Windward Volleyball Third in CIF Rankings

The CIF Southern Section has released its first spring sports weekly polls and the Windward School boys volleyball team is ranked third in Division 4.

The Wildcats went 20-6 last year, tied Brentwood for the Alpha League title and lost to eventual-champion Santa Monica in the semifinal round of the CIF playoffs.

Coach Michelle McGuire's squad is off to a 3-0 start. The Wildcats swept their season-opener against Village Christian, downed Culver City in four sets and swept St. Monica. They will host Beverly Hills in a nonleague match Thursday and travel to Palos Verdes to face Chadwick, the top-ranked team in Division 5, on March 19 before opening league play Tuesday, March 20, at rival Brentwood.

Windward is gunning for a seventh straight league title and should contend for the CIF championship again this season, led by All-CIF setter Chase Pion and All-CIF outside hitter Ryan Manoogian, who was named Alpha League Most Valuable Player last spring after pounding 220 kills with 118 digs, 46 aces and 31 blocks. Pion, meanwhile, had 449 set assists, 61 kills, 73 digs, 17 aces and 32 blocks, including a season-high 38 assists against Laguna Blanca.

Drew Pion made the All-League second team as a freshman last season with 237 kills, 126 digs, 94 assists, 36 aces and 14 blocks and McGuire was voted Coach of the Year along with Brentwood's Jeff Porter.

L.A. Cathedral tops the Division 4 poll, followed by Santa Monica. Rounding out the Top 10 are No. 4 Santa Fe, No. 5 San Gabriel, No. 6 Bishop Montgomery, No. 7 Yucaipa, No. 8 Crossroads, No. 9 Sage Hill and No. 10 Brentwood.

The Southern Section will posts new polls every week throughout the season.