For the first time, the North Coast Section volleyball playoffs have gone to a closed-door committee instead of a seeding meeting, and the brackets have been announced.
Let’s take a look at each division, which have been opened up to 16 teams this year.

Division I

The top seed in this division was merely academic as Amador Valley dominated Division I in the East Bay all year long. The Dons are the clearcut favorite.
After Amador Valley, it gets interesting and very competitive with East Bay Athletic League runner-up Granada earning the No. 2 seed, and deservedly so.
The Matadors went 21-6 and were the second best team behind the Dons all year in D I.

Wednesday, Nov. 11
First Round
No. 4 Mission San Jose v. No. 13 Berkeley
No. 5 Deer Valley v. No. 12 San Leandro
No. 6 Washington v. No. 11 Logan
No. 7 Irvington v. No. 10 Liberty
No. 8 Heritage v. No. 9 Castro Valley
Saturday, Nov. 14
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Amador Valley v. TBA
No. 2 Granada v. TBA
No. 3 Foothill v. TBA

Division II

Carondelet is the East Bay’s highest seeded team in Division II, earning the No. 3 seed, but the tough schedule and playing in the East Bay Athletic League wasn’t enough to earn one of the top two seeds. The honors went to No. 1 Petaluma and No. 2 Redwood.
Northgate earned the No. 4 seed and will join Carondelet with a first-round bye.
Another Diablo Valley Athletic League team, Concord, earns the No. 8 seed while Las Lomas is No. 10 and Alameda is No. 11.

Wednesday, Nov. 11
First Round
No. 5 Maria Carrillo v. No. 12 Eureka
No. 6 Windsor v. No. 11 Alameda
No. 7 Rancho Cotate v. No. 10 Las Lomas
No. 8 Concord v. No. 9 Ukiah
Saturday, Nov. 14
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Petaluma v. TBA
No. 2 Redwood v. TBA
No. 3 Carondelet v. TBA
No. 4 Northgate v. TBA

Division III

In the most compelling and competitive division in the NCS, D III features four of the top teams in Northern California. The four of them earned the top seeds, with last year’s No. 1 seed and runner-up, Miramonte, earning the top seed again.
“I’m extremely excited and I’m so, so proud of my girls,” Miramonte coach Shannon Ross said. “The NCS seeds us No. 1 so they obviously see something in us that they like, and I hope this is the motivation to go all the way. I hope we can finish this year and I really think this team can do it.”
Miramonte went 25-2, but Bishop O’Dowd might be considered the favorite by many after going 32-8 and playing a very, very strong schedule.
“I’m really focused on the state playoffs and I put this schedule together in preparation for state,” Bishop O’Dowd coach Mike Gee said. “I know looking ahead is dangerous because the NCS is going to be very tough.”
But the Dragons earned the No. 3 seed after losing to Analy in the semi-finals of the Northgate Tournament. Analy earns the No. 2 seed, it seems by virtue of this win. This would setup a potential semi-final matchup, but Bishop O’Dowd will have to travel to Sebastopol.
“If we’re going to be a top team, we need to be capable of winning at home or away,” Gee said. “Playing on the road or at home doesn’t matter. We’ve traveled a lot this year and we’re gonna be battle tested.”
Campolindo earns the No. 4 seed, setting up a potential fourth matchup between the Cougars and rival Miramonte. The Matadors went 2-1 against Campolindo, winning both league matches and losing at the Northgate Tournament.
Albany and Moreau Catholic, both top ten teams in the Bay Area News Group’s Volleyball Rankings, were seeded No. 6 and No. 7, respectively.
Acalanes, a tough team when things are clicking, earns the No. 10 seed with El Cerrito earning the No. 13 seed.

Wednesday, Nov. 11
First Round
No. 4 Campolindo v. No. 13 El Cerrito
No. 5 Drake v. No. 12 Del Norte
No. 6 Albany v. No. 11 El Molino
No. 7 Moreau Catholic v. No. 10 Acalanes
No. 8 Sonoma Valley v. No. 9 Terra Linda
Saturday, Nov. 14
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Miramonte v. TBA
No. 2 Analy v. TBA
No. 3 Bishop O’Dowd v. TBA

Division IV

The Salesian Pride earn the No. 2 seed after their march to the Bay Shore Athletic League Tournament title. The team they beat, St. Patrick-St. Vincent, earns the No. 3 seed.
The BSAL is well-represented with Piedmont getting the No. 4 seed and St. Mary’s getting the No. 7 seed.
Berean Christian, after winning a one-game playoff against Northgate to win the Diablo Valley Athletic League’s automatic bid (they shared the league title) earns the No. 5 seed.
The Eagles split with St. Patrick-St. Vincent this year and lost to Salesian twice.

Wednesday, Nov. 11
First Round
No. 3 St. Patrick-St. Vincent v. McKinleyville
No. 4 Piedmont v. No. 13 Clear Lake
No. 5 Berean Christian v. No. 12 Ursuline
No. 6 St. Helena v. No. 11 Kelseyville
No. 7 St. Mary’s v. No. 10 Healdsburg
No. 8 Lick-Wilmerding v. No. 9 Willits
Saturday, Nov. 14
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Marin Catholic v. TBA
No. 2 Salesian v. TBA

Division V

The Bay Counties League East is well represented in Division V with Valley Christian earning the highest seed at No. 4, and a first-round bye.
Redwood Christian, Head-Royce, College Prep and Bentley will all get home matches in the first round on Wednesday.

Wednesday, Nov. 11
First Round
No. 5 Redwood Christian v. No. 12 Roseland University Prep-Santa Rosa
No. 6 Head-Royce v. No. 11 Hoopa Valley
No. 7 College Prep v. No. 10 Fremont Christian
No. 8 Bentley v. No. 9 Bay School-San Francisco
Saturday, Nov. 14
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Branson v. TBA
No. 2 Marin Academy v. TBA
No. 3 University-San Francisco v. TBA
No. 4 Valley Christian v. TBA

Division VI

A pair of Bay Counties League East teams make the Division VI playoffs, with Contra Costa Christian earning a bye and the No. 5 seed, meanwhile Chinese Christian earns the No. 11 seed and faces Southern Trinity-Bridgeville.

Wednesday, Nov. 11
First Round
No. 6 Southern Trinity v. No. 11 Chinese Christian
No. 7 Mendocino v. No. 10 Tomales
No. 8 Pescadero v. No. 9 Rio Lindo Adventist
Saturday, Nov. 14
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Rincon Valley Christian v. TBA
No. 2 Anderson Valley v. TBA
No. 3 Pacific Union Prep v. TBA
No. 4 San Francisco Waldorf v. No. 5 Contra Costa Christian

Rankings

Here are the rankings entering the playoffs.

1. Bishop O’Dowd
2. Miramonte
3. Amador Valley
4. Campolindo
5. Carondelet
6. Granada
7. Foothill
8. Deer Valley
9. Albany
10. Moreau Catholic
11. Mission San Jose
12. Salesian
13. Berean Christian
14. Northgate
15. Irvington

Others considered: Castro Valley, Washington, St. Patrick-St. Vincent, Piedmont, Heritage, Liberty, San Ramon Valley, St. Mary’s, Berkeley, Acalanes.

League standings

Final league standings.

ACCAL
Team League GB
Berkeley 12-0 -
Alameda 9-3 3
El Cerrito 9-3 3
De Anza 5-7 7
Hercules 4-8 8
Pinole Valley 3-9 9
Richmond 0-12 12

BSAL
Team League GB
Albany 17-1 -
St. Patrick-St. Vincent 14-4 3
Piedmont 14-4 3
Salesian 13-5 4
St. Mary’s 12-6 5
St. Joseph Notre Dame 7-11 10
Encinal 5-13 12
Holy Names 4-14 13
Swett 3-15 14
Kennedy-R 0-18 17

BVAL
Team League GB
Deer Valley 15-0 -
Heritage 11-4 4
Liberty 10-5 5
Freedom 6-9 9
Antioch 3-12 12
Pittsburg 0-15 15

DFAL
Team League GB
Miramonte 12-0 -
Campolindo 10-2 2
Acalanes 7-5 5
Las Lomas 7-5 5
Dublin 4-8 8
Dougherty Valley 2-10 10
Alhambra 0-12 12

DVAL
Team League GB
Berean Christian 11-1 -
Northgate 11-1 -
Concord 8-4 3
Clayton Valley 6-6 5
College Park 4-8 7
Ygnacio Valley 1-11 10
Mt. Diablo 1-11 10

EBAL
Team League GB
Amador Valley 14-0 -
Granada 11-3 3
Carondelet 10-4 4
Foothill 8-6 6
San Ramon Valley 5-9 9
California 5-9 9
Monte Vista 2-12 12
Livermore 1-13 13

HAAL
Team League GB
Bishop O’Dowd 12-0 -
Moreau Catholic 10-2 2
Castro Valley 8-4 4
San Leandro 8-4 4
Arroyo 6-6 6
Hayward 4-8 8
Tennyson 0-8 10
San Lorenzo 0-8 10
Mt. Eden 0-8 10

MVAL
Team League GB
Washington 10-2 -
Mission San Jose 10-2 -
Irvington 9-3 1
Logan 7-5 3
Newark Memorial 3-9 7
American 3-9 7
Kennedy-F 0-12 10