By Christine Jinbo

The Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) girls volleyball team is both sides of the same coin, powerful and flawed, frontrunner and dark horse, David and Goliath.  This season the Eagles have defeated Lakewood, then top ranked at the Durango Classic, then lost to the Lancers four days later.  They swept top-fifteen ranked Orange Lutheran in Trinity League play then two weeks later lost in four in their second league meeting. 

	Leonard Xu/ESPN RISE
	Santa Margarita wins Redondo Power Classic.

The Eagles' latest flip was a victory over ESPN RISE FAB 50 No. 1 ranked La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad) in the final of the Redondo Power Classic, two games to one. ( 25-21, 15-25, 25-21)

En route to their upset of La Costa Canyon, Santa Margarita defeated, Thousand Oaks 25-23, 25-21,17-25, 22-25, 15-7, in the semi finals of the tournament. Kylie Hargreaves was tournament MVP and Natalie Hamill and Kenna Crouse were also named to the all-tournament team.

The last couple weekends of the regular season helps to assess teams at the peak of their seasons before playoffs begin.  CIF officials roamed the tournament for assitance to seed the Southern Section playoff tournament.  College coaches walked around and looked on for recruits, as the early signing period approaches.  

The top two ESPN RISE ranked teams had different peak season tournaments.  Where La Costa Canyon faltered, Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) shined.  La Costa Canyon's loss in the finals of the Redondo Power Classic interrupted a 27-match winning streak for the Mavericks.  The Mavs defeated Orange Lutheran in and apathetic semifinal without their characteristic dynamic energy, 25-22, 25-17, 25-21, before losing to Santa Margarita in the final. 

	Leonard Xu/ESPN RISE
	All Tournament selection Kenna Crouse.

Archbishop Mitty, winner of the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions, sustained a 22-match win streak since its only loss to La Costa Canyon mid-September at the Durango Classic.  The Monarchs final matches highlighted a team poised for post season play and dedicated to defense. 

What this means for playoffs, we may never know since La Costa Canyon and Archbishop Mitty are in different divisions for CIF. 

 
Red Division
Redondo d. Sacred Heart 23-25, 25-17, 25-23, 25-18
South d. El Dorado 24-26, 25-22, 19-25, 25-20, 15-11
La Canada d. Bakersfield Christian 25-9, 25-19, 25-16
Valencia d. Canyon Crest Academy 25-12, 25-23, 25-18
Peninsula d. Poway 25-23, 25-16, 19-25, 25-15
Palos Verdes d. Rosary 26-24, 25-17, 25-21
 
15th Place:  Canyon Crest Academy d. Bakersfield Christian (forfeit)
13th Place:  Valencia d. La Canada 25-16, 25-22
11th Place:  Rosary d. Poway 25-22, 25-20
9th  Place:  Peninsula d. Palos Verdes 25-17, 23-25, 15-10
7th Place:  Sacred Heart d. El Dorado 25-17, 25-19
5th Place:  Redondo d. South 25-17, 25-20
 
Semifinals
La Costa Canyon d. Orange Lutheran 25-22, 25-17, 25-21
Santa Margarita d. Thousand Oaks 25-23, 25-21, 17-25, 22-25, 15-7
 
3rd Place:  Thousand Oaks d. Orange Lutheran 25-23, 8-25, 15-10
1st Place:  Santa Margarita d. La Costa Canyon 25-21, 15-25, 25-21
 
All-Tournament Team:
Kiley Hargraves Santa Margarita  (MVP)
Natalie Hamill and Kenna Crouse Santa Margarita
Katie Fuller and Lydia Rudnick La Costa Canyon
Hannah Clancy and Paige Mitchell Thousand Oaks
Lauren Corp and Hanna Tedrow Orange Lutheran
Lara Dykstra -- Redondo Union
Danielle Lindahl South
Katie Lockard El Dorado
Camille Coffey Sacred Heart
 
 
White Division
Vista d. San Pedro 25-19, 25-19, 17-25, 16-25, 15-11
Carson d. Serra 25-21, 25-10, 25-20
Burroughs d. Palisades 25-18, 22-15, 22-15, 25-16, 15-13
Frontier d. Millikan 25-17, 25-14, 22-25, 25-19
Oxnard d. Foothill 14-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-19, 15-12
Santa Monica d. Pacifica Christian 25-13, 25-15, 26-24
 
15th Place:  San Pedro d. Serra 25-13, 25-19
13th Place:  Carson d. Vista 25-22, 23-25, 15-12
11th Place:  Foothill d. Pacifica Christian 25-11, 25-21
9th Place:  Santa Monica d. Oxnard 24-26, 25-23, 16-14
7th Place:  Palisades d. Millikan 25-19, 22-25, 15-12
5th Place:  Burroughs d. Frontier 25-18, 21-25, 15-11
 
Semifinals
West d. West Ranch 14-25, 25-13, 25-17, 25-16
San Marcos d. Torrance 25-17, 25-14, 25-16
 
3rd Place:  Torrance d. West Ranch 25-18, 19-25, 15-6
1st Place:  West d. San Marcos 25-21, 25-19