No. 13 Barrington (IL) and No. 22 Iolani School (HI) join Blue Star Media Net 25 volleyball rankings; CIF-Southern Section playoffs open with pool play

BENSALEM, Pa. – When playoff volleyball takes over each year at this time, there’s a sense of accountability and desperation. It’s win or go home for many teams and that’s no different for the Blue Star Media Net 25 girls’ rankings.

Although several of the Net 25 teams played national schedules, a handful of in-state weekend tournaments and a league schedule, the state tournament is the ultimate way to end your season. Winning a state title is the goal and for some it’s just getting there with a young team who could possibility finish the task in 2023.

Well, we’re not looking ahead that far but the postseason is states such as California, Illinois, Indiana, Texas, Florida, Kansas and Nebraska are intriguing. The Net 25 is fueled by multiple teams and with the postseason underway, it’ll interesting who survives.

First, we’ll start out with the two newcomers to the Net 25: No. 13 Barrington (Ill.) and No. 22 Iolani School (Honolulu).

Last weekend, Barrington annexed the Autumnfest Invite title in impressive fashion. The event grouped several of the top Illinois teams. No. 15 Mother McAuley (Chicago) dropped two matches along the way but rallied to take third place. It will be interesting when the Illinois Class 4A sectionals get going next week. McAuley is in the La Grange Sectional and will be the favorites. Barrington is the No. 1 seed in the Gurnee Sectional and won’t play until Oct. 25 in the semifinals. The two teams could meet in the Class 4A final on Nov. 12 in Normal.

In Hawaii, the Iolani Raiders navigated a difficult bracket to capture the Interscholastic League of Honolulu tournament final. The Raiders won’t play again until the Division 1 state tournament next week. The tournament lasts one week and Iolani needs three more wins for title. The final is slated for Oct. 28 in Honolulu.

However, pool play opens this week in the powerful California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section. The Division 1 pool play is daunting to say the least. Five of the eight teams (two pools of four teams) are ranked or were previously ranked in the Net 25.

No. 3 Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach) is the top seed and No. 10 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth) is No. 2. The title match is Nov. 5 at Cerritos College in Norwalk.

The schedule:

Wednesday

Pool A: Lakewood at Mira Costa; Palos Verdes at Mater Dei.

Pool B: Newport Harbor at Sierra Canyon; Huntington Beach at Marymount.

Oct. 25

Pool A: Palos Verdes at Mira Costa; Lakewood at Mater Dei.

Pool B: Huntington Beach at Sierra Canyon; Newport Harbor at Marymount.

Oct. 29

Pool A: Mater Dei at Mira Costa; Palos Verdes at Lakewood.

Pool B: Marymount at Sierra Canyon; Huntington Beach at Newport Harbor.

No. 1 Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.) doesn’t begin the CIF-San Diego Section playoffs until next week. The finals are Nov. 4-5 and the state tournament is Nov. 8-19.

One other note from Indiana: Someone from the Net 25 will be departing the postseason this week. The Class 4A Noblesville Section features No. 4 Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers) and No. 8 McCutcheon (Lafayette). It’s unfortunate that one will be sent packing but that life the playoffs. No. 12 Yorktown faces Brebeuf Jesuit (Indianapolis) Saturday in the Greenfield Central Sections. Again, both teams are deserving of deep postseason runs. We’ll have the latest from the Hoosier State next week and set up the Semistates.

Well, that’s it for another week. We appreciate your readership.

The Blue Star Media Net 25 girls’ volleyball rankings return on Oct. 26.

Don’t forget to attend a match before it’s too late. Until then we hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Net 25 girls’ volleyball rankings, Oct. 19, 2022

1. Cathedral Catholic, San Diego, Calif. (33-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Digs: The Dons swept three Western League opponents in three sets apiece. The regular season concludes Thursday at Patrick Henry (San Diego).

2. Cornerstone Christian School, San Antonio (54-2)

Previous: 2.

Digs: Defeated Dripping Springs, 25-20, 25-21, 25-22. Nayeli Gonzalez spike 20 kills, sophomore Megan Fitch had 12 digs and Taylor Anderson handed out 26 assists. The Warriors closed out the regular season with Incarnate Word on Tuesday.

3. Mira Costa, Manhattan Beach, Calif. (33-3)

Previous: 4.

Digs: Defeated Redondo Union (Redondo Beach), 25-18, 25-19, 24-26, 25-15, as senior Drew Wright lead the way with 15 kills. With the win, the Mustangs completed a 10-0 record in the Bay League. This week they begin the postseason in the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section Division 1 pool play.

4. Hamilton Southeastern, Fishers, Ind. (30-1)

Previous: 5.

Digs: Won the Class 4A, Section 8 championship, beating Fishers, 25-19, 25-12, 25-12, in the final. This weekend they might play No. 8 McCutcheon (Lafayette) in the regional tournament. In recruiting news, junior 6-foot-3 outside hitter Lauren Harden verballed to Florida.

5. Marian, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (32-1)

Previous: 3.

Digs: Lost to Northville, 23-25, 21-25, at the Beast of the East Tournament, stopping their win streak at 70 matches. The Detroit Catholic League playoffs start this week.

6. Marymount, Los Angeles (29-6)

Previous: 7.

Digs: The Sailors play Huntington Beach on Wednesday in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 Pool B playoffs. They also face Newport Beach on Oct. 25.

7. Westminster Christian, Palmetto Bay, Fla. (21-0)

Previous: 8.

Digs: Defeated Ferguson (Miami), 25-15, 25-18, 25-11, and Boca Raton, 25-18, 25-15, 25-19 to close out the regular season. The Warriors played in the Class 3A District 15 tournament. The semifinals are today and the final is Friday.

8. McCutcheon, Lafayette, Ind. (32-1)

Previous: 9.

Digs: Won Class 4A, Section 7 title, defeating Harrison (West Lafayette) 25-9, 25-13, 25-16, in the final. This weekend the Lady Mavericks meet Homestead (Fort Wayne) in the regional tournament.

9. Prestonwood Christian Academy, Plano, Texas (32-1)

Previous: 10.

Digs: Defeated Nolan Catholic (Fort Worth), 25-23, 25-11, 25-15, and John Paul II (Plano), 25-12, 25-15, 25-20. Sophomore outside hitter Macaria Spears had 17 kills and TCU-bound junior Mikala Young added 10 in the latter match.

10. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (29-4)

Previous: 11.

Digs: The Trailblazers closed out the regular season defeating Notre Dame Academy (Los Angeles) and Marlborough (Los Angeles) in Mission League play. They started the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 tournament this week with pool play.

11. Highland Park, Dallas (36-2)

Previous: 12.

Digs: The Scots improved to 11-0 in District 7-6 after sweeping Lake Highlands (Dallas) and Irving in three sets apiece.

12. Yorktown, Ind. (31-2)

Previous: 13.

Digs: Won the Class 4A, Section 9 tournament, defeating Pendleton Heights, 25-21, 25-22, 25-18. This weekend the Tigers play in the Greenfield Central Regionals.

13. Barrington, Ill. (33-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Digs: Won the Autumnfest Invite, beating St. Charles East, 25-18, 25-13, in the final. Arizona-bound Jessica Horwath was named the Most Valuable  Player at the event. Junior setter Jenna Meitzler handed out 50 assists and 20 kills over the weekend.

14. Cypress Ranch, Houston (38-2)

Previous: 15.

Digs: Bianna Muoneke smashed 28 kills and Taylor Porter added 20 in a 20-25, 25-18, 25-15, 31-29 win over Bridgeland (Cypress).

15. Mother McAuley, Chicago (31-3)

Previous: 6.

Digs: Placed third the Autumnfest Invite event last weekend in Lombard. Michigan-commit Ellie White had 58 kills in the 12 sets she played. White also reached a milestone last week, pounding out her 1,000th career kill with just over one season left.

16. Santa Fe, Alachua, Fla. (23-2)

Previous: 17.

Digs: The Raiders opened the Class 4A, District 5 tournament this week.

17. Fayetteville, Ark. (31-2)

Previous: 18.

Digs: Defeated Rogers and Southside (Fort Smith) in three sets apiece. The regular-season finale is Thursday against Rogers Heritage.

18. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (27-8)

Previous: 16.

Digs: The Monarchs head to the postseason and begin the CIF-Southern Section Pool A on Wednesday with No. 3 Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach), Palos Verdes (Palos Verdes Estates) and Lakewood.

19. Immaculate Heart Academy, Washington Township, N.J. (23-1)

Previous: 20.

Digs: Kalena Stavish contributed 23 assists and six digs and Brookelyn Talmadge 10 kills when the Blue Eagles defeated Old Tappan, 25-18, 25-7, in the Bergen County Tournament quarterfinals.

20. Washburn Rural, Topeka, Kan. (37-1)

Previous: 21.

Digs: Won Emporia Tournament, capturing six matches. The Lady Blues will host the Class 6A sub-states on Saturday.

21. Assumption, Louisville, Ky. (28-7)

Previous: 14.

Digs: The Rockets host the 26th District Tournament this week.

22. Iolani School, Honolulu (22-5)

Previous: Not ranked.

Digs: Defeated Punahou (Honolulu), 25-22, 25-21, 25-9, in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu double elimination tournament final. Senior Senna Roberts-Navarro had 19 kills. The Division 1 state tournament starts on Monday.

23. Lincoln (Neb.) Southwest (25-3)

Previous: 25.

Digs: The Silver Hawks won the Omaha Westside Invitational, topping Elkhorn North, 25-17, 16-25, 25-17, in the final. Right-side hitter Grace Heaney, a Purdue recruit, recorded 11 kills.

24. St. Thomas Aquinas, Overland Park, Kan. (32-3)

Previous: 23.

Digs: Defeated Gardner-Edgerton, 25-14, 25-16, 25-22. Junior Tatum Grimes had 12 kills.

25. Mountain View, Orem, Utah (23-3)

Previous: 22.

Digs: Lost to Timpview (Provo) in five sets but remains in the Net 25 but there can be no more slipups.

Dropped out: No. 19 Huntington Beach (Calif.) and No. 24 Nolensville (Tenn.).

Special Consideration: Northville (Mich.); Liberty (Mo.) North; Punahou School (Honolulu); Buford ( Ga.); St. James Academy (Lenexa, Kan.); Pace Academy (Atlanta); Dike (Iowa)-New Hartford; Oconomowoc (Wis.); Pope (Marietta, Ga.); St. Mary’s (Lancaster, N.Y.); Lakeville (Minn.) North; Marshall (Minn.); Ursuline Academy (Cincinnati); Flint Hill (Oakton, Va.); Papillion (Neb.)-La Vista South; Magnificat (Rocky River, Ohio); Fairport (N.Y.); Lakewood (Calif.); Oconomowoc (Wis.); Brebeuf Jesuit (Indianapolis); Skutt Catholic (Omaha, Neb.) and Penfield (N.Y.).

About: The Blue Star Media Net 25 High School Girls’ Volleyball Rankings are released weekly from August until the conclusion of the high school season. Criteria considered are the quality of the team and its players, strength of schedule, tradition, and quality of the team’s league, conference, region or district. The rankings are compiled by Blue Star Media’s Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators and prep sports writers. The final rankings will be released at the conclusion of the season in November. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.