Burroughs boys’ volleyball ready for another tulmutuous CIF task
In the still relatively new days of CIF Southern Section realignment, Burroughs High’s boys’ volleyball team finds itself dealing once more with the rigors of Division I postseason play in the aftermath of having built such a tradition of success.
Once a juggernaut and perennial CIF championship contender in Division II and III that claimed the city’s first and only CIF Southern California Regional championship in 2016 with a Division II title, the Indians have found themselves swimming against the tides in the super heavyweight class that is Division I for two years running now.
Coach Joel Brinton’s squad, on the heels of winning a ninth consecutive Pacific League title, is ready to swing away once again when it opens up the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs at home Tuesday night against Santa Monica.
“I would like to think we have a good matchup against anyone, but at the same time, it’s Division I,” Brinton said Friday afternoon after the CIF pairings were unveiled across the Southern Section’s five divisions. “Everyone that’s in Division I is in Division I for a reason.”
While the Indians (18-8) will tip off Division I play against Santa Monica (15-9-3, Ocean League No. 2), Burbank and Providence will also open up at home with the Media City playing host to three first-round playoff matchups on Tuesday.
Burbank (19-9, Pacific League runner-up) will host San Gabriel Valley No. 2 Warren (16-5) in Division II and Liberty League champion Providence (12-2) will welcome Golden League No. 3 Highland (12-9) in a Division IV first-rounder.
Lycee International of Los Angeles (5-7, International No. 4) also made the playoff cut and will begin the postseason with a wild-card match Saturday at Santa Barbara Providence (5-7, No. 2 Condor).
All matches are scheduled for 6 p.m. starts unless a change is agreed upon.
In its Division I debut a season ago, the Indians won at home in the first round against Newbury Park before a second-round loss to Huntington Beach. Matching its streak of league titles, Burroughs has advanced past the first round for nine straight seasons.
The Indians have won four consecutive matches heading into the playoffs and nine of 11 with the two losses coming against Division I No. 3 seed Corona del Mar and Foothill League champion West Ranch, which is also a Division I squad.
“I do think we’re playing really well right now,” Brinton said.
Should the Indians move past Santa Monica, they are likely to face a daunting foe as they would play No. 2 seed Loyola (20-2), the Mission League champion and last year’s Division I runner-up, or Channel League No. 3 San Marcos (13-9-1) in Thursday’s second round.
Down in Division II, despite a loss in its league finale at Arcadia, Burbank garnered a home match and will play Warren.
The winner will move to Thursday against Pacific View champion Oxnard (16-10) or PAC 8 No. 2 Arroyo Grande (20-5).
The Bulldogs lost on the road in the first round last season to Long Beach Wilson and are looking for their first playoff win since resurrecting their varsity program in 2012 as they have lost five straight playoff matches.
Providence won its first and last Liberty League title since 2014 as it will move on to the Prep League next season and will begin its foray into the Division IV playoffs against a Highland team that will make the trip down from Palmdale.
The Pioneers are back in the playoffs after a one-year hiatus. In 2016, they advanced to the second round of Division V play. If they advance to the second round again, they’ll find Orange No. 2 Santa Ana Valley (13-7) or Citrus Belt No. 3 Eisenhower (14-6).
LILA is hoping to emerge from a long drive Saturday with a win that would put it into the Division V first round, once again on the road against Heritage League champion Palmdale Aerospace Academy (18-19) on Tuesday.
Twitter: @TCNGrantGordon
