Compilers: Andrew Drennen, Kirstin Olsen, Mark Tennis
Contributing: Paul Muyskens
 
As the top-ranked Archbishop Mitty Monarchs of San Jose (Calif.) were winning their third major invitational of the season, state playoffs were concluding elsewhere around the nation and there were some major developments involving ESPN RISE Girls Volleyball FAB 50-nationally ranked teams.
 
* In Kentucky, Mercy (Louisville, Ky.) was the surprise winner and moved up to No. 17 in this week's rankings. Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), which has been as high as No. 4 in the FAB 50, did not make the finals and had to drop from No. 20 to No. 36 in this week's rankings.
 
Despite losing seven seniors from last year's team, the Jaguars (32-6) won a come from behind title match over Sacred Heart (Louisville) to capture their sixth state championship, but this time in back-to-back fashion. The win also marked the second straight year the two teams met in the finals in a battle of brothers as coach Todd Garvey picked up his second championship win over brother Eric Garvey, who coaches at Sacred Heart. Libero Caitlin Welch recorded 15 digs in the championship match for Mercy and was named tournament MVP. Amanda Crask added 28 assists and Madison Welsh had 12 kills.
 
* In Hawaii, season-long leader Punahou (Honolulu, Hawaii) couldn't get it done in its state final as the Buffanblu dropped a five-set match to Kamehameha. That result lifted the winners from unranked up to No. 46 in this week's FAB 50. Punahou had to fall in right behind.
 
Kamehameha captured the Division I state championship for the fifth straight year. The Warriors twice lost to the Buffanblu during the regular season but they made sure they won when it mattered the most as they rallied from a 2-1 set deficit and also trailed in the fourth set by a 14-8 score before rallying. Sophomore setter Kelci Renshaw recorded 52 assists while Chelsey Keoho led the defense with 38 digs. Taylor Akana was named the tournament's most outstanding player after recording 19 kills and 21 digs in the season finale.
 
* In Kansas, St. James (Lenexa) hoisted the Class 4A state title trophy and likely wrapped up no worse than a top 30 final ranking for the season. In the Class 5A final, previous No. 43 St. Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park) fell to No. 44 Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission). This caused St. Thomas Aquinas to drop out of this week's rankings with Bishop Miege going up to No. 41.
 
The Stags continue to show their dominance in Kansas as they won their second straight state final. Facing their rivals in the finals for the second year in a row, Bishop Miege also was looking to avenge an October loss to the Saints and wasted no time in winning the first set 25-11 before a back and forth second set. St. James also repeated in winning its Class 4A state title. After losing the first game, coach Nancy Dorsey's squad won twice to pull past Hayden of Topeka.
 
This week's most significant state finals will take place in Indiana. Muncie Burris, which is on a current 87-match winning streak, is heavily favored to win the Class 2A crown since the Owls won't have to play any of the other FAB 50-ranked teams from the state. All of those other teams are in different divisions.
 
Once Muncie Burris is done and likely will be done with a perfect record, the waiting game will begin. Obviously, with its strength of schedule, Archbishop Mitty will finish No. 1 in the nation if it wins in the CIF state championships. But if the Monarchs slip up, Muncie Burris appears to be the next strongest choice.
 
We would like to offer our thoughts and prayers to the girls and coaches at Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.). The Bruins had to play at the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions last weekend in Santa Barbara one night after a classmate, track and field athlete Melody Ross, was killed in a drive-by shooting just outside the Wilson football stadium following a football game between the Bruins and Long Beach Poly.

 
(After results of Saturday, Oct. 31)
 (Previous ranking in parentheses)
 
1. (1) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) 30-0
 
2. (2) Muncie Burris (Muncie, Ind.) 38-0
 
3. (3) Reagan (San Antonio, Texas) 41-1
 
4. (4) Amarillo (Amarillo, Texas) 41-3
 
5. (7) Joliet Catholic (Joliet, Ill.) 36-1
 
6. (8) Ursuline Academy (Cincinnati, Ohio) 25-0
 
7. (9) Plant (Tampa, Fla.) 24-1
 
8. (6) Dos Pueblos (Goleta, Calif.) 24-2
 
9. (10) J.J. Pearce (Richardson, Texas) 39-5
 
10. (11) Yorktown (Yorktown, Ind.) 36-1
 
11. (12) O'Connor (Helotes, Texas) 36-3
 
12. (13) Canyon Randall (Amarillo, Texas) 36-1
 
13. (14) Dublin Coffman (Dublin, Ohio) 26-0
 
14. (15) Shakopee (Shakopee, Minn.) 27-0
 
15. (16) Cardinal Gibbons (Raleigh, N.C.) 25-1-1
 
16. (17) St. Francis (Wheaton, Ill.) 33-2
 
17. (28) Mercy (Louisville, Ky.) 32-6
 
18. (18) St. Ursula Academy (Toledo, Ohio) 22-2
 
19. (19) Redlands East Valley (Redlands, Calif.) 28-3
 
20. (21) Rose (Greenville, N.C.) 24-0-2
 
21. (22) Muncie Central (Muncie, Ind.) 33-4
 
22. (23) Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) 21-7
 
23. (24) Elkhart Memorial (Elkhart, Ind.) 35-2
 
24. (26) La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, Calif.) 23-4
 
25. (25) The Woodlands (The Woodlands, Texas) 37-6
 
26. (31) Martin County (Stuart, Fla.) 26-1
 
27. (29) Lakewood (Lakewood, Calif.) 23-5 
 
28. (5) Newport Harbor (Newport Beach, Calif.) 21-6
 
29. (36) Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.) 24-3
 
30. (32) Elsinore (Lake Elsinore, Calif.) 24-2
 
31. (34) Allen (Allen, Texas) 37-6
 
32. (37) Lyons (La Grange, Ill.) 33-4
 
33. (38) St. James (Lenexa, Kan.) 40-4
 
34. (39) Marian (Omaha, Neb.) 37-1
 
35. (35) Westwood (Round Rock, Texas) 36-5
 
36. (20) Assumption (Louisville, Ky.) 34-5
 
37. (27) Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.) 21-6
 
38. (40) Benet (Lisle, Ill.) 33-4
 
39. (41) Westlake (Austin, Texas) 33-6
 
40. (42) Marymount (Los Angeles, Calif.) 20-5
 
41. (44) Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 40-4
 
42. (45) Los Alamitos (Los Alamitos, Calif.) 24-7
 
43. (46) Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.) 37-1
 
44. (48) Ponderosa (Parker, Colo.) 22-1
 
45. (49) Brebeuf Jesuit (Indianapolis, Ind.) 32-1
 
46. (NR) Kamehameha (Honolulu, Hawaii.) 32-7
 
47. (30) Punahou (Honolulu, Hawaii) 31-2-1
 
48. (NR) Magnificat (Rocky River, Ohio) 21-3
 
49. (33) Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, Calif.) 16-7
 
50. (NR) Pope (Marietta, Ga.) 54-2
 
Dropped out:
Previous No. 43 St. Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.); No. 47 Eagle (Eagle, Idaho); No. 50. Northview (Duluth, Ga.).
 
Bubble Teams:
Ankeny (Iowa) 33-1; Colorado Springs Christian (Colorado Springs, Colo.) 22-0; El Dorado (Placentia, Calif.) 24-7; Glenbrook South (Glenview, Ill.) 33-4; Huntsville (Ala.) 61-2; West (Iowa City, Iowa) 36-2; Mother McAuley (Chicago, Ill.) 24-11; Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky.) 31-12; Xavier Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.) 33-6.