Photos

A little history will be made on Tuesday night when three local girls' volleyball teams open the CIF Northern California playoffs.

All three teams -- Menlo-Atherton, Sacred Heart Prep and Priory -- will be hosting first-round matches at 7 p.m. That scenario is a first after all three won Central Coast Section titles on Saturday -- another first for the local area if St. Francis isn't part of the equation.

Sacred Heart Prep was the only local team receiving a No. 1 NorCal seed as the Gators (30-5) took the top spot in Division IV. They will host No. 8 Ripon Christian (27-7) of the Sac Joaquin Section.

By virtue of being the No. 1 seed, Sacred Heart Prep will host throughout the playoffs. The semifinals will be Saturday and the finals on Nov. 27.

Priory received the No. 2 seed in Division V and will host No. 7 Le Grand (21-9) of the Sac Joaquin Section. The Panthers (21-8) could host a semifinal but would have to play at No. 1 Branson (35-2) should both teams reach the finals.

Menlo-Atherton (27-7) received the No. 4 seed in Division I and will host No. 5 San Ramon Valley (31-10) of the North Coast Section. The Bears, however, would have to travel for the semifinals -- facing host and No. 1 St. Francis of Sacramento (35-2) on Saturday should both teams win their openers.

The Bears open NorCal action with plenty of momentum after capturing their first-ever CCS championship on Saturday at Independence High in San Jose.

Menlo-Atherton, which had lost three straight section finales (including the past two to defending state champ Palo Alto), made sure a fourth straight appearance was a charm and produced a 25-22, 25-22, 25-20 victory over No. 4 Homestead.

The Mustangs (23-9) were kind enough to eliminate another possible third straight Palo Alto/Menlo-Atheton showdown in the finals by upending the Vikings in the semifinals.

M-A's one-two punch of seniors Ali Spindt and Katelyn Doherty appropriately led the way against Homestead. Spindt had a triple-double of 12 digs, 10 kills and 22 assists while Doherty finished with 14 assists, 11 digs and six kills. Spindt provided the winning point.

Junior Pauli King had a team-high 11 kills and added 11 assists for the No. 3-seeded Bears. Junior Virginia Lane contributed 15 digs with sophomore Ally Ostrow adding nine digs and seven kills for first-year coach Ron Whitmill.

Before M-A captured its first section title in program history, Sacred Heart Prep won its 13th overall with a big 25-17, 25-23, 23-25, 25-23 over top-seeded Harbor (30-6)in the Division IV finals.

The No. 2-seeded Gators (30-5) were led by sophomore Victoria Garrick's 15 kills while senior Payton Smith added 14 kills, eight blocks and three aces. Senior Sonia Abuel-Saud had 12 kills and 18 digs and senior Ellie Shannon finished with nine kills and four blocks. Helen Gannon added 30 digs and fellow senior Cammie Merten contributed 41 assists.

The first CCS title match on Saturday saw No. 2 Priory toppled No. 1 Notre Dame-Salinas, 22-25, 25-13, 26-24, 25-17. The Panthers were led by junior Marine Hall-Poirier's 20 kills 17 digs, four blocks and three aces.

Hall-Poirier had four kills during a 7-1 run in the third set to rally the Panthers from a 23-19 deficit and providing momentum to wrap up the match.

Priory seniors Briana Willhite (12 kills) and Stephanie Brugger played great in the middle while hitting .409 and .667, respectively, while adding six blocks. Stephanie Swan contributed 37 assists.

"It was a great win for the team, and especially for the six seniors who helped bring Priory its first CCS title since 2004," said Dustin Moore, who guided the Panthers to their fifth CCS crown in program history.

2012 CIF NorCal VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
Division I
Tuesday's first round (7 p.m.)
No. 8 Skyline-Oakland (12-7) at No. 1 St. Francis-Sacramento (35-2)

No. 5 San Ramon Valley (31-10) at No. 4 Menlo-Atherton (27-7)

No. 6 Hometead (24-9) at No. 3 California-San Ramon (29-3)

No. 2 Granite Bay (39-6) at No. 7 Lowell-San Francisco (23-10)

Division II
Tuesday's first round (7 p.m.)
No. 8 Pleasant Valley-Chico (19-17) at No. 1 Mitty (36-0)

No. 5 Gregori-Modesto (33-3) at No. 4 Las Lomas-Walnut Creek (36-7)

No. 6 Maria Carrillo-Santa Rosa (29-6) at No. 3 Los Gatos (23-7)

No. 7 Chico (28-7) at No. 2 El Camino-Sacramento (33-5)

Division III
Tuesday's first round (7 p.m.)

No. 8 Shasta-Redding (23-15) at No. 1 Campolindo (27-4), 7 p.m.

No. 5 Sacred Heart Cathedral (30-9) at No. 4 Oakmont-Roseville (34-2), 7 p.m.

No. 3 Bishop O'Dowd (29-7) at No. 6 Enterprise-Redding (40-6), 7 p.m.

No. 7 Vista del Lago-Folsom (24-12) at No. 2 Valley Christian-San Jose (33-8), 7 p.m.

Division IV
Tuesday's first round (7 p.m.)
No. 8 Ripon Christian (27-7) at No. 1 Sacred Heart Prep (30-5)

No. 5 Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa (25-8) at No. 4 Bear River-Grass Valley (30-12), 7 p.m.

No. 3 Harbor (32-6) at No. 6 West Valley-Cottonwood (28-9), 7 p.m.

No. 7 Yreka (26-8) at No. 2 St. Patrick-St. Vincent-Vallejo (33-5), 7 p.m.

Division V
Tuesday's first round (7 p.m.)
No. 8 Los Molinos (35-8) vs. No. 1 Branson-Ross (35-2) at College of Marin, 7 p.m.

No. 4 Notre Dame-Salinas (23-11) at No. 5 Woodland Christian-Woodland (18-13), 7 p.m.

No. 3 St. Joseph Notre Dame-Alameda (26-11) at No. 6 Hamilton-Hamilton City (23-9), 7 p.m.

No. 7 Le Grand (21-9) at No. 2 Priory (21-8)

— Palo Alto Online Sports

Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.