MCA, Teurlings, Vandebilt, PJP II, Country Day earn top-seeds in state volleyball playoffs

BRACKETS: Division I — Division II — Division III — Division IV — Division V

There are no surprises among the top seeds with Mount Carmel, Teurlings Catholic, Vandebilt Catholic and Pope John Paul II earning the No. 1 spots in the playoffs in Divisions I through IV.

In Division V, Country Day edged out McGehee for the top-seed in close fashion.

In Division I, three-time defending state champion Mount Carmel (35-7) earned the top seed over perennial rival and second-seed St. Joseph’s Academy (27-13). East Ascension is the third-seed with Northshore seeded fourth.

The top eight teams get a first round bye.

Other area teams making the playoffs include fifth-seed Dominican, eighth-seed Fontainebleau, 11th-seeded Archbishop Chapelle, 12th-seed Slidell, 17th-seeded Ponchatoula, 18th-seed Hahnville, 19th-seed Destrehan, 20th-seeded Mandeville, 23rd-seed Bonnabel and 24th-seed Chalmette.

Dominican is in the same bracket as district rival Mount Carmel. The Cubs swept both regular season matchups.

It would be a surprise if Mount Carmel or St. Joseph’s does not win the state title.

The two powers have combined to win 13 of the last 16 state championships and have faced each other in the final six times during that stretch.

Mount Carmel edged St. Joseph’s in five sets for the state championship a year ago. The Cubs beat the Redstickers in the final in 2014. St. Joseph’s beat Mount Carmel in the final in 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2013 and won it all in 2003, 2004 and 2008. MCA won in 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2015.

St. Joseph’s won two of three matches against Mount Carmel this season.

If you are looking for dark horse teams from the area to win it all, look no further than Fontainebleau (25-13) and Chapelle (23-18), both of whom have played very tough schedules. The Bulldogs lost to Mount Carmel in four sets while the Chipmunks split with St. Joseph’s and lost a pair of district matches to Mount Carmel.

In Division II, four-time defending Division III state champion Teurlings Catholic (38-0) moved up in class this year and is the top-seed with Cabrini () second. St. Scholastica is third with Assumption fourth.

The Rebels were the best team in the state in any classification during the regular season, going unbeaten with wins over Pope John Paul II, Mount Carmel, Cabrini, Ursuline, St. Scholastica, Country Day, Vandebilt Catholic, St. Thomas More, Archbishop Hannan and St. Joseph’s Academy.

The top eight teams get a bye.

Other area teams making the playoffs include seventh-seed Ben Franklin, 11th-seeded Belle Chasse, 12th-seed Academy of Our Lady, 14th-seeded Karr, 15th-seed Lakeshore, 16th-seeded Warren Easton, 21st-seed Salmen, 22nd-seeded Riverdale.

If you are looking for a dark horse team from the area to win it all, look no further than Ben Franklin. The Falcons (24-15) have good wins over Dominican and Fontainebleau.

In Division III, Vandebilt Catholic (36-5) is the top-seed with St. Michael (28-4) second. Parkview Baptist is third with Ursuline fourth. The Terriers have won 12 straight matches while the Warriors have won 13 straight.

The top eight teams get a bye.

Other area teams making the playoffs include 10th-seed De La Salle and 15th-seeded Loranger.

If you are looking for a dark horse team from the area, it would be the Cavaliers (20-19), who came on strong late in the season. The Cavaliers have good wins over Sacred Heart (NO), Ursuline, Ben Franklin and Newman.

In Division IV, three-time defending state champion Pope John Paul II (33-5) is the top-seed with Notre Dame (31-10) second. University High is third with Archbishop Hannan fourth. Pope John Paul whipped Notre Dame during the regular season while Hannan upset the Jaguars.

The top eight teams get a bye.

Other area teams making the playoffs include fifth-seed Newman, sixth-seeded Riverside, eighth-seed Sacred Heart, 10th-seeded Northlake Christian, 12th-seeded John Curtis Christian, (NO), 13th-seed St. Charles Catholic, 15th-seed Thomas Jefferson, 17th-seeded Haynes, 19th-seed St. Mary’s Academy, and 22nd-seed Patrick Taylor.

If you are looking for a dark horse team from the area, go with Newman. The Greenies (27-10) have wins over Ursuline, Sacred Heart (NO), St. Thomas More, Fontainebleau and Ben Franklin.

In Division V, defending state champion Country Day (32-6) edged out McGehee (40-3) for the top-seed. The Cajuns edged the Hawks in three sets in the Vandebilt Catholic tournament on Oct. 14. The Hawks have won 11 straight since that loss. Ascension Episcopal is third with Central Catholic fourth. Country Day has won seven of the last eight Division V state championships.

Other area teams making the playoffs include sixth-seed St. Martin’s Episcopal, 14th-seed St. Katharine Drexel, 17th-seed Crescent City Christian, 21st-seeded Ecole Classique and 24th-seed West St. John.

If you are looking for a dark horse team from the area, go with St. Martin’s. The Saints (24-12) lost to nothing but good, highly seeded playoff teams.