High School Girls' Volleyball: Southern Section Playoffs Are Here
Dozens of teams across Southern California compete in the first round of the CIF Southern Section volleyball playoffs this week.
The CIF Southern Section girls' volleyball playoffs are kicking off this week, with dozens of high school teams facing off across Southern California. Games begin Tuesday and Wednesday, with most matches starting at 6 p.m. Teams are placed into divisions based on their skill levels, from Division 1 all the way down to Division 11. The winner of each match moves on to the next round, and the losers go home for the season.
Tuesday's games feature teams in Divisions 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. In Division 2, some exciting matchups include Los Osos traveling to Newport Harbor and Campbell Hall taking on Long Beach Poly. Division 2 is one of the more competitive groups in the bracket, so these first-round games could be close. Fans of those teams will want to show up ready to cheer.
Division 4 on Tuesday has the most first-round games, with 16 matches happening across the region. Schools like Laguna Beach, San Marino, and Tesoro will be hitting the road to play at their opponents' gyms. In these playoffs, the higher-seeded team usually gets to host, which gives them a home-court advantage. Playing in front of a friendly crowd can really boost a team's energy.
Divisions 6, 8, and 10 also tip off Tuesday with a full set of first-round games. Division 6 includes matchups like Woodbridge at St. Bonaventure and Schurr at Holy Martyrs. Division 8 features Colony at Burbank and Artesia at Century. Division 10 rounds out Tuesday's slate with games like Glendale at California School for the Deaf Riverside and Loara at Montebello.
Wednesday's schedule brings Divisions 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 into action. The top division — Division 1 — uses a special pool-play format instead of single-elimination. That means teams play multiple games to earn their spots in the next round, rather than being knocked out after just one loss. Top programs like Mater Dei and Sierra Canyon are among the favorites to watch.
The playoff schedule continues through the rest of October and into November. Second-round games for Divisions 4, 6, 8, and 10 are set for Thursday, October 22. Quarterfinals across most divisions are on Tuesday, October 27. Semifinals take place on October 31 at the higher seeds' home courts, and the championship finals are scheduled for November 6 or 7 at locations still to be announced.
Semifinals will be played on Halloween — October 31 — at the higher seeds' home courts.
Comprehension quiz preview
1. On which two days do the first-round playoff games take place?
2. Where will the Division 1 championship final be held?
3. What time do most playoff games start?