CIF-SS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS: La Salle, Arcadia, La Canada, Mayfield, San Gabriel and Alverno advance

Haley DeSales makes a great save during volleyball game against Redlands East ELITE EIGHT: Haley DeSales helped La Salle reach the CIF-SS quarterfinals with a five-set victory over Redlands East Valley on Thursday.
Staff photo by Walt Mancini


It turned out to be a terrific Thursday as seven area girls volleyball teams advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinals. The big shocker was Arcadia’s win at traditional power Troy. Joining the Apaches in the Elite 8 are La Salle, La Canada, Mayfield, San Gabriel and Alverno.

Arcadia 3, Troy 2
FULLERTON – Arcadia High School wasn’t sure how it matched up with traditional girls volleyball power Troy on Thursday night. But one thing the Apaches knew, they weren’t going to go down without a fight.
Lexi Resch had 17 kills and Allison Stevenson had nine to lead Arcadia to a 25-20, 16-25, 25-14, 19-25, 15-11 victory over the Warriors in a CIF-Southern Section Division 2A second-round match.
The Apaches, also getting seven kills from Kristen Mueller, improved to 21-7 and will host No. 2 seed Chadwick in Saturday’s quarterfinals.
Troy, getting 17 kills from Alison Beattie, finished 19-9.
Arcadia coach Charles Freberg: “In volleyball, it really is how you can adjust to what the other team is doing. (Troy), toward the end, started dumping down the line, and we were able to rotate over to it.”
Arcadia hitter Lexi Resch: Our team just came in here like there was nothing to lose. We told ourselves, if we are going to go out, we’re going to go out swinging. That’s what we did. I just felt that there was nothing to lose at this point. I wanted to go out (and have them say), `She did what she had to do.’ We just really pulled together in those last few points. It was a great match for us.”
La Salle 3, Redlands East Valley 2
PASADENA – La Salle High School’s Katrina Palffy smashed a shot into the middle of the court to rally the host Lancers to a dramatic fifth-game win over Redlands East Valley in a CIF-Southern Section Division 1A second-round match on Thursday night.
The Lancers advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinals with a 25-16, 20-25, 19-25, 25-16, 17-15 victory. They will play San Juan Hills, a winner over Harvard-Westlake.
La Salle (31-2) rallied from a game down and then from a 5-1 deficit in the fifth game. The Wildcats had two match points. Kayla Fitzgerald gave Redlands East Valley (33-7) its first match point when a soft shot over the La Salle blockers hit the floor for a 14-12 lead.
La Salle coach Tiare Tuitama: “At the very end I told my setter (Alyssa Taveras) to set to win and she knows what that means. She did a great job of doing that. Haley did a great job.”
La Salle outside hitter Haley DeSales: “We just tried to keep pumping each other up. That was all we could do. We fought the whole time.”

THURSDAY’S SCORES
DIVISION 1A
La Salle def. Redlands East Valley, 25-16, 20-25, 19-25, 25-16, 17-15
DIVISION 2AA
La Canada def. Arroyo Grande, 25-10, 19-25, 25-17-25-22
DIVISION 2A
Arcadia def. Troy, 25-20, 16-25, 25-14, 19-25, 15-11
Pasadena Poly def. LaQuinta, 25-7, 25-15, 23-25, 25-20
Mayfield def. Pacifica/GG, 23-25, 28-26, 25-17, 25-21
DIVISION 3A
St. Margaret’s def. Gabrielino, 25-9, 25-16, 25-23
San Gabriel def. Jurupa Valley, 25-22, 28-28, 25-19
Sage Hill def. Rosemead, 25-10, 25-18, 25-11
DIVISION 5AA
Alverno def. San Gabriel Academy, 25-13, 25-15, 25-22
SATURDAY’S QUARTERFINALS
Division 1A

La Salle at San Juan Hills
2AA
Oaks Chr. at La Canada
2A
Chadwick at Arcadia
Whittier Chr. at Mayfield
Burroughs/Burbank at Poly
3A
Aquinas at San Gabriel
5AA
Excelsior Charter at Alverno
All matches are scheduled for 7 p.m.

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CIF-SS Mid-Valley Divsion Preview: 3-Peat for the Cats? You bet! Green to reign surpreme

3PEAT?. You can expect Monrovia to 3-peat in the Mid-Valley Division.
Staff photo by Keith Birmingham

This won’t go well in the desert area of Lancaster, but I see a 3-peat for Monrovia, which is on a quest to match those legendary Temple City teams of the 1970s. I like the way the Wildcats are playing and remember, there only losses are to two teams — South Hills and Ayala — who would likely win this division. I see Monrovia leaving Sierra Canyon and Paraclete in its wake en route to a three-peat and CIF State Region Bowl title.

STEVE’S BRACKET
First round

Paraclete over Temple City
El Monte over Montebello
San Marino over Schurr
San Dimas over Windward
Northview over Sierra Canyon (sorry, had to do it for my Vikings)
Arroyo over Bell Gardens
Covina over South El Monte
Monrovia over Viewpoint
Quarterfinals
Paraclete over El Monte
San Dimas over San Marino
Northview over Arroyo
Monrovia over Covina
Semifinals
Paraclete over San Dimas
Monrovia over Northview
Finals
Monrovia over Paraclete

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CIF-SS Southeast Division Preview: It’s a battle of the La’s, but don’t count out Muir

DOUBLE CELEBRATION?: Can Muir celebrate again, like it did after the Turkey Tussle? Possible, but not likely.
Staff photo by Sarah Reingewirtz

Ask anyone, and this is a two-team race between top seed La Mirada and No. 2 La Serna. I, having seen both, can argue with that, with a lead toward La Mirada and the Matadores vaunted run game. But it would be wrong to overlook Muir, which has advantage over each in team speed. In fact, no team in the division — yes, including Dominguez — has the speed advantage like Muir. I like the Mustangs to get to the semifinals, where their title train will be stopped by La Serna. The Lancers rolled the Mustangs in the semifinals last season and that was a more experienced Muir squad. At the big dance, go with La Mirada’s bigger line.

STEVE’S BRACKET
First round

La Mirada over Arcadia
Bonita over Santa Fe
Norwalk over Burbank
Rowland over Downey
Muir over California
Paramount over West Covina
Dominguez over Bellflower
La Serna over Diamond Ranch
Quarterfinals
La Mirada over Bonita
Norwalk over Rowland
Muir over Paramount
La Serna over Dominguez
Semifinals
La Mirada over Norwalk
La Serna over Muir
Finals
La Mirada over La Serna

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CIF-SS Northeast Division Preview: Looks like back-to-back for the Prepsters

BACK TO BACK?: Colby Rivera gives Rio Hondo Prep a solid chance to repeat in the Northeast Division.
Staff photo By Sarah Reingewirtz

This is a two-team race, with top seeds Mission Prep and Rio Hondo Prep solid favorites to win it all. Mission Prep, ranked ahead of the Kares, in CIF-SS division poll and the CIF state rankings, have to be tabbed as the one to beat, but although Mission whacked Rio earlier in the season, I like the Kares in the rematch.

STEVE’S BRACKET
First round

Mission Prep over Frazier Mountain
Ribet Academy over Flintridge Prep
Bishop Union over Desert Chr./Lancaster
Salesian over Capistrano Valley Chr.
Boron over Hamilton
Kern Valley over St. Monica Catholic
Saddleback Valley Chr. over Desert
Rio Hondo Prep over Bell-Jeff
Quarterfinals
Mission Prep over Ribet
Salesian over Bishop
Boron over Kern Valley
Rio Hondo Prep over Saddleback Valley Chr.
Semifinals
Mission Prep over Salesian
Rio Hondo Prep over Boron
Finals
Rio Hondo Prep over Mission Prep

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CIF-SS Northwest Division Preview: Can La Salle win it all? You bet, but a final-round run looks more realistic

DREAM SEASON: Isreal Lacy is a big part of La Salle’s worst to first season and will need to be at his best for the Lancers to make a run at a division title.
Staff Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz


It’s been a dream season for La Salle, which under new coach Russell Gordon has gone from 1-9 last season to 10-0 and a Del Rey League title. Don’t expect this train to hit the breaks just yet. I think La Salle can get to the division final before the dream ends. Bishop Diego looks like the team to beat.

STEVE’S BRACKET
First round

Bishop Diego over South Torrance
Bishop Montgomery over Village Chr.
Gladstone over Mary Star
Oak Park over North Torrance
La Salle over Centennial/Compton
El Segundo over La Puente
Whittier Christian over Torrance
Nordhoff over Sierra Vista
Quarterfinals
Bishop Diego over Bishop Montgomery
Oak Park over Gladstone
La Salle over El Segundo
Nordhoff over Whittier Chr.
Semifinals
Bishop Diego over Oak Park
La Salle over Nordhoff
Finals
Bishop Diego over La Salle

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