Excitement is in the air for local student athletes as the CIF-Southern Section offices recently announced the playoff division pairings for the 2021-2022 high school fall sports season, which includes girls’ volleyball, boys’ and girls’ cross-country, girls’ tennis and boys’ water polo. Girls’ golf will be released in mid-August, and football will be done at the end of the regular season. Every one of these sports had their original season shortened over this past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so this is a welcomed sight, especially for girls’ volleyball teams as their season only lasted one week.
As the school year kicks off for most local schools this week, and with the fall season approaching quickly, here is the power ranking breakdown for the proposed playoff pairings. These are for the high schools that are inside the Valley News coverage area as of the first week in August.
Divisional Playoff groupings
Girls’ Volleyball
Division 1/Division 2: Chaparral, Great Oak, Murrieta Valley, Paloma Valley, Temecula Valley, Vista Murrieta
Division 3: Murrieta Mesa
Division 4: Hemet, Linfield Christian
Division 5: Elsinore, Heritage, Rancho Christian
Division 6: San Jacinto, West Valley
Division 7: Orange Vista, Rancho Verde, Tahquitz, Temescal Canyon
Division 8: California Lutheran, Cornerstone Christian, Perris, Temecula Prep
Division 9: Hamilton, River Springs (Hemet), River Springs (Temecula), San Jacinto Valley Academy, Santa Rosa Academy
TBD: St. Jeanne de Lestonnac
Boys’ and Girls’ Cross-Country
Division 1: Chaparral, Great Oak, Hemet, Heritage, Orange Vista, Paloma Valley, San Jacinto, Temecula Valley, Vista Murrieta
Division 2: Elsinore, Murrieta Mesa, Murrieta Valley, Perris, Temescal Canyon, West Valley
Division 3: Citrus Hill, Lakeside, Rancho Verde, Tahquitz
Division 4: No local schools
Division 5: California Lutheran, Cornerstone Christian, Hamilton, Linfield Christian, Rancho Christian, River Springs (Hemet), River Springs (Temecula), San Jacinto Valley Academy, Santa Rosa Academy, St. Jeanne de Lestonnac, Temecula Prep
Girls’ Tennis
Division 1: Great Oak, Murrieta Valley
Division 2: Temecula Valley, Temescal Canyon
Division 3: Hemet, Murrieta Mesa, Paloma Valley, Vista Murrieta
Division 4: Chaparral, Heritage, Elsinore, Tahquitz
Division 5: Citrus Hill, Lakeside, Linfield Christian, Orange Vista, San Jacinto, Rancho Verde, West Valley
Boys’ Water Polo
*The newly formed “Open” Division will be the top eight teams (selected by committee) and may come from teams in any division.
Division 1: No local teams
Division 2: Murrieta Valley
Division 3: Great Oak, Temescal Canyon
Division 4: Chaparral, Elsinore, Temecula Valley, Vista Murrieta
Division 5: Hemet, Murrieta Mesa
Division 6: Heritage, Lakeside, Paloma Valley, Perris, Tahquitz
**The newly opened Liberty High School in Menifee is now open to 9th and 10th grade students this year and any teams that are compiled at the varsity level will compete in the Freelance League.
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com.
