Fourteen High Desert girls volleyball teams are headed to the CIF-Southern Section playoffs, with first-round action beginning Tuesday.
Among the qualifiers are all four undefeated league champions, three top-seeded teams and two programs that brought home CIF-SS titles in 2024.
The postseason also features a first-round matchup between Riverside Prep and University Prep, guaranteeing at least one local team a spot in the second round.
Here’s a division-by-division look at the High Desert teams competing in the playoffs, along with their first-round opponents and players to watch.
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Division 4
- Oak Hills (20-4) vs. Ventura (12-6) — The Bulldogs enter the playoffs after running the table, going unbeaten in Mojave River League play. Leah Hambrick leads the team with 256 kills and 245 digs, while Alexis Bitonti has added 215 kills and 216 digs. Tacyjo Adams leads the defense with 141 blocks, while Chelsea Anguiano has contributed 382 assists and Aanyah Pickett has 108 kills.
Division 5
- Academy for Academic Excellence (27-5) vs. Liberty (12-9) — The Knights went undefeated in Cross Valley League play at 12-0. Brin Bryant leads the team with 314 kills and 91 aces, while Colbie Tworek has dished 377 assists with 88 aces. Maya Menaserra has added 291 assists and 76 aces, while Leeanna Lozano and Lindsey Flores have contributed 192 and 216 digs, respectively.
- Hesperia Christian (20-9) at Peninsula (17-10) — The Patriots went undefeated in the Agape League at 10-0. Nylah Easterling leads the team with 269 kills and 65 blocks, while Karis Ferguson has 130 kills and 320 digs. Abby Cahow has recorded 329 assists, Jayda Johnson has added 259 assists and Riley Piorkowski has served 52 aces.
- Sultana (20-6) vs. Maranatha (12-14) — The Sultans finished 7-3 in MRL play. Amyah Jones leads the team with 196 kills and 55 blocks, while Rose Beltran has 168 kills and 185 digs. Kallie Sale has contributed 139 kills, Elizabeth Tarango has added 69 blocks and Leila Pele leads the team with 565 assists and 86 aces.
Division 6
- Granite Hills (16-3) at Villa Park (12-12) — The Cougars went undefeated in the Desert Sky League at 8-0. Camden Hele averages 3.5 kills and three digs per set, while Isabel Villa-Aristizabal averages eight assists per set. Sophie Esplin contributes four digs per set and Naima Omer averages three blocks per match. Kayla Johnson and Layla Lobato are also among the players to watch.
- No. 4 Burroughs (18-11-2) vs. Loma Linda Academy (12-7) — The Burros enter as the No. 4 seed following a 5-5 finish in MRL action. Mekenzee Walke leads the team with 288 kills and 151 digs, while Fallyne Dunn has 162 kills. Aaliyah Melton and Makenna Dyer have contributed 125 and 111 kills, respectively, while Tera Butler has dished 287 assists.
Division 7
- Barstow (16-12) vs. Highland (22-14-1) — The Aztecs finished 6-2 in DSL play. Angelique Lealofi leads the team with 237 kills and 243 digs, while Jordyn Lendway has contributed 90 blocks. Brooke Jones has added 87 kills, while Alosina Gutierrez and Arie Hernandez have dished 222 and 210 assists, respectively.
Division 8
- No. 4 Riverside Prep (17-13) vs. University Prep (16-13) — The Silver Knights finished 8-2 in the Agape League and earned the No. 4 seed. Aubrey Duran leads the team with 246 kills and 59 blocks, while Imani Springfield has 125 kills and 247 digs. Juliet Pluma has contributed 115 kills and 63 aces, Malaya Bly has dished 495 assists and Kari Thompson has added 78 kills.
- University Prep (16-13) at No. 4 Riverside Prep (17-13) — The Jaguars finished second in the CVL standings at 10-2. Camille Torres leads the team with 104 kills and 214 digs, while Bryn Diaz has contributed 71 kills. Anaya Ezidinma has 45 kills and 24 blocks, Eliana Adu-Gyamfi has added 35 kills and 23 blocks, and Lizbeth Hernandez-Gonzalez leads the team with 194 assists.
Division 9
- Cobalt Institute of Math & Science Academy (13-7) at San Jacinto Leadership Academy (16-10-1) — The Cougars finished 8-4 in CVL play. Michelle Otuonye leads the team with 159 kills and 43 blocks, while Eden Collier has contributed 63 kills and 110 digs. Reagan Farrand has added 21 blocks, Sarah Negus has recorded 188 assists and Charlotte Tidwell leads the team with 244 digs.
- Victor Valley (5-13) at Desert Christian Academy (12-7) — The Jackrabbits finished 4-4 in the DSL and return to the postseason two years after winning the Division 10 championship. Players to watch include Kianna Boraden, Rianna Brown, Taniyah Rogers, Leilani Salgado and Hailey Gutierrez.
- Excelsior (14-8-1) at Buena Park (23-11) — The Eagles finished 6-4 in the Agape League and are seeking another postseason run after winning the Division 9 championship in 2022. Jayla Addis leads the team with 93 kills and 52 blocks, while Tierney Mathis has 75 kills. Sophia Mink has added 57 kills, while Kaytlen Gilford and Raegyn Mathis have contributed 185 and 113 digs, respectively.
Division 10
- Adelanto (12-12-2) vs. Compton (11-2) — The Saints received the area's only at-large bid after a fourth-place finish in the DSL standings. Adelanto does not have any stats available online.
Division 11
- No. 2 Silver Valley (7-12) vs. Bethel Christian (5-5) — The Trojans finished 5-7 in CVL play and received the division’s No. 2 seed. Lyric White leads the team with 114 kills and 41 blocks, while Destiny Fielding has added 69 kills and 148 digs. Briarly Sassone has recorded 178 digs, Kaylee Sayre leads the team with 138 assists, and Naiyah Palacios has served 32 aces.
CIF-SS playoff schedule
- First round: Oct. 20 (Divisions 2, 4, 6, 8, 10); Oct. 21 (Divisions 3, 5, 7, 9, 11).
- Second round: Oct. 22 (2, 4, 6, 8, 10); Oct. 24 (3, 5, 7, 9, 11).
- Quarterfinals: Oct. 27 (2, 4, 6, 8, 10); Oct. 28 (3, 5, 7, 9, 11).
- Semifinals: Oct. 31.
- Championships: Nov. 5, 6 or 7, at Cerritos College or designated home sites.
- CIF State regionals: Nov. 10-17.
- CIF State championships: Nov. 20-21.
Past High Desert CIF-SS champions
- 1995 — Hesperia Christian — Division VI
- 1996 — Hesperia Christian — Division VAA (Player of the Year: Sarah Gustin)
- 2001 — Hesperia Christian — Division VAA
- 2002 — Hesperia Christian — Division VAA (Player of the Year: Sarah Lewis)
- 2004 — Hesperia Christian — Division VAA (Players of the Year: Laura Gustin and Sarah Lewis)
- 2022 — Excelsior — Division 9 (Player of the Year: Faith Di Mola)
- 2024 — Oak Hills — Division 6 (Player of the Year: Keonahi’ilani Solaita)
- 2024 — Victor Valley — Division 10 (Player of the Year: Mary Sanchez)
- Other championship appearances include runner-up finishes by Hesperia Christian in 2000, Academy for Academic Excellence in 2014, and Excelsior in 2017. Hesperia Christian also reached the CIF State Division V championship match in 1996.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: The road to a CIF-SS title begins for 14 High Desert girls volleyball teams