We are climbing the mountaintop as the biggest games of the season are here. The playoffs.

California‘s Southern Section post-season kicks off this week, with other sections soon to follow. In fact, many in the Los Angeles area view the CIF-SS competition and crowns as more prominent than the SoCal or State tournaments to follow.

There were some wild endings to the regular season around the state. The craziest came in the Marin County League, where Branson-Ross swept Marin Catholic-Kentfield to produce a three-way league tie among the Bulls, Wildcats and the Redwood-Larkspur Giants. The Bay League title will be shared between Redondo Union-Redondo Beach and Mira Costa-Manhattan Beach after the Sea Hawks topped the rival Mustangs in four sets last week.

Over in the Central Valley, Clovis took command of the Tri-River League. Up north, Rocklin and Folsom are likely to share the Sierra Foothill title. In the Bay Area, Archbishop Mitty-San Jose locked up the West Catholic crown by beating contenders St. Francis-Mountain View and St. Ignatius-San Francisco.

Trailblazers are viewed by many as #2 in the US, behind Byron Nelson-Trophy Club TX. SCHS is on a 14-game win streak and has not seen a dual match go to five sets since September 29.

Monarchs picked up a nice sweep over JSerra Catholic-San Juan Capistrano 25-18, 25-16, 26-24. Westley Matavao had 14 kills and Layli Ostovar put down 12.

Monarchs cemented the West Catholic League title by dispatching the two other contenders in a three-day period. They won at St. Francis 30-32, 25-20, 25-14, 25-15 and then swept St. Ignatius 25-18, 25-10, 25-20.

Since September 20, the Falcons have 14 straight sweeps. Torrey Pines is led by Baylor-bound Jaycee Mark and Penn State-bound Finley Krystkowiak.

Sea Hawks enacted revenge over Mira Costa 16-25, 25-22, 25-20, 25-17. Abby Zimmerman belted 30 kills, with an attack percentage of .540. The victory halted a 34-match Bay League win streak by the rival Mustangs, dating back to 2019.

Audrey Flanagan had 23 kills and 14 digs in the game at RU, and Simone Rolson contributed 15 kills. The contest was closer than the score indicates, as MC won the first set, led the second 18-17, was tied 17-17 in the third and led 14-13 in the fourth. But the Sea Hawks closed out each of the final three sets.

Can the Sailors be deemed a dark horse? The four-game home loss to Sierra Canyon takes the light off Marymount but their tourney triumphs are part of why they could surprise in the upcoming Southern Section playoffs.

Dons have eight players at 6-foot and over on their roster. Five hitters have 100 or more kills, led by Madyson McCarthy with 161 and Sophia Johnson at 150.

Griffins ran the table in the Sunset-Surf League, finishing with a 12-0 mark.

Wolverines have four losses to league powers Sierra Canyon and Marymount. Their other three defeats have been to Mira Costa and two out-of-state powers in Cornerstone Christian-San Antonio and Bishop Gorman-Las Vegas.

Cougars at an impressive 8-0 in the tough Tri-River League. Clovis, led by Nicole Ndole and Lyla Rose, has won their last five matches in sweeps.

Bears got on the bus and were road warriors in 25-20, 25-18, 25-15 sweep at Clovis West-Fresno. Sophomore Keira Nelson blasted 18 kills, with a .457 attack percentage, in the win.

Setter Kiah Wong and Opposite Masina Ogbechie lead the Lions.

Stallions won the South Coast League and are on a 15-match win streak, not having lost since September 2.

Folsom and Rocklin are tied in first place in the Sierra Foothill League, after Bulldogs swept the Thunder behind Jazmin Ojo and Addison Smith.

Eagles beat lJSerra Catholic in five sets to finish in a second-place tie with the Lions in the Trinity League behind Mater Dei.

Lancers tied Oaks Christian for the Marmonte League title.

Wildcats fell at College of Marin to rival Branson, as the Bulls rolled 25-23, 25-21, 25-20. That dropped the Marin County League race into a three-way tie.

Freshman Brooklyn Lopez had 10 kills for the Golden Eagles in the loss to Buchanan.

Golden Bears, led on the attack by Savannah Sheridan and Anaya Francois, won the competitive Southwestern League with a 9-1 mark.

On the bubble: Rocklin (SJS), Newport Harbor-Newport Beach (SS), West Ranch-Valencia (SS), Redwood (NCS), Branson (NCS).

Got comments, questions or opinions? Email gordon.kass@gmail.com.