Cabrini, MCA top seeds in state volleyball playoffs

By Ron Brocato, Clarion Herald Sports

Since 2006, Mount Carmel has been the queen of Division I volleyball in Louisiana, celebrating eight state championships during that run, and five consecutive titles since 2014.

And with a 29-7 record to show for the current season, the Cubs are again the No. 1 seed in the highest division, joining No. 3 Dominican and No. 14 Archbishop Chapelle in the field of playoff contenders.

While Mount Carmel has continued to be the team to beat in D-I, Cabrini holds the No. 1 seed in Division III, and is pointing for its first state title since 2008, when its head coach Kasey Laird-Dennies was most valuable player on the Division II champion Crescents.

After dropping in class, Cabrini (30-4) will contend for the Division III title, and takes its first steps  as one of 14 local Catholic schools in the state tournament field at home against Northside of Lafayette, the No. 32 seed.

The Crescents are joined by No. 4 Ursuline Academy (24-9) and Archbishop Hannan (17-14), the 2018 Division IV runner-up, which drew the No. 7 seed.

The Academy of Our Lady (25-5) enjoys the No. 7 seed in Division II, its highest since 2016 when the Penguins lost to St. Thomas More in the semifinal round.

Also making the D-II field is St. Scholastica (8-20), the No. 20 seed.

The Archdiocese of New Orleans will also be represented by four schools in the Division IV tournament.

The highest seed is Pope John Paul II, which dropped down one division after winning the 2018 D-III state championship. The Lady Jaguars (27-9) enter as the No. 5 seed.

Academy of the Sacred Heart (18-9) drew the No. 8 seed, while St. Katharine Drexel Prep (13-14) is the No. 14 seed, followed by No. 15 St.  Charles Catholic (14-14), and De La Salle (6-25) at No. 21.

St. Mary’s Academy is the No. 21 seed in the Division IV tournament and will open on the road at Central Catholic.