov. 8 vs. Prosper
25. (NR) Pace Academy (Atlanta), 41-1
Recap: The Knights won their sixth straight state title with a sweep over Lovett in the AAAA bracket. Pace won titles in AAA from 2017-19, Class AA/A crowns the past two years before jumping to their current division. Juniors
Grace Agolli and
Ellie Siskin led the Knights with nearly 600 combined kills while Agolli had 446 assists and freshman
Olivia Siskin added 378 assists.
Outlook: Season complete. Class AAAA state champion.
On the bubble: Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.), 40-3;
Cleveland (Tenn.), 49-5;
Notre Dame Academy (Park Hills, Ky.), 32-5;
Puyallup (Wash.), 29-0;
Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills, Calif.), 31-4;
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 28-8;
Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.), 27-4;
Ursuline Academy (Cincinnati), 23-3;
Magnificat (Rocky River, Ohio), 25-2;
Corona del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.), 36-5
