With the end of the high school basketball season, the hoop nets are coming down in gyms across the Santa Clarita Valley, and volleyball nets are going up, with teams gearing up for another season of play.
Here’s what you need to know heading into the start of the league volleyball season:
Editor’s note: Teams are listed in order of their Foothill League finish in 2025, followed by Trinity Classical Academy, which competes in the Heritage League.
West Ranch aiming for Foothill League repeat
This year, West Ranch head coach Brandon Johnson wants more than a Foothill League title — he’s aiming for a CIF Championship. And after falling in the first round of last season’s playoffs, Johnson wants more than growth but results.
“Every year brings excitement to see how the group will gel. Our goal in the practice gym is to get incrementally better each day,” he said. “We’ve seen significant growth already this season.
This year, Johnson will have a few returners he hopes will help the Wildcats get back to winning a CIF title.
Junior setter Stephen Choi, senior pin hitter Skyler Hilleman, and senior libero Isaac Lane all return to West Ranch after helping the Wildcats win the league title last season.
With returning talent also comes new faces for Johnson, such as junior middle blocker Peter Sutsos and freshman pin hitter Jake Douphner.
Johnson added that each player on this year’s Wildcats roster will be a key contributor for West Ranch to win another CIF title.
“As is the case each season, our goal is to compete for and win the Foothill League,” he said. “After that, West Ranch boys’ volleyball has set a standard that competing and winning matches in the playoffs should be a yearly expectation.”
The Wildcats open league play on the road at Castaic High School against the Coyotes on Thursday, March 5, with the game set to begin at 5:30 p.m.
Canyon looking to build off strong 2025 campaign
Last season, the Cowboys finished in second place in the Foothill League for the first time since the 2022 season with a 10-2 record.
With a strong showing in league play, many Cowboys who contributed to last year’s placement return to the team this year.
Opposite hitter Blake Hastings returns for his senior season and will be joined by junior team captain and opposite hitter Brayden Alfar.
At libero, senior Saul Rojas takes the mantle and will be a defensive anchor for Canyon this season.
With many players from last year’s roster returning this season, the Cowboys look poised to take the Foothill League by storm again this year with already prominent non-league wins over Village Christian, Simi Valley and Quartz Hill.
The Cowboys open league play at Saugus High School against the Centurions on Tuesday, March 3, with the game set to begin at 5:30 p.m.
Valencia hungry to fight for league crown
After missing out on the Foothill League title in 2025, the Valencia Vikings are ready to challenge the Cowboys and Wildcats.
Head coach Brendan Riley has scheduled a difficult non-league start to the year, so that the Vikings are ready to tackle the league season as their best version.
“We always want to test ourselves against the best teams,” he said. “We will also be playing in the Las Vegas Invitational tournament, which is very good competition as well.”
Five players Riley sees as being keys to a strong season for Valencia are opposite hitter Dylan Murphy, middle blockers Dylan McFatridge and Gavan Miranda, setter Reece Casey, and opposite hitter Cavanaugh Bourdas Henn.
This year, the Vikings have 13 seniors on the roster and, with a large number of tenured players, Riley believes that this year’s team can get back on top of the league and will do so by playing their best volleyball.
“We have the same goal every year, to ‘get better,’” Riley said. “We want to be playing our best volleyball at the end of the year.”
The Vikings open league play at Valencia High School against the visiting Hart Hawks on Tuesday, March 3, with the game set to begin at 5:30 p.m.
New HC at Saugus, but same expectation for the Centurions
Amy Suppes is in as the head coach for the Centurions after Kaitlyn McGinley stepped down at the conclusion of the last season.
Despite the new name at head coach, the expectations are the same at Saugus as the Centurions look toward making a deep playoff run.
“With 13 seniors on varsity, most of which went on a playoff run last year, we have absolutely nothing to lose and experience at the playoff level last year,” Suppes said.
Three players Suppes expects to have big years at Saugus are senior libero Riley Arana, senior opposite hitter Ryan Johnson, and senior opposite hitter Josh Lane.
Suppes said she believes Arana and Johnson can contribute heavily offensively and defensively while Lane can provide timely blocks to end rallies.
With 13 seniors returning for the Centurions this season, Suppes is grateful to have a strong roster and has high expectations for her team as they look to make a push in the Foothill League.
“As a first-year varsity coach, it’s been such a blessing to have the caliber of people that these guys are in this program,” she said. “They inspire me daily and I’m excited for them to put it all together starting this week.”
The Centurions open league play at Saugus High School against the visiting Canyon Cowboys on Tuesday, March 3, with the game set to begin at 5:30 p.m.
Expectations are high this season for Golden Valley
Last year, the Grizzlies fell just short of an automatic playoff berth with a fifth-place finish in the Foothill League.
But for Grizzlies’ head coach Sam Hand, the goal is to maximize potential and place high in the league. And Hand is expecting a few players to make a significant impact this season.
Hand is looking forward to two junior outside hitters in Christian Melkonian and Raf Ascunción, two players he believes are well-rounded and can be an offensive force on and off the net.
Another player Hand is counting on is senior libero Luke Talabong, who’s expected to be a defensive anchor for the Grizzlies.
“Our plan for preseason is pretty simple,” he said. “Get as much many competitive matches as soon as possible and spend time together off court to help build the chemistry needed to be a successful and united team.”
With key contributors and a tough non-league portion of the season, the goal for Hand and the Grizzlies this year is to make a push for the playoffs, which is a goal that the program is all bought into.
“I know the team and I both agree that this year we should be fighting for a top two finish,” Hand said. “That and clinching a playoff position would be a huge step in the right direction for this group.”
The Grizzlies open league play at Golden Valley High School against the visiting Castaic Coyotes on Tuesday, March 3, with the game set to begin at 5:30 p.m.
Castaic Coyotes ready to make noise in league
After finishing sixth in the Foothill League last year, Castaic head coach David Chae believes this season the Coyotes can make a serious playoff push.
With already three straight wins to open the season over Burbank, Eastside and Taft, Chae is excited for league play to begin and expects a few players to help make 2026 “Castaic’s best season.”
Chae said to look forward to senior opposite hitters Gabe Reinwand and Jared Rivera and senior setter Brian Le, who he all believes are an “integral part of the program.”
“I hope the preseason will get us ready for a very competitive league season,” Chae said.
With some already prominent wins in the non-league portion of the year and key players that the Coyotes are relying on to have big seasons in 2026, Chae is aiming to place highly in the Foothill League for a shot at the postseason.
“The biggest goal is to make playoffs for the first time in program history,” he said. “If we could either reach the top four or qualify with an at-large bid, that would be great for us. From that point on, the sky is the limit.”
The Coyotes open league play at Golden Valley High School against the Grizzlies on Tuesday, March 3, with the game set to begin at 5:30 p.m.
New-look Hart preps for bounce-back season
After having Mary Irilian as the head coach of the boys’ volleyball program last year, Robert Treahy is taking over the Hawks for the 2026 season. And after a winless Foothill League season last year, Treahy is looking toward this season being a fresh slate.
“The preseason has been focused on rebuilding confidence and camaraderie within,” Treahy said.
A few members of his team he’s looking toward helping rebuild confidence are Aiden Wellins, Xander Dorell and Gavin Locke.
With two wins already this season over Palmdale and Littlerock, Treahy wants his Hawks to face tough competition so his team is ready for the Foothill League.
“Overall team goals are to position ourselves in the league to earn a spot and make a run in the playoffs,” Treahy said. “My goal is to develop a ‘We over Me’ mentality within the program.”
The Hawks open league play at Valencia High School on Tuesday, March 3, against the Vikings with the game set to begin at 5:30 p.m.
Trinity Classical Academy ready to tackle the season
Despite a second-round exit in the playoffs, head coach Dan Hastings and the Knights are looking at last season’s results as a foundation for 2026.
But this season, Hastings is looking to his younger players to make an impact.
On Trinity’s 10-player roster, there are only two seniors among a mix of young talent. Hastings is looking for the likes of junior opposite hitter Matthew TeWinkle to lead the Knights.
In the team’s first win of the season over the Brentwood School Eagles of Los Angeles, TeWinkle recorded 21 kills in the five-set thriller.
Two other players Hastings is expecting to contribute this season are junior libero Max Nien and sophomore middle blocker Zane Solomon, who he descried as a “blocking nightmare.”
Each player is expected to have a big season for Trinity as the Knights look to open Heritage League play on March 19 against Desert Christian.
