California girls volleyball high school Top 20 rankings (9-24-2024)

Mater Dei wins its second straight Durango title to move to the top of the California rankings

Redondo Union sophomore Sienna Castillo goes up for kill against the block of Sierra Canyon senior Brandi Boston in Sept. 10 match won by Redondo 25-19, 25-21, 25-21, 25-18 / Photo: Kevin Deadwylier

Originally posted 9/24/2024

The prestigious Durango Fall Classic was held this past weekend in Las Vegas. Results of what happened in Vegas did not stay in Vegas. They headed west to California to reshuffle the SBLive/SI California Top 20.

The top two seeds in Vegas were Texas teams (Prestonwood Christian-Plano TX, near Dallas, and Cornerstone Christian-San Antonio, TX), possibly resulting in a final with no California squad.

However, in a super competitive tournament, it was powerful California teams ruling the roost once again.

The Mater Dei-Santa Ana Monarchs won their second straight Durango title, knocking off red-hot up-and-coming Marymount-Los Angeles.

SBLIVE/SI CALIFORNIA TOP 20 GIRLS VOLLEYBALL RANKINGS

(Records through September 22)

1. Mater Dei (Southern Section, 21-3, No. 4 last rating)
MD beat Prestonwood in three, swept Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth in two, downed upstart Marist-Chicago IL in two and then dodged two match points to beat Marymount 25-18, 24-26, 26-24. Westley Matavao, an Orange Lutheran-Orange transfer, was named Most Outstanding Player. Others on the All-Tournament Team included three Monarchs in setter Samantha Capinpin, outside hitter Presley Kiffin and outside hitter Layli Ostovar.

Mater Dei's 2023 squad finished off a 43-2 season with a four-game victory over Mitty to claim the CIF Open Division championship / Photo: Joe Bergman

2. Marymount (SS, 20-3, 7 LW)
Impressive Vegas ledger shows wins over Archbishop Mitty-San Jose in three sets, Mira Costa-Manhattan Beach in three, Cathedral Catholic-San Diego in two and Cornerstone Christian in three. Washington-bound outside hitter Sammy Destler was named to the All-Tournament Team.

3. Sierra Canyon (SS, 18-2, 5 LW)
Trailblazers lost on September 10 to Redondo Union-Redondo Beach but in Vegas only fell to Mater Dei 25-18, 25-18. LV wins included 25-23, 25-18 revenge win over Redondo and a nice 25-17, 25-15 pasting of Casteel-Queen Creek AZ to finish fifth. Libero Lauren Lynch made the All-Tournament team.

4. Mira Costa (SS, 15-5, 3 LW)
Great Bay League win over Palos Verdes-Palos Verdes Estates 25-17, 25-12, 25-19 before heading to Vegas. Results there included a sweep of St. Ignatius-San Francisco and an eventual seventh-place finish after Marymount beat them 30-28, 21-25, 25-18, and then a loss to Casteel. All-Tournament team included outside hitter Audrey Flanagan.

5. Redondo Union (SS, 11-3, 2 LW)
Sea Hawks lost reverse sweep in Bay play to Palos Verdes as Sea Kings beat Sea Hawks 22-25, 19 25, 25-22, 25-13, 15-13. In Vegas, RU lost to Prestonwood 25-21, 25-18 in a quarterfinal and finished seventh after losing subsequent match to Sierra Canyon 25-23, 25-18.

6. Cathedral Catholic-San Diego (San Diego Section, 24-3, 1 LW)
Dons fell to Durango Silver Division after losing 25-19, 25-19 to Marymount. In Silver quarterfinal, they were bounced by Xavier College Prep-Phoenix AZ 25-22, 22-25, 25-17 to finish the weekend in 13th place.

7. Murrieta Valley-Murrieta (SS, 17-6, 8 LW) Nighthawks did not go to Vegas, playing Southwestern League matches instead. Temecula Valley-Temecula will probably be the strongest team they’ll face the rest of the regular season.

8. Los Alamitos (SS, 21-4, 9 LW)
Griffins closed in tenth place in Vegas. Prestonwood beat them 25-18, 25-19. Xavier topped them 19- 25, 25-17, 25-21. Los Al looks to avenge five-set Sunset-Surf League loss to rival Huntington Beach in October 10 rematch.

9. Torrey Pines (SDS, 11-4, 10 LW)
Falcons were upended by Branson-Ross 25-23, 25-18 in Vegas. TPHS then rolled through Bronze Division to finish 17th place with three nice wins, including a 23-25, 25-21, 27-25 thriller over Mitty.

10. Palos Verdes (SS, 11-5, 14 LW)
At home, Sea Kings stunned Redondo with five-set reverse sweep on September 24, but the gas tank was empty the following night in Manhattan Beach as they could not stop Mira Costa’s Audrey Flanagan, who belted 20 kills in a 25-17, 25-12, 25-19 sweep.

11. Clovis North-Fresno (Central Section, 28-2, 15 LW)
Broncos have won 18 in a row and get kudos for a phenomenal reverse sweep on the road over St. Mary’s-Stockton 20-25, 12-25, 25-15, 25-15, 15-13. Kennedy Lingenfelter led the attack with 17 kills.

12. Branson (North Coast Section, 12-5, was not rated LW)
After racking up wins in California over Archbishop Mitty in three and St. Francis-Mountain View in five, Bulls traveled to Vegas and held up NorCal’s banner by beating Torrey Pines in straight sets. Branson then fell to Cornerstone but only by 25-23, 25-23. Later Xavier ousted them in three sets.

13. San Marcos (SDS, 18-2, 12 LW)
Only losses for the Knights are to Marymount and Francis Parker-San Diego. Big battle coming on October 1 at home against Torrey Pines.

14. Santa Margarita Catholic-Rancho Santa Margarita (SS, 13-4, 13 LW)
Eagles recently lost to powers Murrieta Valley in a tourney three-setter and Torrey Pines in four. Outside hitter Brooklyn Drumright is headed to Stanford.

15. St. Francis (Central Coast Section, 5-1, 16 LW)
Rebuilding Lancers have rebuilt fast and are flying again. They roasted rival Mitty 25-22, 25-15, 21- 25, 25-23 on September 17. In Vegas, they finished third in the Bronze Division (19th overall) with losses to Assumption-Louisville KY and Bishop Gorman-Las Vegas NV.

16. Huntington Beach (SS, 24-3, 6 LW)
Oilers leaked oil in Vegas, falling to Chaminade-West Hills in three. Later, they tumbled to Casteel in
wild match, as the Colts beat them 13-25, 25-12, 27-25.

17. St. Mary’s-Stockton (San Joaquin Section, 6-3, 11 LW)
Rams don’t play a lot of powers but one was Clovis North and they lost in a reverse sweep at home. McKenna McIntosh drilled 18 kills in the defeat.

18. Archbishop Mitty (CCS, 9-5, NR LW)
Monarchs did lose to Marymount and Torrey Pines in Vegas but both were competitive three-set matches.

19. Thousand Oaks (SS, 20-1, 20 LW)
Lancers extended win streak to 17. Big match on the radar is a rematch with Marmonte League rival Oaks Christian-Westlake Village, who they bounced in a sweep on September 10.

20. Foothill-Pleasanton (NCS, 14-4, NR LW)
Falcons won Bay Area Classic with 25-22, 25-20 win over Rocklin. Blockbuster on the schedule coming with battle at Carondelet-Concord.

Comments, questions or opinions? Email gordon.kass@gmail.com.