Champions crowned, playoff matches set

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Helix and Valhalla complete perfect league seasons

By ECS staff report

LA MESA — The championship banners have been earned. The playoff brackets are set. Now the season becomes unforgiving.

Section-rated No. 13 Helix completed a perfect run through the Grossmont Hills League, Valhalla survived a five-set championship showdown to finish unbeaten in the Grossmont Valley League.

Mountain Empire forced its way into a share of the Frontier Summit championship during the final week of the regular season.

Escondido Charter captured the Pacific League title, while Point Loma completed a perfect City Eastern campaign ahead of Patrick Henry.

Those races produced several of the most consequential matches of the final week — and helped determine postseason assignments across six CIF San Diego Section divisions.

Helix finishes the job

Helix finished Grossmont Hills play 10-0 and completed a 28-6 regular season by sweeping Santana and El Capitan.

The Highlanders clinched the outright championship by beating Santana 25-21, 25-15, 25-8 before closing league play with a 25-17, 25-22, 25-10 victory at El Capitan.

Freshman Jolene Swiggers delivered 15 kills and hit .323 against Santana. Senior Ella Becker added eight kills, hit .375 and recorded three blocks, while freshman setter Bella Green converted both of her attacks.

Helix earned the No. 3 seed in Division II and will host No. 14 Maranatha Christian on Wednesday. The Highlanders could see Santana again in the quarterfinals if both teams advance.

Behind Helix, Steele Canyon and Granite Hills each finished 7-3 in league play.

Steele Canyon closed the regular season with sweeps of El Capitan and Grossmont. Granite Hills defeated Grossmont in four sets Monday and Santana in four Wednesday.

The Cougars received the No. 2 seed in Division III, while Granite Hills landed the No. 7 seed in Division II.

Valhalla wins five-set title match

The Grossmont Valley championship came down to the final match between its top two teams.

Valhalla outlasted West Hills 22-25, 25-22, 25-18, 21-25, 15-13 to complete an 8-0 league season and extend its winning streak to eight matches.

The Norsemen finished the regular season 14-12 after opening it 6-12. Their closing surge included two victories over West Hills and an unbeaten trip through the league schedule.

West Hills finished second at 6-2.

Valhalla received the No. 7 seed in Division III and will host No. 10 Canyon Crest Academy. West Hills is the No. 2 seed in Division IV and will host No. 15 St. Joseph Academy.

The bracket creates the possibility of another all-East County meeting: Valhalla would face the winner of Steele Canyon and Rock Academy in the Division III quarterfinals.

Mountain Empire claims share

Mountain Empire finished one of the area’s strongest late-season runs with a 27-25, 25-13, 25-22 sweep of O’Farrell Charter.

The victory moved the Redhawks to 17-12 overall and gave them a share of the Frontier Summit championship with High Tech Mesa.

Senior Bibi Caceres recorded 10 kills, 14 digs, two blocks and two aces against O’Farrell. Senior Josalin Shawcroft added 10 kills, 10 digs and two aces.

Junior setter Breeza Valdez supplied 23 assists and 14 digs, while senior Kailey Quintana finished with five kills, a .250 hitting percentage and three blocks.

Mountain Empire received the No. 5 seed in Division IV and will host No. 12 Orange Glen.

The Redhawks enter the postseason having won five of their final six matches, including five-set victories over Horizon Prep and High Tech Mesa before avenging the High Tech Mesa loss in the league race.

Escondido Charter takes Pacific

Escondido Charter finished 9-1 in the Pacific League and secured the championship by sweeping Foothills Christian in Friday’s regular-season finale.

Foothills Christian entered the match with a chance to complicate the title race but fell in three sets. Grace Hallahan finished with seven kills and one block for the Knights.

The loss did not prevent Foothills Christian from receiving a favorable postseason assignment. The Knights earned the No. 8 seed in Division II and will host No. 9 Bonita Vista.

Escondido Charter received the No. 4 seed in Division III and has a first-round bye. The White Tigers will meet the winner of No. 5 Canyon Hills and No. 12 Escondido in the quarterfinals.

Maranatha Christian finished second in the Pacific race after closing with victories over Del Lago Academy and Tri-City Christian. Maranatha must open the Division II playoffs at Helix.

Henry heads into Division I

Section-rated No. 19 Patrick Henry completed a 23-10 regular season by sweeping Lincoln and beating La Jolla in five sets.

The Patriots finished second to unbeaten Point Loma in the City Eastern League and earned the No. 7 seed in Division I. They will host No. 10 Classical Academy.

Patrick Henry is one of two East County coverage teams placed in Division I. Christian, which defeated Scripps Ranch in four sets during the final week, received the No. 12 seed and will travel to No. 5 Point Loma.

Christian’s 11-17 record reflects a schedule that included Cathedral Catholic, Coronado, Helix, Steele Canyon, Granite Hills and other higher-rated opponents.

Liberty earns bye

Liberty Charter finished 13-12 and received the No. 4 seed in Division V, giving the Lions a first-round bye.

Liberty will host Thursday’s winner between No. 5 Monte Vista and No. 12 Vincent Memorial.

Monte Vista closed Grossmont Valley play with a five-set victory over Mount Miguel before the Matadors answered by sweeping El Cajon Valley.

Mount Miguel received the No. 6 seed in Division V and will host No. 11 Madison.

Division III loaded with local teams

Three teams from the Grossmont Conference landed in Division III:

• No. 2 Steele Canyon hosts No. 15 Rock Academy
• No. 7 Valhalla hosts No. 10 Canyon Crest Academy
• No. 11 Grossmont travels to No. 6 Imperial

Road through Division II

Helix leads a five-team East County contingent in Division II:

• No. 3 Helix hosts No. 14 Maranatha Christian
• No. 7 Granite Hills hosts No. 10 Mission Hills
• No. 8 Foothills Christian hosts No. 9 Bonita Vista
• No. 11 Santana visits No. 6 Mission Bay
• No. 15 El Capitan visits No. 2 Poway

Helix and Santana would meet in the quarterfinals if both advance. Granite Hills and El Capitan also could produce a Grossmont Hills rematch in the next round.

Division IV and Division V

Mountain Empire and West Hills will host Division IV openers Wednesday.

No. 5 Mountain Empire faces No. 12 Orange Glen, with the winner advancing against No. 4 Valley Center or No. 13 Horizon Prep.

No. 2 West Hills hosts No. 15 St. Joseph Academy. No. 10 Victory Christian Academy and No. 7 San Ysidro are on the same side of that bracket.

In Division V, Monte Vista and Mount Miguel begin Tuesday, while Liberty Charter waits for Thursday’s quarterfinal round.

River Valley is in the Division V-AA qualifying matchup opposite E3 Civic. The winner advances to face No. 5 Escondido Adventist Academy.

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