Flintridge Sacred Heart, St. Monica volleyball open up CIF playoffs at home

After navigating through an arduous regular season that included highly regarded tournaments and the always formidable Mission League, the Flintridge Sacred Heart volleyball team will take its skills to the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

The Tologs finished second in the Mission League behind Marymount and played in prolific tournaments in and out of the state to prepare for the postseason.

Flintridge Sacred Heart, Crescenta Valley, La Cañada and St. Monica Academy learned their playoff draws after the CIF Southern Section office released the pairings for all 10 divisions Friday. The CIF Southern Section went from five divisions that included I-A and II-A groupings to its new configuration.

Flintridge Sacred Heart (22-8) will meet visiting San Marcos (13-13) in a Division I match at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

“We’ve played a lot of good teams and we’ll look to be ready,” said coach Ernest Banaag, who won three CIF championships at Mayfield from 2007-09. “The key will be to take care of the ball on our side of the court and have more communication on defense.

“I think we have a very good offense and we’ll try to use that to our advantage. It will be comforting to be at home.”

San Marcos took second in the Channel League. The winner will meet Lakewood (28-4) or Tesoro (17-9) in a second-round match Thursday.

Crescenta Valley (17-11) will make its first postseason appearance since 2013 and will take on Gahr (17-8) on the road at 7 p.m. Tuesday in a Division IV match at a site to be determined. The Falcons placed third in the Pacific League behind Arcadia and Burroughs.

“We’re excited about getting back to the playoffs,” Crescenta Valley Coach Kevin Boyke said. “It’s been a while, yet it’s a major accomplishment.

“None of our players have any playoff experience. I look at playing the same way we’ve done throughout the season. We’ll treat the playoffs like any other match. I think we are playing well right now, so that can give our players some confidence.”

Gahr won the San Gabriel Valley League championship. The winner will face Claremont (15-6) or Sonora (15-11) in the second round.

St. Monica won its first CIF championship last season, defeating Tarbut V’Torah in five games in Division V-A.

Things will look considerably different for St. Monica, which returned just one player and is now in Division IX.

St. Monica (17-6) won the International League and will take on Ramona Convent (6-6) at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Mayfield Sr. High in Pasadena.

“We’ve accomplished quite a bit this season with so many freshmen and sophomores,” said St. Monica Coach Darren Bradley, the reigning All-Area Girls’ Volleyball Coach of the Year. “I’m sure some of the new players will be a bit nervous going into the playoffs, but I think they can put forth a good effort.”

The winner of the St. Monica-Ramona Convent match will face second-seeded Upland Christian Academy (23-3), Lancaster Desert Christian (13-9) or Holy Martyrs (12-12-1) in a second-round match. Upland Christian won the Division V-AA championship last season and eliminated St. Monica in the second round of the CIF State Division V playoffs.

La Cañada (11-15) took third in the Rio Hondo League under coach Chris Sullivan and will face St. Joseph Lakewood (20-13) in a Division III first-round match on the road. Lakewood finished second in the Del Rey League.

The winner will take on Serrano (18-3) or Cajon (20-5) in the second round.