Mira Costa, Archbishop Mitty begin quest for inaugural Division 1 boys volleyball state title as top regional seeds

For the first time in California prep history, boys volleyball state champions will be crowned in four divisions May 31 at Fresno City College.

Following its first CIF-Southern Section Division 1 title since 2021 with a five-set victory Friday against Huntington Beach at Cerritos College, Mira Costa (33-2) – the top-ranked team in the country – was rewarded with the No. 1 seed in the eight-team Southern California Regional in the Division 1 state playoffs.

Archbishop Mitty (37-2), which won its first CIF-Central Coast Section Open Division crown under coach Lacey Gera and just the second championship in program history Saturday, earned the top seed in Division 1 in the eight-team Northern California Regionals.

Archbishop Mitty won its first CIF-Central Coast Section boys volleyball title since 2013 | Photo courtesy of Archbishop Mitty

Competition begins Tuesday, with the regional finals scheduled for May 24, followed by all four state championship matches a week later in Fresno.

Mira Costa, which reached the Southern California Division 1 final last year before being swept by Loyola, has won three regional championships in program history.

The Mustangs captured the Division 2 regional crown in 2010, followed by Division 1 titles in 2016 and 2021.

Mira Costa, under the guidance of coach Greg Snyder, will square off Tuesday against No. 8 seed Beckman (29-7) in a rematch of their April 30 pool-play opener in the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs, with the Mustangs prevailing in a sweep.

Mira Costa, the top-ranked boys volleyball team in the country, has won three Southern California Regional titles in program history | Photo courtesy of Mira Costa

Huntington Beach (34-4) secured the No. 2 seed in the regional and faces No. 7 Redondo Union (27-10), also a rematch of their May 6 pool-play match, which the Oilers swept in the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.

Carlsbad (35-2), despite winning 20 in a row and securing the CIF-San Diego Section Open Division crown, only received the No. 3 seed and is scheduled to compete against No. 6 Corona del Mar (24-6).

Torrey Pines (33-8), who suffered a five-set loss Saturday to Carlsbad in the CIF-San Diego Section Open Division final, earned the No. 4 seed and plays host to No. 5 Newport Harbor (26-11).

It will mark the fourth matchup involving the teams this season, all in tournaments, with Torrey Pines taking two of the first three showdowns.

Archbishop Mitty, which prevailed in a four-set battle Saturday against Mountain View St. Francis in the CIF-Central Coast Section Open Division final to win its first title in 11 years, will take on No. 8 Oak Ridge (29-4) – the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 runner-up – in its regional opener.

The Monarchs, who were swept by San Jose Valley Christian in last year’s Division 1 final, are pursuing their first regional crown since 2013, the first year Northern California added regional playoffs to the schedule after Southern California introduced the tournament in 2009.

Clovis (28-4), which lost in the CIF-Central Section semifinals, secured the No. 4 seed and is scheduled to match up against North Coast Section Division 1 champion Northgate (40-3), the No. 5 seed.

Clovis East (25-11), the CIF-Central Section Division 1 winner, earned the No. 3 seed and squares off against No. 6 Mountain View St. Francis (24-14), which looks to rebound following its loss in the Central Coast Section Open Division final to Archbishop Mitty.

Clovis East won the 2023 Division 1 regional crown, in addition to the Division 2 regional championship in 2019, with Mountain View St. Francis capturing Northern California Division 1 titles in 2015 and 2022.

Harker School (25-8), which lost to Archbishop Mitty in five sets in the CIF-Central Coast Section Open Division semifinals, still grabbed the No. 2 regional seed and will play host to No. 7 seed and Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 champion Folsom (31-9).

Mater Dei (27-12-2), which won its first CIF-Southern Section title since 2011, was awarded the top Division 2 seed in the Southern California Regionals and will play host Tuesday to San Diego Section Division 1 champion and No. 8 seed St. Augustine (21-11).

Mater Dei seeks its second Southern California Regional championship after winning the inaugural Division 2 title in 2009 | Photo courtesy of Mater Dei

The Monarchs are also pursuing their first regional crown since winning the inaugural Southern California Division 2 title in 2009.

Buchanan (27-16) earned the top Division 2 seed in the Northern California Regionals, despite losing to Clovis East in the CIF-Central Section Division 1 final.

The Bears, who won the Division 1 regional championship in 2011, will compete against No. 8 seed West Park (23-10), the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 2 runner-up.

Sage Hill (19-11), which outlasted Santa Barbara in five sets Saturday to capture the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 championship, grabbed the top seed in Division 3 in the Southern California Regionals.

The Lightning will play host Tuesday to No. 8 seed Sanger West (26-15), which fell in five sets Thursday against Santa Ynez in the Central Section Division 2 final.

Leigh (25-8), which prevailed in five sets Saturday against Branham to secure the CIF-Central Coast Section Division 1 crown, received the top Northern California seed in Division 3 and will square off Tuesday against North Coast Section Division 3 winner and No. 8 Washington (13-10).

Leigh is attempting to become the first boys volleyball program to repeat as Northern California Division 3 champion | Photo courtesy of Leigh

The Longhorns are attempting to become the first back-to-back Division 3 regional champion. The division was added to the Northern California schedule in 2018.

Mater Dei Catholic of Chula Vista (29-10), the CIF-San Diego Section Division 3 champion, secured the No. 1 seed in the Southern California Division 4 regionals with a matchup Tuesday against Southern Section Division 9 winner CAMS (13-12), the No. 8 seed.

Ben Holt College Prep Academy of Stockton (38-1), which hasn’t played since winning the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 4 title May 10, will return to competition Tuesday as the top seed in the Northern California Regionals against Benicia (13-14), the North Coast Section Division 4 runner-up.