With girls’ volleyball playoff action beginning this week, Mater Dei claimed the top spot in the final regular season CIF-Southern Section Division 1 poll released Oct. 13.

Redondo Union was second, Marymount third, Sierra Canyon fourth, Rancho Cucamonga fifth and Santa Margarita sixth in the ultra-competitive division. The rankings determined the seeding for the playoffs that begin Oct. 18, meaning that Marymount and Santa Margarita could meet in the Oct. 24 quarterfinals if both win their first round matches, as could Sierra Canyon and Rancho Cucamonga.

The first and last Division 2 poll of the year — those schools had been combined into a single D-1&2 poll most of the season — showed St. Joseph/Lakewood fourth and Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks fifth. Alemany held on to sixth in the D-3 list, with Notre Dame Academy tenth.

Bishop Montgomery remained third in D-4; Providence (Burbank) was seventh and St. Bonaventure ninth in D-7; and Holy Family was ninth in D-8.

Nationally, Maxpreps’ Xcellent 25 survey listed Redondo Union second and Mater Dei fourth.

Cross country

Loyola is now tied for second in boys’ Division 2 after being tied for first last week, according to the Oct. 15 CIF-SS rankings issued by PrepCalTrack.com’s Rich Gonzalez.

The D-3 list found Catholic schools ranked for the first time in a long time, with Servite, St. John Bosco and Damien at Nos. 11, 14 and 15. In D-4, J.Serra, Cathedral and Bishop Amat are now 4-5-10 (2-4-8 last week), and St. Bonaventure held at tenth in D-5.

In girls’ cross country, Santa Margarita has crept to seventh (from eighth) in D-3. Bishop Amat, J.Serra and Mayfield are still Nos. 5-7-8 in D-4, with immaculate Heart 14th, and La Reina remains eighth and Sacred Heart ninth in D-5.

CIF-SS preliminaries take place Nov. 9-10, CIF finals on Nov. 17, and state championships on Nov. 24.

Girls’ tennis

Santa Margarita replaced Mater Dei at 16th in Division 1, while Chaminade remained sixth in D-2. Marymount-re-entered D-3’s poll in eighth; Bishop Montgomery rose to third (from sixth) in D-4; and La Salle remained fourth in D-5. Playoff action starts Oct. 30.

Boys’ water polo

The combined Division 1&2 list showed Loyola, Mater Dei and Santa Margarita still ranked second, fifth and sixth, but Damien continuing to rise, to 13th (up from 16th). Servite is still first in D-3; St. Francis has moved into the D-6 list at No. 7; and Cathedral is up to fifth (from ninth) in D-7. Playoff action starts Oct. 30.

Girls’ golf

No polls are assembled in girls’ golf, but individual regional qualifying tournaments are scheduled on Oct. 22 at Los Robles Greens in Thousand Oaks (Northern division), and on Oct. 24 at Western Hills Golf Club in Chino Hills (Southern division).

Four regional team championship tournaments will be held Oct. 29: Los Serranos Country Club, Chino Hills (Central); Jurupa Hills Golf Course, Riverside (Eastern); Soule Park Golf Course, Ojai (Northern); and Mile Square Golf Course, Fountain Valley (Southern).

From regional play, the top 36 players from each individual event and the top three teams from each team event will advance to the CIF-SS Individual Championships and SCGA Qualifying Tournament on Nov. 1 at River Ridge Golf Club in Oxnard. The CIF/SCGA championships are scheduled Nov. 8 at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena, and State Championships will be held Nov. 14 at Victoria Club in Riverside.

Mike Nelson is the former editor of The Tidings (predecessor of Angelus News).

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