Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) clinched its second consecutive Durango Fall Classic title on Saturday with an electrifying 25-18, 24-26, 28-26 victory over Marymount (Los Angeles, Calif.).
The Monarchs join the ranks of only three other teams to secure back-to-back titles at Durango, a prestigious high school volleyball tournament that has been a staple in the sport for almost three decades. Other repeat champions include Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), and Torrey Pines (San Diego, Calif.).
This year’s competition, hosted across four high schools in the Las Vegas area, showcased nearly a dozen nationally-ranked teams among a total of 64 contenders.
As we highlight the performances of Mater Dei and its standout sophomore, dive into the news, notes, and insights from an action-packed two days at the Durango tournament.
Durango Fall Classic 2024 Highlights
1. Westley Matavao is a force of nature.
Mater Dei’s Class of 2027 hitter earned MVP honors by delivering an impressive 12 kills during the championship match against Marymount. She contributed nine kills in the semifinals against former No. 1 Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) and eight in the first bracket match against Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.).
Recently transferred from Orange Lutheran, Matavao has just become eligible and may prove to be a game-changer for the Monarchs as they seek a second consecutive Open Division state title and more. Coach Dan O’Dell noted that his team faced losses to Torrey Pines, Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.), and Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.) without Matavao and Layli Ostovar (who was resting her shoulder).
2. The Monarchs are loaded with power hitters.
This impressive roster includes Ostovar, the MaxPreps Sophomore of the Year, along with Presley Kiffin, Preslie Saunders, and middle hitters Addison Coady and Emma Kingston. Together, they amassed 45 kills against Marymount, with all-tournament selection Sam Capinpin and Soraya Dennis each providing 17 assists.
3. The last three Durango champions have gone on to become MaxPreps National Champions.
Marymount in 2021, Cathedral Catholic in 2022, and Mater Dei last year have all accomplished this feat.
Speaking of Marymount, the Sailors made a splash this week, entering the MaxPreps Top 25 after their strong showing at Durango. They achieved victories over Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), Palo Verde (Las Vegas, Nev.), and Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) in pool play, eventually advancing to the Championship Division bracket following a qualifying win against No. 17 Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.).
“Our goal was to get to the big gym (Durango High gym) after not making it last year,” remarked coach Cari Klein. “Then we wanted to maximize our match play.”
With a record of 20-3, the Sailors avenged two prior losses by beating Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio, Texas) in the semifinals and Mira Costa in the opening bracket match. Their perseverance was evident as they battled back from a 1-0 deficit in both the semifinal and final matches.
“We emphasized grit in our pre-tournament discussions,” Klein noted. “We started seeing signs of it last week.”
This spirit was showcased on Saturday, as Marymount fought from an 0-4 deficit in the second set against Mater Dei, ultimately pulling off a 26-24 win, capped off by a service ace from Samantha Destler.
Destler was recognized as one of three all-tournament selections, alongside setter Olivia Penske and 6-foot-5 middle blocker Elle Vandeweghe, who proved to be a formidable presence throughout the tournament. Ryan Gilhooly and libero Declan Eastman also shined with their performances.
4. Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) entered as the national No. 1 and top seed.
The Lions faced a challenging start but managed to secure a tough win against Mercy (Louisville, Ky.) before building momentum to reach the semifinals.
The intense battle between Prestonwood and Mater Dei mirrored the energy of the other semifinal. Following the defeat, Prestonwood dropped to No. 6 in the rankings.
Texas commit Macaria Spears, much like Matavao, was a powerhouse on the court. Whenever her team needed a pivotal score, they turned to their senior leader. Alongside setter Taylor Cook (also a Kansas commit), Spears was named to the all-tournament team.
5. While numerous teams aimed for the Durango title, others viewed it as a benchmark for preparing for state title pursuits.
No. 24 Marist (Chicago, Ill.) capped their journey with a third-place finish in the Silver Division. The RedHawks swept through pool play before pushing Mater Dei to three sets in the qualifier. They notched a win over No. 25 Carrollwood Day (Tampa, Fla.) before facing No. 22 Los Alamitos (Calif.) without their star player, Northwestern commit Bella Bullington. Stepping up in her absence were Maggie Kurpeikis and Ava Stratton.
Marist returned to Illinois on a high note after defeating Branson (Ross, Calif.). Coach Jordan Vidovic led the boys’ team to a state title last spring, and the RedHawks are poised to contend with No. 4 Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.) and Mother McAuley (Chicago, Ill.) for the Class 4A state title.
Carrollwood Day advanced smoothly through pool play, but they had to cope without their standout and MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year, Lydia Chinchar, on Saturday.
Coach Doug Chinchar mentioned that she was under the weather, but the Patriots didn’t let this become an excuse—they went to three sets with Sierra Canyon in the qualifying round, defeated Marist, and took Los Alamitos to three sets in the semifinals.
Junior Elena Dibbs-Frantz and senior middle blocker Lorelei Church led the offensive charge, while Jansen Warbritton delivered precise sets to facilitate their success.
Skutt Catholic (Omaha, Neb.), holders of nine consecutive Nebraska Class B titles, ended up tied for 15th place. Their run included victories over Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.), Kamehameha Kapalama (Honolulu, Hawaii), and Bishop Manogue (Reno, Nev.). Despite losing all three matches on Saturday, they faced tough opponents—No. 17 Cathedral Catholic, Branson, and Casteel (Queen Creek, Ariz.).
6. Casteel emerged as one of the biggest surprises in the Championship Division and exuded enthusiasm.
The Colts entered the tournament with a record of 8-8 against a demanding schedule that included Durango and Volleypalooza. Two of their losses were to No. 16 Xavier College Prep and No. 9 Dripping Springs (Texas).
All-tournament selection Brooke Harwood was an integral part of Casteel’s success, complemented by strong performances from sophomore Kendall Omoruyi and freshman Izzie Penrose. Setters Kennedy Thompson and Fara Bronson kept the offensive flow intact.
7. Xavier College Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.) jumped eight spots to No. 16 in the MaxPreps Top 25 after seizing the Silver Division title.
The Gators showcased their strength by defeating Cathedral Catholic, Branson, and Los Alamitos in bracket play. Sophomore Tessa Larkin demonstrated her remarkable talent with a diverse range of powerful shots, while freshman middle Amari Frazier made a strong impression, hinting at a bright future for the Gators.
8. While the athletes shone on the court, notable figures were present off the court as well.
Volleyball parents Willie McGinest and Jared Jeffries attended the event, supporting their daughters Hanna McGinest and Eva Jeffries, who both excelled with Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.). McGinest is widely recognized for his three Super Bowl victories with the New England Patriots, whereas Jeffries had a notable 11-year career in the NBA.
In a match against Mater Dei, Eva Jeffries contributed seven kills, while Hanna McGinest supported the effort with six kills.
