The Southern Section Divisions 7 and 8, along with San Diego Section Divisions 2 and 3, are well represented in the Division 4 state tournament. 

Upland Christian Academy was ranked first by the Division 8 Southern Section coaches, but fell in the semifinals and could be a tough draw for No. 3-seeded Rancho Bernardo. The Upland Eagles won a title in 2015 (in the old 5AA Division) and fell in the 2016 semifinals (Division 9), and their best win this year came against Cajon (a Division 3 Southern Section playoff participant) in early September. 

Watch the CIF State Championship matches, Dec. 1-2, live right here on FloVolleyball.

*Live coverage in SoCal available through Spectrum.

CIF SoCal D4 Team Seeds

1. University City (20-8), San Diego Division 2 runner-up

2. Archer (23-7-1), Southern Section Division 7 champion

3. Rancho Bernardo (21-14), San Diego Section Division 2 semifinalist

4. Foothill Tech (22-12), Southern Section Division 7 runner-up

5. Pacific Ridge (18-14), San Diego Section Division 2 semifinalist

6. Helix (20-11), San Diego Section Division 3 champion

7. Vista (21-9), San Diego Section Division 3 runner-up

8. Immanuel (17-13), Central Section Division 4 runner-up

9. Colony (21-6), Southern Section Division 7 semifinalist

10. Heritage Christian (24-10-1), Southern Section Division 7 semifinalist

11. Buckley (21-2), Southern Section Division 8 champion

12. Capistrano Valley Christian (27-4), Southern Section Division 8 runner up

13. Malibu (23-2), Southern Section Division 8 semifinalist

14. Upland Christian Academy (24-4), Southern Section Division 8 semifinalist

15. Chatsworth (21-20), Los Angeles City Section Division 1 champion

16. Verdugo Hills (24-3), Los Angeles City Section Division 2 champion 

CIF SoCal D4 Players to Watch

(In alphabetical order) 

Avalon DeNecochea | Senior | Setter/Opposite | University City

Cal Poly commit DeNecochea is equally effective as a setter and a hitter, averaging 3.8 kills per set (273 total kills), hitting .342, in addition to 284 assists, 36 aces, and 183 digs. 

Amelia Nathanson | Sophomore | Outside Hitter | Archer

Amelia Nathanson has played a role much bigger than her 5-foot-7 frame on this season’s Archer squad, as she leads the team with 264 total kills (2.9 per set), hitting .250. Behind the service line she has recorded 41 aces and added 154 digs.

Starr Williams | Freshman | Outside Hitter | Colony 

Six-foot-three freshman Starr Williams leads her team with 218 kills (3.6 per set) and has maintained a .333 hitting percentage. In Colony’s CIFSS Division 7 semifinal match versus Foothill Tech, Williams had 18 kills and hit .424.

Jenna Holmes | Sophomore | Outside Hitter | Upland Christian

Holmes averages 3.8 kills per set (currently at 284 total kills) while hitting .397 percent. She also has 168 digs and 61 aces so far this season.

Rebecca Whitney | Senior | Outside Hitter | Vista

Five-eleven senior outside hitter Rebecca Whitney averages 3.5 kills per set (currently at 298 total kills) while hitting .230. She also has 278 digs and 44 aces to her credit.

NorCal Division 4 Teams

1. Presentation (15-21), Central Coast Section Division 2 champion

2. Del Norte (26-3), North Coast Section Division 4 semifinalist 

3. West Valley (26-6), Northern Section Division 4 champions 

4. Soquel (24-6), Central Coast Section Division 3 champions 

5. Newark Memorial (23-9), North Coast Section Division 2 semifinalist 

6. Carondelet (20-16), North Coast Section Division 2 semifinalist 

7. Colfax (19-6), Sac-Joaquin Section Division 5 champion 

8. Liberty (28-7), Central Section Division 4 runner-up 

9. Manteca (24-9), Sac-Joaquin Section Division 3 semifinalist 

10. Willows (22-10), Northern Section Division 4 runner-up 

11. Capital Christian (20-4), Sac-Joaquin Section Division 5 runner-up 

12. Bret Harte (21-9), Sac-Joaquin Section Division 4 runner-up 

13. San Francisco Waldorf (28-8), North Coast Section Division 5 semifinalist 

14. Bye

15. University Prep (26-6), Northern Section Division 4 semifinalist 

16. Pierce (25-11), Northern Section Division 4 semifinalist 

NorCal Division 3 Players to Watch

(In alphabetical order)

Jenna Adkins | Junior | West Valley 

A three-sport athlete at West Valley, Adkins averages a team-leading 2.7 kills per set for the Eagles (267 on the season), and is second behind libero Marlena Dennett with 268 digs. 

Katie Juarez | Senior | Outside Hitter | Bret Harte

A softball, track, and volleyball star, senior outside hitter Juarez has maintained a .325 hitting percentage while being the team’s go-to hitter for the Bulldogs. On the season, Juarez has tallied 324 kills on 798 total attempts, in addition to contributing on defense with 35 blocks and 238 digs.

Emily Kuykendall | Senior | Middle Blocker | Pierce

Middle blocker Kuykendall is the Bears go-to, as she leads the team with 304 kills, hitting .373. She also leads Pierce in blocks with 67 total.

Haylee Nelson | Senior | Middle Blocker | Newark Memorial

San Jose State commit Haylee Nelson leads Newark Memorial with 556 kills on the season, hitting .343. She’s also the top server (43 aces) and blocker (115 total blocks) on the team, and the second-best digger with 253 saves.

Jenna Sandall | Junior | Outside Hitter | Presentation

With 286 kills and 38 aces, junior outside Sandall leads the Central Coast Section Division 2 champion Presentation at the net and behind the service line. She’s also the second-best digger on the squad with 256 digs on the season.

State Finals Prediction

University City comes out of the South and takes on Presentation in the final.

Prediction: Presentation in four.

By Derryl Trujillo