Girls’ Volleyball: Top teams scramble as playoffs approach

Last weekend’s Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas, an annual tournament drawing some of the top girls’ volleyball teams in the country, provided plenty of opportunities for those teams to shine — and to climb over one another, both in Maxpreps’ national rankings and in the CIF-Southern Section girls’ volleyball polls.

And then this week’s matches… and the climbing and scrambling continued. 

When this week began, Marymount of Westwood was No. 1 in the CIF-SS Divisions 1&2 poll and second in Maxpreps’ national poll, behind Cathedral Catholic of San Diego (winner at Durango). The Sailors — who placed third at Durango — entered the week 16-1, with a 2-1 win over local archrival Mater Dei at the tournament and losing only to Mercy of Kentucky.

But just one day after the CIF-SS poll was issued Sept. 23, Marymount was beaten in straight sets by No. 2 Redondo Union (22-3), the previous week’s No. 1, which lost twice at Durango but had earlier beaten Mater Dei. 

And the Monarchs (16-3), ranked third by the CIF-SS and by Maxpreps as of Monday, won their Trinity League match Sept. 24 against Santa Margarita. So with local league play continuing through mid-October, the race to determine top seeds for local, regional and state championship competition has clearly intensified.

In other CIF-SS divisions, La Salle remains second in D-3 but St. Anthony fell from third to seventh in D-4. Holding their positions from last week are Chaminade and La Reina at fourth and sixth, respectively, in D-5; Mary Star of the Sea, eighth in D-6; Ramona Convent, third in D-8; and Santa Clara, sixth in D-9.

Listed among “others” (just outside the rankings) are Santa Margarita (D-1&2), Providence of Burbank and St. Bonaventure (D-6), Sacred Heart (D-7) and St. Monica Academy of Montrose (D-8).

Durango Honors: Named to the All-Tournament Team at Durango were two Marymount middle blockers, sophomore Ella Rubin and senior Marisse Turner, and Mater Dei senior outside hitter Reagan Merk.

Also competing at Durango were St. Lucy’s Priory, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) and Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy.