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Bouncing from tournament to tournament one weekend to the next is how the high school season starts to fly by. We are almost through September. We are starting to hone in on the top teams in the country, though our National Top 50 Rankings are sure to keep having its share of movement throughout the next month. Some of the top teams in the country feature 5-star recruits from the Class of 2023. Conversely, some of the 5-star recruits play for teams that have faced their share of challenges to begin the year. Below, we check in on our 5-star senior recruits and how they’ve been faring so far. Ramsey Gary SR L Pendleton Heights IN – The Indiana commit is not surprisingly leading her squad in digs. She’s collected 254 as of press time and is averaging 4.0 per set. Gary also has the most aces on the team with 38 to date and has chipped in with 42 assists. Grace Heaney SR RS Elkhorn South NE – Elkhorn South has started the season 13-2 behind the play of Heaney. The only two losses have come against nationally-ranked schools in Lincoln East and Papillion-LaVista South. The Purdue commit has delivered a team-high 183 kills, averaging 4.6 per set, while hitting .333. She also has a team-leading 22 blocks. Sydney Schnichels SR RS Wilmar MN – There’s no denying Schnichels has been carrying a big load for the Cardinals. She’s taken almost 200 more swings then the next closest attacker. She has produced a team-high 210 kills while hitting .313. Laney Choboy SR OH Leesville Road NC – One of the top libero prospects in the country, Choboy is committed to Minnesota but is playing on the outside for the Pride. She’s leading the way offensively with 111 kills and is hitting .226. She’s also second in digs averaging 4.0 per set. Saige Damrow SR OH Howards Grove WI – Like Choboy, Damrow is another top-ranked libero hitting in high school. The Wisconsin commit has helped the Tigers go 23-4 so far, including two losses to nationally-ranked Oconomowoc. Damrow has put down 185 kills and is hitting .366 despite missing nearly half the year. She’s also second in aces and third in total digs, though she’s first in average at 5.0 per set. Ashley Mullen SR S Liberty MO – The UCLA commit has guided the Blue Jays to a 19-1 start and a No. 34 ranking in our national Top 50. The only loss came against No. 19 Aquinas. Mullen has dished out 529 assists so far, averaging 9.6 per set. She’s also second in aces with 36. Eloise Brandewie SR MB Bishop Hartley – With Brandewie leading the charge, the Hawks entered the week a perfect 14-0. In 33 sets of action she’s nailed 136 kills and is hitting a ridiculous .548. The Ohio State commit is also the block leader with 34. Ella Swindle SR S Rock Bridge MO – The Texas commit has her hands all over the Bruins’ 11-1 mark. She’s averaging 7.6 assists per set and has totaled 251 to date. She’s also second in blocks with 34 and is the team’s second leading scorer as well with 67 kills. Bergen Reilly SR OH O’Gorman SD – One of the nation’s top setting prospects who is committed to Nebraska, Reilly is hitting for the Knights. She’s come up with a team-high 85 kills and is averaging 5.3 per set. Jurnee Robinson SR OH Mauldin SC – The LSU commit is having a monster season. That should shock no one. The Mavericks are 20-5 with Robinson giving them 296 kills and hitting .408. Blaire Bayless SR OH Plano West TX – The Pitt commit and her Wolves teammates have been on a roll lately as they are currently enjoying an 18-match winning streak as of this writing. It includes avenging one of their losses to Lovejoy as Plano West made its Top 50 debut this week at No. 45. Bayless leads the way with 295 kills and is averaging 4.2 per set. She also has an incredible 93 aces. Olivia Babcock SR OH Sierra Canyon CA – The Trailblazers are having an amazing season to date on the strength of Babcock’s play. The Pitt commit has sent down 328 kills and is averaging 4.6 per set. She also has a team-high 45 aces and is second in blocks with 58. Caroline Jurevicius SR OH Notre Dame Cathedral OH – At 8-5, it’s been a challenging start to the season for the Lions, who entered their Sept. 22 contest against Lake Catholic having lost three consecutive matches in five games. The powerful arm of Jurevicius – a Nebraska commit – has tallied 200 kills as she’s hitting .323 and averaging 4.3 per set. Torrey Stafford SR OH Marymount CA – The Sailors have found recent tournament success, finishing runner-up at Dave Mohs and the Durango Fall Classic. Stafford – another Pitt commit – is out in front with 132 kills, averaging 4.1 per set and hitting .281. Kyndal Stowers SR OH Guyer TX – The Baylor commit just recently made her debut. She’s appeared in four of her team’s 67 sets. She has come up with 17 kills, averaging 4.3 per set, which tied for top honors. Jordyn Harvey SR OH Bountiful UT – The Stanford commit and company entered the week unbeaten at 13-0. Harvey is having a great senior year so far with 166 kills. She’s averaging 4.9 per set and is hitting .390. Harper Murray SR OH Skyline MI – At 20-3, Skyline has shown itself to be one of the top schools in Michigan behind the play of the Nebraska commit in Murray. She has more than half the team’s total kills with 340. She’s hitting a mind-blowing .434 so far and is averaging an insane 6.1 kills per set. Chloe Chicoine SR OH McCutcheon IN – The only blemish on the schedule so far remains an August loss to Yorktown.

With Cathedral Catholic CA taking home the Durango Fall Classic championship and Mother McAuley IL continuing its undefeated run as well, there was no changes with the top two spots in this week’s updated Top 50 National HS Rankings. St. James Academy KS, however, suffered its first setback of the season and dropped some as a result. Both Assumption KY and Sierra Canyon CA also dropped out of the Top 10 with losses at Durango this week, though Sierra Canyon did defeat Assumption head-to-head in Las Vegas. In all, five teams dropped out of the Top 50 altogether, making room for five new additions. You can check it out below. vballrecruiter.com TOP 50 1. Cathedral Catholic CA (1 – last week’s ranking) 2. Mother McAuley IL (2) 3. Westminster Christian FL (4) 4. McCutcheon IN (5) 5. Mira Costa CA (6) 6. Cornerstone Christian TX (8) 7. Marian MI (9) 8. Prestonwood Christian TX (11) 9. St. James Academy KS (3) 10. Santa Fe FL (13) *** 11. Oconomowoc WI (14) 12. Highland Park TX (15) 13. Hamilton Southeastern IN (17) 14. Sierra Canyon CA (10) 15. Washburn Rural KS (18) 16. Lincoln Southwest NE (n/r) 17. Cypress Ranch TX (22) 18. Marymount CA (16) 19. Aquinas KS (25) 20. Fayetteville AR (38) *** 21. Assumption KY (7) 22. Northfield (MN) 23. Mercy McAuley (12) 24. Brebeuf Jesuit IN (30) 25. ‘Iolani HI (34) 26. Barrington IL (31) 27. Dike-New Hartford IO (32 28. Ursuline Academy OH (19) 29. Yorktown IN (33) 30. Papillion-LaVista South NE (26) *** 31. Punahou HI (23) 32. Corona del Sol AZ (35) 33. Torrey Pines CA (27) 34. Liberty MO (n/r) 35. St. Ursula Academy OH (36) 36. Redondo Union CA (29) 37. Mercy MI (40) 38. Mater Dei CA (37) 39. Wayzata MN (42) 40. Magnificat OH (46) *** 41. Skyline MI (20) 42. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (48) 43. Mountain View UT (45) 44. Mount Notre Dame OH (43) 45. Plano West TX (n/r) 46. Millennium AZ (n/r) 47. Palos Verdes CA (49) 48. Rock Bridge MO (n/r) 49. Archbishop Mitty CA (n/r) 50. Pickens SC (47) Out: Lincoln East NE; Kamehameha HI; Chaparral CO; Cleveland TN; Timpview UT In: Lincoln Southwest NE; Liberty MO; Plano West TX; Millennium AZ; Archbishop Mitty CA *** HONORABLE MENTION Lake Catholic (OH) Heritage (CO) Trinity Catholic (FL) Blue Valley Northwest (KS) Hamilton (AZ) Horizon (AZ) Blue Valley North (KS) Lincoln-Way East (IL) Vista Murrieta (CA) Harvard-Westlake (CA) Perry (AZ) Queen Creek (AZ) Calvary Christin (FL) Blue Valley (KS) Rock Bridge (MO) St. Joseph’s Academy (MO) Huntley (IL) Ankeny (IO) Iowa City Liberty (IO) Tompkins (TX) Keller (TX) The Woodlands (TX) Bridgeland (TX) Barbers Hill (TX) Rockwall (TX) Walton (GA) Knoxville Christian (TN) Dorman (SC) Mercy (KY) Sequoyah (GA) Alpharetta (GA) Pope (GA) Champlin Park (MN) Lakeville North (MN) Brookfield Central (WI) Olentangy Liberty (OH) Ardrey Kell (NC) Millbrook (NC) Cardinal Newman (SC) McGill-Toolen (AL) Brandon (MS) Moanalua (HI) Ponte Vedra (FL) Plant (FL) Venice (FL) Marvin Ridge (NC) St. Henry (KY) Tampa Prep (FL) Skutt Catholic (NE) Buford (GA) O’Connor (AZ) Appleton North (WI) Divine Savior Holy Angels (WI) Eureka (MO) Chaparral (CO) Lincoln East (NE) Kamehameha (HI) Cleveland (TN) Timpview (UT)

The end of a busy three-week stretch promised to test the nation’s top team in Cathedral Catholic CA as the Dons looked to ace their latest challenge in the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas this past weekend. The run kicked off at the beginning of September with a trip to Hawai’i which culminated with a victory over Moanlua HI to win its first tournament of the season. The following weekend the Dons were back on the mainland and headed north two hours to participate in the Dave Mohs tourney in Huntington Beach, which ended with Cathedral Catholic sweeping Marymount CA, 25-20, 25-17, for the crown. Then came Durango, the most daunting tournament of the year and one that would test the Dons’ undefeated record in ways the prior two events couldn’t. Cathedral Catholic held all the answers and after downing Marymount once more in the championship earned the Durango title after last claiming it in 2019. On top of it all, not only did the Dons push their overall mark to 24-0 but they have yet to drop a set this season. It featured knocking off Archbishop Mitty CA in qualifying play Saturday morning before dispatching Punahou HI in the quarters and ‘Iolani HI in the semifinals. “Durango is such a prestigious tournament we were going in knowing we needed to play well and not thinking about having to win,” Cathedral Catholic coach Juliana Conn said. “Coming in as the No. 1 seed we knew it would be hard and it was. We played some really good teams from Hawai’i. We played Marymount again. Even Mitty in the first round on Saturday came to play. We had a nice run of good matches we put together to win. We focused on taking care of each match because we know everyone is coming after us just like they did with Marymount last year. We are learning to come ready to play because no team is going to give us an easy win.” Cathedral Catholic was among the best teams in the country last season but the way Marymount – which captured the Durango title in 2021 – was built it didn’t matter. However, with Marymount graduating so much and Cathedral returning so many it is now the Dons who control their destiny to a national championship. The only mainstays from last year’s lineup not back were the starting setter and libero. That would be enough to derail some programs but with junior Amanda Saeger ready to take the reins of the offense and sophomore Maya Evens positioned to take over in the backrow the Dons have hardly missed a beat. The lineup is built around senior sensation and outside Julia Blyashov, a 5-star recruit committed to Stanford. She’s one of the top nine kill leaders back from a year ago. No doubt that type of familiarity and depth are going to lead to plenty of successful outings. “We’ve been playing well,” Conn said. “We have a big bench and anytime someone is having a tough time we can switch it up. People keep stepping up. It’s a big group and sometimes with that many good players it can be hard to accept smaller roles. But this group is embracing it and girls are waiting for their chance while still supporting whoever is on the court. The feedback this weekend from other coaches was great. They were telling us how engaged our bench is.” Though Marymount graduated a ton from last year’s national championship roster, one player who is back and has kept the Sailors a formidable threat is senior outside and 5-star recruit Torrey Stafford. Though Marymount has lost nonleague contests to Mira Costa CA and Redondo Union CA and a league showdown with Sierra Canyon CA so far, the Sailors have found success in recent tourneys like Dave Mohs and Durango, finishing runner up to Cathedral Catholic at both. In Vegas, Marymount overcame a team it previously defeated this season in Vista Murrieta CA in Day 2 qualifying to make the championship bracket. There, the Sailors swept Assumption KY in the quarters and previously undefeated Fayetteville AR in the semis. “They are still really good even though they lost all those seniors,” Conn said of Marymount. “I felt like they were ready to beat us because they didn’t want to lose in back-to-back weeks.”

One thing is for certain. When it comes to a 64-team field of the caliber we see at a tournament like the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas there are going to be top players everywhere doing their thing and leaving their mark. That’s exactly what we witnessed during our two days in the desert. Below, we highlight our tournament Show Stoppers featuring the best of the best we saw in action. We also included more standout players as well who were also really good and noteworthy with their play. SHOW STOPPERS Claire Little SR OH Vista Murrieta CA – The Broncos were the only non-No. 1 team from the Day 1 pools to make the Top 16 and Little had lots to do with her team’s success. She’s a big-time attacker who can score front and back row and always gives her team hope of winning. Nikki Quinn SR S Torrey Pines CA – Quinn – a 3-star recruit committed to Duke – is quick and does well getting to the ball and delivering clean balls to her hitters. Finley Krystkowiak FR OH Torrey Pines CA – One of the stud freshmen in the field, this 5-star recruit flashed her remarkable potential. At 6-3, Krystkowiak is able to go over blocks and bounce balls down on the regular. Katerina Lutz SR L Torrey Pines CA – Lutz – a 3-star recruit committed to UCLA – is a scrappy backrow defender. She’s a consistent passer out of serve receive and her hustle extends rallies for the Falcons. Mia Lee SR RS Mountain View UT – A 4-star recruit committed to BYU, Lee is an incredible athlete with a monster leap. Add in her big arm and she’s a massive offensive force who can take over matches. Mele Corral-Blagojevich SR OH Redondo Union CA – When Redondo is in trouble or needs a point it’s often Corral-Blagojevich who they turn to. The 4-star recruit committed to Oklahoma has a big arm and can also make her mark from the service line with her powerful jump serve. Kennedy Phelan SR S Fayetteville AR – A 5-star recruit headed to Florida State, Phelan was as fun as anyone to watch do her thing. She’s a remarkable setter who can basically make any set from anywhere. Her jump serve is also a weapon as she can go on runs a reel of points in a hurry. Brooke Rockwell SR OH Fayetteville AR – A Stanford beach commit, Rockwell is the arm that makes the Bulldogs’ offense sparkle. She has a whippy arm and can fire one down in impressive fashion or she can go off speed and catch defenses slipping. Meredith Brown SR MB Mercy KY – Brown brings stability to the front row. She’s both a sound blocker and scoring threat who can impact a rally both ways. Lauren Lynch SO L Sierra Canyon CA – There was plenty of defense being played and Lynch was a big-time factor for the Trailblazers. She’s not challenged much in serve receive because of her passing precision. She’s also a terrific defender who keeps her team in rallies. Olivia Babcock SR RS Sierra Canyon CA – Babcock – a 5-star recruit headed to Pitt – delivers as many wow moments as anyone else in the field. When she gets a hold of one, watch out. She blasts it down with authority and causes a buzz throughout the gym. Danica Rach JR OH Sierra Canyon CA – A 3-star recruit committed to Boston College, Rach is a six-rotation mainstay. She’s a solid scorer with a nice arm who helps keep the offense powering along. Maya Evens SO L Cathedral Catholic CA – Evens is a sophomore who plays like a senior. She’s unflappable in the back row and is as steady and consistent as anyone in the field. She rarely misses a play or is off with her passing. Jenna Hanes JR MB Cathedral Catholic CA – A 6-3, 4-star recruit committed to Michigan, Hanes bolsters what the Dons do on both sides of the ball. When in system, Cathedral will look to get her the ball as she can finish off points adeptly. She’s also a strong blocker who can help slow down opposing attackers.   Julia Blyashov SR OH Cathedral Catholic CA – The 5-star Stanford recruit is so difficult to lock up. Her length is a major asset and with her ability to extend and hit so high defenses don’t have much hope of blocking her and must try and dig her shots that come with plenty of pace. Amanda Saeger JR S Cathedral Catholic CA – With the weapons around her, any setter in the gym would envy Saeger – a 4-star recruit committed to DePaul – and what she has to work with. She does well incorporating all her hitters and not just relying on the big arm of Blyashov to do it all. Melie Vaioleti SR L Punahou HI – Vaioleti epitomizes what Punahou is about with its defensive scrap and intensity. It’s hard to put balls down cleanly against Punahou, with Vaioleti picking off shots left and right and forcing opponents to take five and six swings in hopes of winning the rally. Haumea Marumoto JR OH Punahou HI – Marumoto is an unheralded player who does a lot for Punahou. She has a very high IQ that shows in the way she scores in so many different ways. Torrey Stafford SR OH Marymount CA – A 5-star recruit on her way to Pitt, Stafford is must-watch entertainment with the way she gets off the ground and crushes ball. When she has it going she’s nearly unstoppable and is a unrelenting menace for defenses to deal with. Dior Charles SR MB Marymount CA – Few players in the field could impact a match with their blocking prowess like Charles. A 3-star recruit committed to Wake Forest, Charles is also the Sailors’ biggest scoring threat out of the middle as

It was a really good day to be the No. 1 team in one of the 16, four-team pools on the opening day of the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas. In all, 15 of the 16 top teams in their respective pools advanced to Saturday’s championship qualifying round at Durango High. The lone team left out? That would be Kamehameha Kapalama HI, which began the day as the No. 11 overall seed. But the Warriors were upended by Vista Murrieta CA, which pulled off the upset in three sets, 22-25, 25-16, 25-21, on its way to a 3-0 finish. Thus, the Broncos – who also defeated St. Ignatius CA and Foothill CA – are the only non-No. 1 team still alive for the coveted crown. For seven of the top teams in their respective pools, it was a perfect Friday as none of them even dropped a set. The nation’s top team and No. 1 overall seed Cathedral Catholic swept all three of its outings, as did No. 3 Assumption KY, No. 5 Timpview UT, No. 7 Mountain View UT, No. 8 Mater Dei CA, No. 14 Lakewood CA and No. 15 Redondo Union CA. Skyview ID – the No. 13 overall seed – had a day and is fortunate to still be in contention after going three sets in all three contests. It included a razor-thin victory over Kahuku HI, 26-24, 17-25, 25-23, to finish out the pool. Skyview also went three with Bishop Gorman NV and Long Beach Wilson CA. Second-seeded Fayetteville AR had a close call and barely survived the 1 v 2 meeting against Coronado NV. Fayetteville needed three sets to escape, 24-26, 25-14, 27-25, and eventually finished 3-0. Fourth-seeded Sierra Canyon CA went the distance twice, needing three sets to get past both Lone Peak UT and Mercy KY. Sixth-seeded Marymount CA also went three twice in victories over Ontario Christian CA and Corner Canyon UT. Ninth-seeded Punahou HI, No. 10 Torrey Pines CA, No. 12 ‘Iolani HI and No. 16 Archbishop Mitty CA all dropped one set in winning their respective pools. *** Day 1 is done without any major contenders knocked out. That means Saturday is set for a fantastic finish. The 16 pool winners play a qualifying match to begin Day 2. The winners advance to the eight-team championship bracket from which the champion will be crowned. Cathedral Catholic takes on Archbishop Mitty in what could be a preview of the California Open Division state final. Mater Dei takes on Punahou in an interesting match. Punahou beat Redondo Union at the Ann Kang Invitational and Redondo has a victory over Mater Dei so the math points to Punahou winning that one right? If only it was that simple. Meanwhile, Redondo draws No. 2 seed Fayetteville. The other Hawaiian team still alive in ‘Iolani faces one of the two Utah squads still in the hunt in Timpview. The other Utah school – Mountain View – is matched up with past champion Torrey Pines. Skyview – as we mentioned went three all three times Friday – doesn’t get a break with Sierra Canyon lined up across the net. In a rematch from earlier this season, Marymount and Vista Murrieta clash again. Marymount took the first meeting in straight sets. Lastly, one of the most intriguing matches is Assumption squaring off with Lakewood. Lakewood is unheralded but plenty good enough to come out ahead in that one. The best news is it doesn’t matter how you try and slice it up. Championship Saturday at Durango always delivers. I’ve called it the best day of the high school season in the past and I’m sure I’ll be feeling the same way watching it all unfold during the 2022 version. *** UNDER THE RADAR PLAYERS Hitting the club scene like we do, we find a lot of the same players starring in high school as well obviously. We’ll have our full assortment of Show Stoppers after the tournament ends featuring many names you are probably already familiar with. For now, we want to shine a light on players that we haven’t written about before or often or ones you might not have heard of yet. Taliah Lee SR OH Timpview UT Joa Roberts JR MB Timpview UT Mia Compas SR MB Cathedral Catholic CA Sadie Snipes JR OH Branson CA Lauren Dignan SO L Branson CA Ashley Repetti SO OH Los Alamitos CA Elon Milroy JR RS Los Alamitos CA Rella Binney JR S Punahou HI Grace Fiaseu MB/RS Punahou HI Bellamie Beus FR OH Skyview ID Melissa Eyer JR L Skyview ID Chloe Pravendikov JR OH Long Beach Wilson CA Sophie Broesamle SR OH Lakeside WA Finley Workman JR OH Xavier Prep AZ Lauren Ingram SR OH Hockaday School TX Olivia Wayne SO MB Hockaday School TX Ayva Ostavar SO S Mater Dei CA Eryn Hiraki JR RS ‘Iolani HI Tessa Onaga SR L ‘Iolani HI Maya Imoto-Eakin SR S ‘Iolani HI Madisyn Parady SO S La Costa Canyon CA Kacie Caoili SO S Archbishop Mitty CA Isabella Romero SO OH Archbishop Mitty CA Demi Harris SR L Archbishop Mitty CA Alanah Clemente SO RS Alemany CA Havyn Rolle JR MB Alemany CA Cameron Downs SR S Mercy KY Katie Poynter SR OH Mercy KY Emma Barnett SR MB Mercy KY Jaida Sione SR OH Sierra Canyon CA Ava Hewitt-Smith SR MB Sierra Canyon CA Addy Esslin SR S Bishop Manogue NV Nina Hemsley FR MB Rancho Cucamonga CA Meagan O’Leary JR OH South Torrance CA Elina Mortensen JR OH Corner Canyon UT Bianca Richardson JR OH Faith Lutheran NV Alexa Trapani SR L Marymount CA Maela Honma JR OH Kamehameha Hawai’i HI Sarah Schubert SR OH Kamehameha Hawai’i HI Kinley Kerbs SR S Madison ID Mariah Wilson SR RS Madison ID

The prestigious Durango Fall Classic is on tap this Friday and Saturday in Las Vegas. It’s a phenomenal tournament that always manages to live up to the hype if not surpass it. This year’s 64-team field features schools from 12 states, with 13 programs participating from vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings. It includes national No. 1 Cathedral Catholic CA, which is the top seed overall. Friday’s action opens with 16, four-team pools. The 16 pool winners advance to Saturday’s championship qualifying bracket at Durango High School where one will walk away with the coveted trophy. Will it be Cathedral Catholic? The Dons have yet to lose this season and were victorious here recently having captured the Durango title in 2019. Or could we see Assumption KY reclaim its reign? The Rockets dominated the desert for a stretch, winning titles in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018. Or is someone else going to deliver an unforeseen storyline of their own? Plenty are capable. Watching it unfold is sure to deliver its share of chills and goose bumps as teams chase Durango gold during two intense days of competition. Below is a breakdown of the tournament featuring nationally-ranked teams, team spotlights and players to watch. vballrecruiter.com Nationally Ranked Teams (13): 1. Cathedral Catholic CA 7. Assumption KY 10. Sierra Canyon CA 16. Marymount CA 23. Punahou HI 27. Torrey Pines CA 29. Redondo Union CA 34. ‘Iolani HI 37. Mater Dei CA 38. Fayetteville AR 39. Kamehameha HI 45. Mountain View UT 50. Timpview UT *** Breakdown by State: Arizona (3): Ironwood Ridge; Queen Creek; Xavier Prep Arkansas: Fayetteville California (28): Archbishop Mitty; Bakersfield Christian; Beckman; Bishop Alemany; Branson; Campolindo; Cathedral Catholic; Clovis West; Flintridge Sacred Heart; Foothill; Harvard-Westlake; La Costa Canyon; La Salle; Lakewood; Liberty; Los Alamitos; Marin Catholic; Marymount; Mater Dei; Ontario Christian; Rancho Cucamonga; Redondo Union; Sierra Canyon; South Torrance; St. Ignatius; Torrey Pines; Vista Murrieta; Wilson Florida (2): Leon; St. Thomas Aquinas Hawaii (5): ‘Iolani; Kahuku; Kamehameha Kapalama; Kamehameha Hawaii; Punahou Idaho (2): Madison; Skyview Kentucky (2): Assumption; Mercy Nevada (12): Arbor View; Bishop Gorman; Bishop Manogue; Centennial; Coronado; Desert Oasis; Durango; Faith Lutheran; Moapa Valley; Palo Verde; Rancho; Shadow Ridge New York: Poly Prep Country Day Texas: The Hockaday School Utah (6): Corner Canyon; Crimson Cliffs; Lone Peak; Mountain View; Pleasant Grove; Timpview Washington: Lakeside *** THE FAVORITES CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC (1 – overall seed)– The Dons bring their unblemished mark to the desert and will go for its third tournament title of the year after securing championships at the Kamehameha and Dave Mohs tourneys. The loaded lineup includes senior outside Julia Blyashov, senior right side Noemie Glover, senior outside Milan Bayless, senior middle Ryleigh Patterson, junior middle Jenna Hanes, junior setter Amanda Saeger and sophomore libero Maya Evens. ASSUMPTION (3) – Fresh off a second-place showing at the LIVT last weekend, the Rockets took on Mater Dei on Wednesday before making the trek to Vegas. There’s no doubt Assumption has the goods to win it all. At the helm is senior setter Whitney Woodrow. She has talented options surrounding her, ones that include junior outside Charlotte Moriarty, senior Gabrielle Gerry and sophomore Bailey Blair in the middle, and senior Alexis Strong on the right. Sophomore libero Kristen Simon helps makes up a strong defensive and disciplined mindset the Rockets are known for. SIERRA CANYON (4)– The Trailblazers finished runner up at the Ann Kang Invitational, where they split a pair of matches with Mira Costa, which is absent from this year’s field. The only other loss for Sierra Canyon was a surprise set back to San Clemente. If the ball control is there the Trailblazers have enough firepower to leave with the trophy. At the top of the list is senior right side Olivia Babcock. She’s backed by senior outside Jade Sione, junior outside Danica Rach and junior middle Madeline Way. Directing the offense is junior setter Sade Ilawole and anchoring the defense is sophomore libero Lauren Lynch. MATER DEI (8) – The Monarchs certainly have the talent to get it done but haven’t fully put it together yet. Mater Dei scored a big victory over Ann Kang champ Mira Costa but stumbled in losses to Redondo Union, Lakewood and San Clemente. Junior outsides Isabel Clark and Babi Gubbins carry the offensive load. Junior right side Cymarah Gordon, senior middle Liz Hertzog and freshman right side Layli Ostovar also contribute to the attack that is directed by sophomore Ayva Ostovar and senior Mikayla Delgadillo. Junior Malyssa Cawa suits up at libero. REDONDO UNION (15)– The Seahawks have been on the upswing recently. Redondo picked up losses to both ‘Iolani and Punahou at the Ann Kang Invitational and then was upstaged by both Sierra Canyon and Torrey Pines once back on the mainland. However, the Seahawks haven’t lost since, including victories over Mater Dei and Marymount. The lineup is also bolstered by the addition of a pair of newcomers in junior outside Abby Benefield and junior right side Alanna Jones, who are eligible to play this week. They join the already dangerous senior outside Mele Corral-Blagojevich. *** TEAM SPOTLIGHTS FAYETTEVILLE (2) – Entering this week, the Bulldogs had only dropped one set. There’s no doubt that mark is going to get tested this weekend in Vegas. Fayetteville opens as the No. 2 seed but doesn’t have the same strength of schedule as other in the field and thus we don’t have the Arkansas school counted among the favorites to win it. Regardless, this is a true measuring test for where the Bulldogs stack up. Leading the charge is senior setter Kennedy Phelan. Her main targets are senior outsides Brooke Rockwell and Madeline LaFata. TIMPVIEW (5) – The Thunderbirds experienced their first defeat of the year when they fell to Mountain View – which is also in the Durango field – on Tuesday evening. Senior outside Taliah Lee is the go-to hitter and someone defenses must contain. Another to watch for is sophomore libero Tiana Mariner. MARYMOUNT (6)

It’s a new week and that means from here until the season is over we’ll be releasing our updated version of the National HS Top 50 Rankings. Last week, national No. 1 Cathedral Catholic CA captured the Dave Mohs Invitational in Huntington Beach while national No. 2 Mother McAuley IL took home the top prize at the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament in Louisville. Cathedral Catholic is back in action at the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas, an event that features 14 teams from this week’s Top 50. vballrecruiter.com TOP 50 1. Cathedral Catholic CA (1 – last week’s ranking) 2. Mother McAuley IL (2) 3. St. James Academy KS (3) 4. Westminster Christian FL (5) 5. McCutcheon IN (6) 6. Mira Costa CA (7) 7. Assumption KY (8) 8. Cornerstone Christian TX (9) 9. Marian MI (13) 10. Sierra Canyon CA (10) *** 11. Prestonwood Christian TX (15) 12. Mercy McAuley OH (39) 13. Santa Fe FL (17) 14. Oconomowoc WI (18) 15. Highland Park TX (19) 16. Marymount CA (14) 17. Hamilton Southeastern IN (20) 18. Washburn Rural KS (21) 19. Ursuline Academy OH (16) 20. Skyline MI (22) *** 21. Lincoln East NE (23) 22. Cypress Ranch TX (24) 23. Punahou HI (49) 24. Byron Nelson TX (28) 25. Aquinas KS (29) 26. Papillion-LaVista South NE (30) 27. Torrey Pines CA (26) 28. Northfield MN (n/r)29. Redondo Union CA (31) 30. Brebeuf Jesuit IN (32) *** 31. Barrington IL (33) 32. Dike New-Hartford IO (35) 33. Yorktown IN (40) 34. ‘Iolani HI (38) 35. Corona del Sol AZ (34) 36. St. Ursula Academy OH (n/r) 37. Mater Dei CA (36) 38. Fayetteville AR (n/r) 39. Kamehameha HI (27) 40. Chaparral CO (41) *** 41. Mercy MI (44) 42. Wayzata MN 43. Mount Notre Dame OH (n/r) 44. Cleveland TN (45) 45. Mountain View UT (46) 46. Magnificat OH (4) 47. Pickens SC (48) 48. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (n/r) 49. Palos Verdes CA (37) 50. Timpview UT (n/r) Out: Horizon AZ; Lafayette MO; Trinity Catholic FL; Blue Valley North KS; Grandview CO; La Costa Canyon CA In: Northfield MN; St. Ursula OH; Fayetteville AR; Mount Notre Dame OH; St. Francis/Mountain View CA; Timpview UT HONORABLE MENTION Lake Catholic OH Heritage CO Trinity Catholic FL Blue Valley Northwest KS Millennium AZ Hamilton AZ Horizon AZ Blue Valley North KS Lincoln-Way East (IL) Vista Murrieta (CA) Harvard-Westlake (CA) Archbishop Mitty (CA) Perry (AZ) Queen Creek (AZ) Calvary Christin (FL) Blue Valley (KS) Rock Bridge (MO) St. Joseph’s Academy (MO) Huntley (IL) Ankeny (IO) Iowa City Liberty (IO) Tompkins (TX) Keller (TX) The Woodlands (TX) Bridgeland (TX) Barbers Hill (TX) Rockwall (TX) Walton (TX) Knoxville Christian (TN) Dorman (SC) Mercy (KY) Sequoyah (GA) Alpharetta (GA) Pope (GA) Champlin Park (MN) Lakeville North (MN) Brookfield Central (WI) Olentangy Liberty (OH) Ardrey Kell (NC) Millbrook (NC) Cardinal Newman (SC) McGill-Toolen (AL) Brandon (MS) Liberty (MO) Moanalua (HI) Ponte Vedra (FL) Plant (FL) Venice (FL) Marvin Ridge (NC) St. Henry (KY) Tampa Prep (FL) Skutt Catholic (NE) Buford (GA) O’Connor (AZ) Appleton North (WI) Divine Savior Holy Angels (WI) Bishop Alemany CA

The conclusion to the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament (LIVT) was as exciting as it gets, with eventual champions Mother McAuley IL fending off Assumption KY in three sets to win the title. The Macs went three in all three gold-bracket outings, including downing Sacred Heart Academy KY in the quarterfinals and Mount Notre Dame OH in the semifinals. Assumption needed three to get past St. Ursula Academy OH in the semifinals as well. St. Ursula and Mount Notre Dame met in the third-place match, with St. Ursula escaping in three in that one. The pair share the Greater Catholic Conference together out of Cincinnati and actually face off again on Thursday. Needless to say, a tournament of the LIVT’s caliber showcased its share of talented players doing what they do. Below, we highlight the Show Stoppers who caught our eye the most over Friday and Saturday’s action in Louisville. Ellie White JR OH Mother McAuley – White did so much Assumption coach Ron Kordes said he thought there were three of her on the court. Mother McAuley coach Jen DeJarld said the craziest thing is the Michigan recruit isn’t even likely to hit in college as she committed as a setter. She was the clear tournament MVP with her repeated terminal attacking. Gigi Navarrete SR L Mother McAuley – Navarrete was solid all tourney but seemed to find another level in the championship match. She’s an energetic libero who has the ability to shrink the court for attackers with her superb defending. Ellery Rees JR MB Mother McAuley – DeJarld said her team’s middle play was a big impact in winning the title over Assumption. Rees was stellar. She showed she was a smart attacker and a capable blocker in contributing largely on both sides. Jillian Moonan SR RS Mother McAuley – This was my personal unsung hero for the Macs. Moonan made timely plays, be it with well-placed shots or key blocks. She seemingly always had a positive contribution. Kristen Simon SO L Assumption – With Simon, I had to keep checking the roster in order to remind myself she’s only a sophomore. She was flat-out awesome, especially in the championship match. She picked off some of White’s attacks with ease, not an easy thing to do. Charlotte Moriarty JR OH Assumption – Moriarty carries a big offensive load for the Rockets. She has a strong arm and does well staying aggressive. She’s also the team’s best server and provided a few scoring runs from the line. Gabrielle Gerry SR MB Assumption – Gerry – at 6-5 – is a presence in the middle with her size. The Rockets didn’t really ride their middle attack until the final and it allowed Gerry to get going and show her stuff. With her length and extension, she’s tough to get a hand on. Bailey Blair SO MB Assumption – Blair’s future is bright. She’s a strong blocker with great timing and reading. She can also score, making her a valuable piece. Whitney Woodrow SR S Assumption – With consistent location, Woodrow gives her hitters good looks on the regular. She was at her best in the final, really moving the ball around and connecting well with her middles. Addy Brus JR OH St. Ursula – Brus hit as hard as anyone in the gym. She was almost a single-handed wrecking ball to Assumption in the semifinals. The Rockets could not slow her down as she unleashed monster rip after monster rip. Ivey Stocks SR MB St. Ursula – Stocks has a strong arm and if the block is late, the defense is going to pay for it. She’s a great option in the middle as she’s a reliable scorer who will keep opponents honest. Ava Siefke SR OH St. Ursula – Siefke is another key offensive component with her scoring prowess. She has a good arm too and can pound it at times. Sydney Majick SR L St. Ursula – Majick is an underrated defender. She’s unassuming and just goes about her business routinely. She picked off plenty of balls her way and was sound out of serve receive. Luca Fickell SR S St. Ursula – Fickell was phenomenal and is a crucial part to the Bulldogs’ success. As one of the assistant coaches on Assumption noted, Fickell keeps her team in system even if the passing is off because of her ability to still come up with great sets. Kenzie Cogan JR L Mount Notre Dame – There was so much defense being played on Day 2 and you can most definitely count Cogan in on it. She was great in both her passing and defending and really took ownership of the back row. Katie Wilking SR MB Mount Notre Dame – We wrote about Wilking in our Day 1 write up for our under the radar players. She was a great again Saturday with her scoring and abililty to run the slide. Defenses have to account for her. Shaye Wolf SR OH Mount Notre Dame – Wolf is the do-it-all six-rotation outside for the Cougars. She was a consistent scorer who every once in a while can just drill a ball. Nya Bunton SR OH duPont Manual – Many already know about Bunton, a stud middle since at least the 14s and is heading to Texas. She plays outside in high school but high doesn’t begin to describe the way she elevates. She gets up! And she crushes. She’s a reason why her school scored two huge victories over private schools in Mercy and Sacred Heart. Annabelle Groomes SO S/RS St. Joseph OH – During the club season Groomes was a setter and we didn’t get to see her hit very much, if at all. She’s obviously still a really good setter in high school but she swings across the front row and provides valuable and much-needed offense. Olivia Castelluccio JR S St. Joseph OH – The other back row setter, Castelluccio is a big undersized but smooth.

It was the best-case scenario for Saturday’s conclusion of the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament (LIVT). Not necessarily for the other 22 teams who left KiVA Sports Center knowing they weren’t one of the two teams vying for the championship. But, it was great for me! The reason to make the trek to the Bluegrass State is exactly what transpired between Assumption KY facing off with Mother McAuley IL for all the marbles. Both schools entered the two-day event with perfect marks. Assumption at 10-0. Mother McAuley at 9-0. The Mighty Macs were awarded the top seed, with the Rockets getting the second spot. It was all set up beautifully. All they had to do was hold seed, meet in the final, settling it the only way that matters – on the court – and sending me home happy. Where to start in Mother McAuley’s thrilling victory over Assumption in the title match? The score seems like a good start, as the Mighty Macs downed the Rockets the only way they knew how to on Day 2 – in three games, 25-19, 23-25, 25-21. Victories in the quarterfinals over Sacred Heart KY and semifinals against Mount Notre Dame OH both took going the distance for Mother McAuley, which had never finished on top before at the LIVT. “When you play Assumption you know it’s going to be a battle,” Mother McAuley coach Jen DeJarld said. “Our kids knew this was only the second time in our history coming here that we had been in the final and had never won it. It was a battle to even get here. We had all three-game matches (today) and one last night. The road to get here was really hard. The fortitude we showed when we were down or trying to keep leads is what impressed me.” The final was everything we love. Teams trading 3-0 and 4-0 runs like they were baseball cards. Then poof! It’s coming back the other way, both sides holding onto leads as if they were fish slipping through their hands. “I thought that match took three or four turns,” Assumption coach Ron Kordes said. “I told the girls we can’t spot them 6-1. You can’t let people get out in front like that. I’m proud of this team though. They’ve been fighting back out of problems all year and did it again. The momentum swings and it swung a little bit too hard on the last swing.” Before reaching the final Assumption swept duPont Manual KY then outlasted St. Ursula Academy OH in three sets to advance. The closing moments of each set of the championship was the same story. Which team could make a final push better than the other one? In the first and third set it was Mother McAuley doing with Assumption figuring it out in between. The knockout push came late in Game 3. Mother McAuley started the last frame quickly, grabbing a 6-1 lead before Assumption started slowly chipping away. Wouldn’t you know it, Assumption was the first side to 17, building a one-point edge for its first lead. Then bam! Ellie White got hot – more accurately even hotter as she was smoking in every match – and suddenly Mother McAuley was in control at 23-17. The lead was finally safe and so was Mother McAuley’s undefeated record. “We’ve never been undefeated up to this point after this tournament,” DeJarld said. “We’ve always come away with one loss, even the year we were National Champions. We had one loss all season and it came from this tournament. It feels good to come out undefeated. Not that it’s ever a goal of ours but we know how hard it is at this tournament. We elevated our level another notch heading into the (Asics) Challenge in a couple of weeks.” Will the Macs’ record still be unblemished when Assumption comes to town? That’s right. This was the first of at least two and possibly three meetings between the sides. Assumption heads to Chicago on Sept. 29 to tangle once more with Mother McAuley ahead of the Asics Challenge, hosted by the Macs on Sept. 30-Oct. 1. That gives the two programs yet another chance to encounter one another. There are five matches on Mother McAuley’s schedule until then, including meetings with Downers Grove North and Marist. Meanwhile, the busiest stretch of the season continues in the coming week for Assumption. The Rockets head west for a showdown with Mater Dei of Santa Ana on Wednesday before traveling to Las Vegas for the Durango Fall Classic on Friday and Saturday. It’ll be Assumption’s third consecutive weekend tournament after winning the Avon Tournament two weekends ago followed by the second-place showing at the LIVT. “We’re excited,” Kordes said. “We want them to have fun and a life-time experience but we went out there last year and probably had our worst performance ever out there. We want to have fun but we’re going for business.”