Volleyball Report: Catholic League Tournament highlights weekend schedule

The annual Catholic League Tournament gets underway this evening at Ursuline and Dominican (see complete schedule here).

The tournament features some of the most powerful teams in the state, including defending state champions Pope John Paul II (Division II), Teurlings Catholic (Division III) and St. Thomas More (Division IV).

In all, 15 teams will compete, including Archbishop Chapelle, Ascension Catholic, Cabrini, Catholic-New Iberia, De La Salle, Dominican, Notre Dame, Pope John Paul II, St. John, St. Scholastica, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Thomas More, Teurlings Catholic, Ursuline and E.D. White Catholic.

Action begins Friday at 5 p.m. At Ursuline, the Lions will face St. Thomas Aquinas, Cabrini faces De La Salle and St. Thomas More takes on St. Scholastica.

At Dominican at 5 p.m., the host team takes on Catholic-New Iberia while Pope John Paul II faces Ascension Catholic. The next set of games begins at 6 p.m. with more to come at 7 p.m. at both locations. Teurlings Catholic (5-0) and Ursuline (7-0) enter the tournament unbeaten while Pope John Paul II (9-1) has only lost to an out-of-state opponent in McGill-Toolen (AL).

Every participant plays five matches. This is the eighth year of the Catholic League Tournament. Ursuline coach Jay Jay Juan helped conceive the event nearly a decade ago.

“It was a combination of conversations with Mike Barnes and I and originally, we put it on with Sacred Heart,” Juan said. “Originally, we had 12 teams and we found out that others wanted to come so we ended up with more teams in two locations. It is an unofficial state championship for the Catholic schools. Fortunately, our sport is not split like others but that was always a possibility. It is a great tradition with great Catholic schools.”

Juan feels this year’s event will be as good as any previous tournaments.

“It is one of the strongest fields we’ve ever had,” Juan said. “You have up and coming programs like Archbishop Chapelle and Cabrini. St. Scholastica is on the rise. St. Joseph’s and us were finalists a year ago and we have the three defending state champs in Pope John Paul II, St. Thomas More and Teurlings Catholic. It is a great prelude, a great preparation for the state tournament in November.”

Area Prep Volleyball Results from Thursday, Sept. 14

New Orleans Area

Bonnabel over East Jefferson 25-14, 25-18, 25-14

Warren Easton over Sci Academy 25-10, 25-12, 25-14

John Ehret over Fisher 17-25, 25-22, 25-17, 26-24

First Baptist Christian over Patrick Taylor 25-7, 25-9, 25-17

Franklinton over Independence 25-7, 25-7, 25-18

Lakeshore over Belle Chasse 23-25, 25-16, 25-19, 21-25, 15-4

Landry-Walker over Covenant Christian 25-9, 26-24, 25-22

Mount Carmel over Vandebilt Catholic 25-18, 25-18, 25-22

Northshore over Fontainebleau 25-16, 16-25, 19-25, 25-19, 15-6

Pine over Varnado 25-7, 25-5, 25-0

St. Mary’s Academy over West Jefferson 25-27, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 15-12

Baton Rouge Area

Assumption over Ascension Catholic 25-14, 25-14, 25-9

The Church Academy over Glen Oaks 25-12, 25-21, 25-19

Donaldsonville over St. James 25-19, 25-9, 25-23

Dutchtown over Lutcher 25-22, 13-25, 25-17, 20-25, 15-12

East Iberville over West St. John 25-22, 25-23, 15-25, 25-23

False River over West Feliciana 25-19, 23-25, 25-22, 25-13

Hammond over Walker 25-18, 25-10, 25-16

Parkview Baptist at Episcopal 27-25, 25-15, 21-25, 25-20

Woodlawn (BR) over Scotlandville 25-12, 25-13, 25-15

Zachary over Northeast 25-18, 25-9, 25-18

Brusly Tournament

Baton Rouge over Port Allen 25-19, 25-19

Brusly over Port Allen 25-13, 25-13

John Curtis Christian over Catholic-PC 27-25, 25-21

Bayou Area

Morgan City Tournament

Berwick over Central Lafourche 25-19, 25-15

H.L. Bourgeois over Patterson 25-11, 25-8

Houma Christian over Ellender 25-22, 26-28, 15-9

Houma Christian over New Iberia 25-20, 25-23

South Lafourche over H.L. Bourgeois 26-24, 14-25, 15-12

South Lafourche over Patterson 25-6, 25-17

South Terrebonne over Berwick 25-23, 25-16

South Terrebonne over Central Lafourche 25-19, 25-19

Thibodaux over Ellender 25-18, 25-21

Thibodaux over Houma Christian 25-19, 19-25, 15-6

Thibodaux over New Iberia 22-25, 25-11, 25-10

Area Prep Volleyball Schedule for Friday, Sept. 15

New Orleans Area

McGehee at Riverside, 5:30 p.m.

St. Katharine Drexel at West Jefferson, 4:30 p.m.

Catholic League Tournament

At Ursuline

Cabrini vs. De La Salle, 5 p.m.

St. Scholastica vs. St. Thomas More, 5 p.m.

Ursuline vs. St. Thomas Aquinas, 5 p.m.

Archbishop Chapelle vs. St. Scholastica, 6 p.m.

De La Salle vs. Teurlings Catholic, 6 p.m.

St. Thomas Aquinas vs. E.D. White Catholic, 6 p.m.

Archbishop Chapelle vs. St. Thomas More, 7 p.m.

Cabrini vs. Teurlings Catholic, 7 p.m.

Ursuline vs. E.D. White Catholic, 7 p.m.

At Dominican

Ascension Catholic vs. Pope John Paul II, 5 p.m.

Catholic-New Iberia vs. Dominican, 5 p.m.

Ascension Catholic vs. Notre Dame, 6 p.m.

Catholic-New Iberia vs. St. Joseph’s Academy, 6 p.m.

Dominican vs. St. Joseph’s Academy, 7 p.m.

Notre Dame vs. Pope John Paul II, 7 p.m.