The Madera South Stallions boys volleyball team will try to become the third straight Madera team to win the Central Section Div. II Valley Championship after earning the top seed in the eight-team playoff, which began Tuesday for every other team except Madera South and its opponent.
Madera South head coach Steve Guglielmana earned a degree from UC Riverside and will walk in commencement ceremonies on Wednesday. Through a request to the CIF Central
Section, Madera South’s first playoff game will be on Thursday to accomodate Guglielmana.
Madera South, which ended the County/Metro Athletic Conference with an 8-2 record and in second place, earned the top seed and will host No. 8 St. Joseph-Santa Maria on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the quarterfinals.
The winner of that match will face the winner between No. 5 Central-Fresno and No. 4 Edison-Fresno on Friday with the winner advancing to the title game May 7.
The four teams on the other side of the bracket are No. 2 Sunnyside-Fresno, No. 3 McLane-Fresno, No. 6 Hoover-Fresno and No. 7 Reedley.
The Madera Coyotes won the Div. II title the previous two years the Central Section created the second division. Madera did not elect to go to the playoffs this season, ensuring a new Div. II champion.