Boys’ volleyball playoffs begin on Tuesday with a ton of wildcard action starting up in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Five local teams made the cut and will look to push their season toward the ultimate goal of a CIF title.
Here’s everything you need to know for the upcoming CIF postseason of boys’ volleyball:
West Ranch hosts Tustin in D4 wildcard round
The Wildcats’ third seed in the Foothill League landed the team in the wildcard round.
West Ranch (19-11) will host the Tustin Tillers (18-12) in the Division 4 play-in game, with the winner set to head to Diamond Ranch.
The Wildcats enter the playoffs in rhythm as winners of five straight while the Tillers have won just five sets in their past three matches. West Ranch has coincidentally dropped just three games in their past five outings.
Noah Douphner will be key as always but if Wildcats like Aiden Prestridge and Carsen Yahata can continue to thrive around him, West Ranch could be heading to Diamond Ranch.
West Ranch hosts Tustin on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Canyon heads to Temple City
Canyon, the fourth seed in the Foothill League, will be the only local team beginning their postseason on the road.
The Cowboys enter the Division 5 playoffs also via the play-in round and will take on the Temple City Rams on Tuesday.
The Rams are a younger team with no postseason experience as the program re-enters the playoffs for the first time in five years.
Canyon also shares inexperience but enters the playoffs hitting its stride with blocking, hitting and serving all clicking.
Strong play from Landon Gibson, Jackson Hayes and Braden Pinvidic have landed the Cowboys as a top 10 seed in the division, leaving Canyon hungrier for more than just a play-in win.
Canyon takes on Temple City on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Champs welcome Villa Park in D4 opener
Valencia’s first Foothill League championship team in nine seasons will open its postseason saga at home.
The fifth-ranked Vikings (19-9) will welcome the Villa Park Spartans (7-15) to Valencia.
The Spartans are led by 6-foot 2-inch outside hitter Braeden Lilomaiava, who will be the top assignment for the Vikings, who have won six straight matches.
Valencia has gotten consistent and stellar play all season from outsides Jarek Pascua and Jet Ricks, who are both searching for their first career playoff wins.
Libero Nathan Willis will have all of Lilomaiava’s spots circled while Dane Ricks and Dylan McFatridge will look to slow the pin hitter down on the net.
Valencia shoots for its first playoff win in three years on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Saugus hosts first playoff match in 16 years, faces Nordhoff
Saugus has been nearly impossible to slow down in the final stretch of the season as the Centurions’ undefeated match streak now hits 10.
No. 3 Saugus (18-10-2) has dropped just five sets in the streak, which includes tournament best of 2-3 play, and will test the hot streak against the visiting Nordhoff Rangers (6-10).
The Centurions have had one of their most successful seasons in years, leading to a second place finish in league and their first home playoff game since 2008.
Max Guardado and Josh Lane have been difficult to stop on the net while middle blocker Landon Cookston has hands on nearly every ball coming back to the Saugus side.
Ten Centurions seniors now enter the postseason hungry for more but first must take care of the visiting Rangers.
Saugus takes on Nordhoff on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Trinity hosts second-round wildcard game
A plethora of talented teams piled into the Division 6 brackets, turning the wildcard round into two for several teams.
Trinity (17-11) will host its play-in game on Thursday and awaits the winner of Pacific Lutheran and Santa Ana, who face off on Tuesday.
A wildcard win would land the Knights a road trip match with No. 2 Lancaster Eagles on Saturday.
Trinity enters the playoffs playing well, winning five of its last six matches. The Knights’ one loss came at the hands of the Heritage League champ Desert Christian Knights who have not lost a league match in three years. Trinity pushed Desert into deuce games twice but fell in straight sets.
Trinity hosts either Pacific Lutheran or Santa Ana on Thursday at 6 p.m.
