Top 25 high school volleyball rankings

Assumption undefeated, takes on Muncie Central, Mercy.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Kevin Askeland
By
Aug 31, 2010, 9:06am
While close to half of the Xcellent 25 volleyball teams don't open their season until this week, 11 teams that have taken to the court have yet to lose a game and none have been more impressive than the Pope Greyhounds.

Returning almost its entire lineup from last year's Georgia AAAAA state championship team, Pope begins the season with a 20-0 record, including a win over Walton, a team it lost to several times last year and the squad it defeated for the state championship.

Pope will not be able to repeat as the AAAAA state champion, however, as it moves down to the AAAA level this year.

Other teams off to impressive starts include Lake Travis, which is 15-0, and Cypress Woods, which won its first 19 games of the season before falling over the weekend. Cy-Woods is 22-1 overall.

No. 1 ranked Assumption is undefeated in its first three games but the Rockets have tough tests in the next week against Muncie Central, the Indiana 4A state champion in 2009, and Mercy Academy, the defending state champion in Kentucky.

Here's a look at the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 Volleyball National Rankings:

MAXPREPS XCELLENT 25 VOLLEYBALL NATIONAL RANKINGS

1. Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), 3-0
Opened the season with victories over Presentation (Louisville, Ky.), 3-0, Indianapolis Cathedral (Ind.), 3-1, and St. Henry (Erlanger, Ky.), 3-0. Claire Gerwig leads the team with 31 kills while Dallas Zimmerman is close behind with 25. Big matchup looms with Muncie Central (Ind.) and Mercy (Louisville, Ky.) next week.

2. Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.), 1-0
The Buccaneers began the season with a 3-0 win over Fort Myers (Fla.) and will play St. Petersburg Catholic (Fla.)  on Tuesday.

3. Papillion-LaVista South (Papillion, Neb.), 0-0
The Titans open their season Sept. 2 with a home match against Burke (Omaha, Neb.).

4. Pope (Marietta, Ga.), 20-0
The Greyhounds won their first 20 games of the season, including a 2-1 win over Walton (Marietta, Ga.) last week. Walton defeated Pope three times last season.

5. Cardinal Gibbons (Raleigh, N.C.), 2-0
The Crusaders knocked off West Henderson (Hendersonville, N.C.) 3-0 in a rematch of last year's 3A state finals and also topped Broughton (Raleigh, N.C.) 3-0 to begin the season 2-0. Madison Bugg has 25 kills to lead the squad.

6. Redlands East Valley (Redlands, Calif.), 0-0
The Wildcats open the season Sept. 7 at home against Los Osos (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.).

7. Muncie Burris (Muncie, Ind.), 2-0
The Owls opened their season with two wins, topping Valparaiso (Ind.) 2-0 and Indianapolis Cathedral (Ind.), 3-0.

8. Cy-Woods (Cypress, Texas), 22-1
The Wildcats lost their first match of the season, falling to Grapevine (Texas) 0-2 on Friday. Cy-Woods also picked up wins over Magnolia (Texas), 2-1, Dawson (Pearland, Texas), 2-0, and Heritage (Colleyville, Texas), 2-1, over the weekend.

9. Brebeuf Jesuit Prep (Indianapolis), 5-0
The Braves haven't dropped a game in winning their first five matches. Sloane White has 68 kills and Jeme Obeime has 47 to lead the attack.

10. St. Joseph's Academy (St. Louis), 0-0
The Angels play host to Lafayette (Wildwood, Mo.) to begin the season on Tuesday.

11. La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla, Calif.), 0-0
The Torreys begin the year at Poway (Calif.) on Sept. 9.

12. Ursuline Academy (Cincinnati), 0-0
The Lions play at Archbishop Alter (Kettering, Ohio) on Tuesday to start the season.

13. Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission, Kan.), 0-0
The Stags open with Washburn Rural (Topeka, Kan.) and Gardner-Edgerton (Gardner, Kan.) at home on Sept. 2.

14. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 0-0
The Monarchs begin the season with the Milpitas Spikefest on Sept. 4.

Caroline Douglas, Rose High School
Caroline Douglas, Rose High School
Photo by Damon Thomas
15. Plant (Tampa, Fla.), 0-0
The Panthers open the season on Tuesday with the Raise the Banner Dinner fundraiser against Riverview (Fla.) and then play in the GatorTown Classic next weekend.

16. Rose (Greenville, N.C.), 2-0
The Rampants began the year with a 3-1 win over Ardrey Kell (Charlotte, N.C.) and a 3-0 victory over Conley (Greenville, N.C.). Jamie Deratt leads the squad with 19 kills while Ginny Howard has 13.

17. Lake Travis (Austin, Texas), 15-0
The Cavaliers began the week ranked No. 1 in the Texas 4A state coaches poll and went 4-0 in four matches, including a 3-0 win over Grapevine (Texas).

18. Muncie Central (Ind.), 3-0
The Bearcats have yet to drop a game in defeating St. Joseph's (South Bend, Ind.), 2-0; Mishawaka (Ind.), 2-0; and Indianapolis Cathedral (Ind.), 2-0. Big match with No. 1 Assumption set for Friday.

19. St. Francis (Wheaton, Ill.), 0-0
The Spartans begin the season at home against Central (Burlington, Ill.) on Wednesday.

20. Westlake (Austin, Texas), 14-2
The Chaparrals have fallen twice, losing to Coppell (Texas) on Aug. 14, 2-0, and Friendswood (Texas) 2-1 on Aug. 27. Westlake was ranked second in the Texas state 5A rankings heading into last week's tournament action.

21. Ravenwood (Brentwood, Tenn.), 1-0
Began the year last week with a 3-0 win over Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.). Will play in Louisville Invitational on Sept. 10.

22. Jesuit (Portland, Ore.), 0-0
Opens season with Central Catholic Jamboree on Sept. 11.

23. Mercy (Louisville, Ky.), 7-0
The Jaguars have rattled off six wins to start the season. Defeated Presentation (Louisville, Ky.), 3-0; St. Henry (Erlanger, Ky.), 3-1; Christian Academy (Louisville, Ky.), 3-0; Male (Louisville, Ky.), 2-0; Holy Cross (Louisville, Ky.), 3-1; and Portland Christian (Louisville, Ky.), 2-0. Mercy also defeated Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky.) in three games Sunday in a rematch of last year's state final.

24. Marian (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), 15-1
The Mustangs lost their season opener 2-0 to Bedford (Temperance, Mich.), but have won 15 straight including a 2-0 win over Mercy (Farmington Hills, Mich.) in the finals of the Dakota Invite. Alexandra Lovell leads the team with 106 kills while Alessandra Dietz has 96.

25. Ankeny (Iowa), 0-0
Hawks begin season at Lincoln (Des Moines, Iowa) on Tuesday.

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