Mater Dei took 3rd place at the Durango Fall Classic this year. (PHOTO COURTESY DURANGOFALLCLASSIC.COM)
Although falling from the ranks of the unbeaten, Mater Dei retained its No. 1 ranking among Division 1 & 2 schools in the CIF-Southern Section girls’ volleyball poll released Sept. 17.
The Monarchs lost in a best-of-three sets match Sept. 15 to Assumption of Louisville in the round-robin Durango Fall Classic at Las Vegas, 25-16, 15-25, 25-17. Assumption (25-0) is atop the Maxpreps’ “Xcellent 25” national poll, with Mater Dei (14-1) fourth.
Interestingly, Redondo Union (15-2) is No. 2 nationally, losing to Assumption in the Durango tournament finals after losing top Mater Dei two weeks ago, but second behind the Monarchs in the CIF poll. Marymount (15-5) rose from fourth to third in the D1&2 poll, despite losing to Assumption at Durango.
Santa Margarita (14-9) is sixth, up from ninth last week, although the Eagles lost three of six matches at Durango. The high-level national competition clearly played a role in the CIF-SS voters’ minds.
Elsewhere, St. Paul remained eighth in Division 3 and Bishop Montgomery held at second in D-4, as Mayfield entered the latter top 10 at No. 6. St. Anthony slipped from fifth to eighth in D-5.
St. Bonaventure, enjoying a successful Santa Paula Classic (5-0), inched back to fourth from fifth in D-7, and Providence/Burbank dipped from fourth to sixth. Bishop Diego rose from sixth to fifth in D-8, and Santa Clara slid from fourth to fifth in D-9.
The “Others to Watch” list included St. Joseph (Lakewood) in D-1&2, Bishop Amat in D-5, and Holy Family in D-8.
Because of an ongoing review of results from the Woodbridge Classic last weekend in Irvine, the Sept. 17 CIF-SS rankings issued by Rich Gonzalez of PrepCalTrack.com may not totally reflect the officials results, once finalized.
Still, Catholic schools remain very much in the picture, with Loyola back at No. 2 in Division 2; J.Serra, Cathedral and Bishop Amat at second, third and ninth in D-4; and St. Pius X-St. Matthias sixth in D-5 among boys’ cross country competitors.
In girls’ cross country, Santa Margarita rose from tenth to eighth in D-3, while J.Serra was second, Mayfield sixth and Bishop Amat ninth in D-4. Pomona Catholic was still fifth and Sacred Heart ninth in D-5.
Catholic schools made their strongest showing of the season in the CIF-SS girls’ tennis polls, with seven teams listed in four divisions. Mater Dei is 16th in Division 1; Chaminade is No. 9 in D-2; Marymount, Louisville and Mayfield are ranked 3-4-9 in D-3; and Bishop Montgomery and Alemany are Nos. 8 and 10 in D-4.
In boys’ water polo, Servite maintained the top spot in Division 3, with Mater Dei, Loyola and Santa Margarita ranked third, fourth and 17th in the combined Division 1&2 rankings.
Mike Nelson is the former editor of the Tidings (predecessor of Angelus News).
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