November 13, 2023

The final week of the high school season is upon us. That’s the bad news. The good news is it has been a fun-filled and entertaining ride, one that is not over just yet. Major states like California and Texas wrap up this week. Not only is the national championship still up in the air, state tournaments also help shape and define who will be our Player of the Year for each class. Just like it’s impossible to be the national champion without winning a state tournament, it’s virtually impossible as well to be named a Freshman, Sophomore, Junior or Senior Player of the Year without hoisting the state trophy. As for the national championship puzzle, the pieces continue to fall into place. Top-ranked Mater Dei is still alive in the California Open Division state playoffs and is set to face Cathedral Catholic on Tuesday in the semifinals. The winner of that advances to face the winner of Archbishop Mitty–St. Francis/Mountain View in Saturday’s final. Mater Dei and Cathedral Catholic have split a pair of matches thus far, with Mater Dei beating Cathedral in the semifinals of Volleypalooza and Cathedral returning the favor by downing Mater Dei in the finals of the Dave Mohs tournament two weeks later. Cathedral Catholic knocked off Mira Costa over the weekend in the quarterfinals. That was a giant result because it ended any chance of Mira Costa finishing as the national champion. Mira Costa had a path to the title but would have needed to beat Cathedral Catholic, then Mater Dei then the Nor Cal representative in the final in order to make that claim. Cathedral Catholic went undefeated last year and claimed the national championship after winning the Open Division state championship. Despite losing a lot of talent, the Dons are interestingly in another position where they could possibly make an argument for once again being national champions. Should they win out, the Dons would have gone 2-1 against Mater Dei and 1-1 against Prestonwood Christian, which won the TAPPS 6A state championship. Cathedral Catholic did lose to Mira Costa at the Durango Fall Classic but avenged that loss in the state playoffs. The biggest obstacle is the loss to Grand Oaks in the third-place match at Volleypalooza. Grand Oaks is still alive in the semifinals of the Texas 6A state playoffs. Grand Oaks’ only loss remains to Prestonwood Christian in the semis of Volleypalooza. We’ll sort through all the results as the state finals conclude this coming weekend and will name a national champion next Monday. Until then, this week’s updated Top 50 can be viewed in its entirety below. vballrecruiter.com’S TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mater Dei CA (1 – previous ranking) 2. Hamilton Southeastern IN (3) 3. Prestonwood Christian TX (4) 4. Grand Oaks TX (5) 5. Cathedral Catholic CA (6) 6. Wayzata MN (7) 7. Mira Costa CA (2) 8. Assumption KY (8) 9. Mother McAuley IL (10) 10. Benet Academy IL (9) *** 11. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI (11) 12. O’Connor AZ (12) 13. Lincoln Southwest NE (13) 14. Middle Creek NC (14) 15. Archbishop Mitty CA (15) 16. Lake Catholic OH (16) 17. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (16) 18. Kings OH (18) 19. Papillion-La Vista NE (19) 20. Papillion-La Vista South NE (20) *** 21. Mill Valley KS (21) 22. Marist IL (22) 23. Notre Dame Academy KY (24) 24. Sierra Canyon CA (23) 25. Blue Valley North KS (25) 26. Harlan TX (n/r) 27. Dike-New Hartford IA (26) 28. Valor Christian CO (27) 29. Cinco Ranch TX (n/r) 30. Oconomowoc WI (29) *** 31. Seaman KS (31) 32. St. Thomas Aquinas KS (32) 33. Lafayette MO (34) 34. Dripping Springs TX (33) 35. Maize South KS (35) 36. St. James Academy KS (37) 37. Cornerstone Christian TX (38) 38. Carrollwood Day FL (40) 39. Northville MI (n/r) 40. Foothill CA (39) *** 41. Branson CA (41) 42. Lone Peak UT (43) 43. Plant FL (n/r) 44. Berkeley Prep FL (44) 45. Pace Academy GA (45) 46. North Branch MI (46) 47. Alpharetta GA (47) 48. Skyridge UT (48) 49. Glenbard West IL (49) 50. Pope GA (50) *** ON THE CUSP Lake Travis TXPerry AZXavier Prep AZSt. Ursula Academy OHSeton OHMercy McAuley OHHuntington Beach CAMarymount CALos Alamitos CAWinter Park FLSt. Thomas Aquinas FLKamehameha HIPunahou HIBishop Gorman NVHorizon AZMcGill-Toolen ALMountain Brook ALLas Cruces NMJenks OKWillowbrook IL