And then there was one. San Joaquin Delta College is now the last of the undefeated as it continues its stranglehold on the #1 spot in the CCCWVCA State Top 25 Rankings #6. 

Both San Diego Mesa and Long Beach CC suffered their first defeats of 2023 last week as the South continues to show parity from a host of teams throughout the region. There are a number of teams that have gone through the A-B-C game as some A's have lost to some C's and some B's have beaten some C's and A's. And even more cases of the previously unranked shocking some of the A's and B's.

It's been two Pacific Coast Athletic Conference teams in Grossmont and Mesa, though, who have kept above the rest of the pack. The Griffins ended the Olympians' 14-match win streak with a 4-set victory, 25-18, 25-23, 21-25, 25-23, that allowed them to become the new leader in the South at #4. Mesa drops to #5. 

Meanwhile, new #19 East Los Angeles brought an end to now #14 Long Beach City's undefeated run at 12 straight wins by beating the Vikings in four, 25-11, 25-19, 24-26, 25-16.

The Orange Empire Conference's #T25 Saddleback (6-1), the Western State North's #24 Santa Barbara City (3-0), and the South Coast's #13 Rio Hondo (7-0) are all surprising early leaders in their respective conferences. 

Number 7 Irvine Valley, #9 Ventura, #10 Cypress, #13 Rio Hondo, #15 Mt. San Antonio, #16 Orange Coast, #17 Pasadena City, #18 Moorpark, #19 East LA, #T25 Mt. San Jacinto and #T25 Bakersfield have all had key moments of success that shows just how many SoCal teams are vying to top each other from the #3 SoCal rating through the top 15. 

1. SAN JOAQUIN DELTA, Big 8, 16-0: The Mustangs are tied with Sierra atop the Big 8 standings, both at 6-0. Last week, Delta swept Folsom Lake and defeated Sacramento CC in four. NorCal #1; Last Week's Ranking: #1
2. FEATHER RIVER, Golden Valley, 15-4: The Golden Eagles swept Siskiyous in their conference opener to extend their GVC win streak to 54 dating back to a 2016 loss to Butte. FRC moves up one spot. NorCal #2; Last Week's Ranking: #3
3. SIERRA, Big 8, 15-2: The Wolverines are on an 8-match victory streak, but were tested well by unranked Santa Rosa in a 4-set win with the final three sets all extra point affairs, outscoring the Cubs just 78-76 after having an easy time in taking game 1, 25-12. This week, the two Big 8 leaders meet up as Sierra hosts Delta on Wednesday. Sierra climbs a slot. NorCal #3; Last Week's Ranking: #4
4. GROSSMONT, Pacific Coast Athletic, 14-1: The Griffins lead the PCAC now at 6-0. After knocking off their perennial rival Mesa, they swept San Diego City to extend the team's win streak to eight matches. Their only loss this year was in five to Mt. San Antonio, and that was more than a month ago. Grossmont moves up one spot. SoCal #1; Last Week's Ranking: #5
5. SAN DIEGO MESA, Pacific Coast Athletic, 15-1: The Olympians followed up their loss to Grossmont by sweeping San Diego Miramar. Mesa falls three slots. SoCal #2; Last Week's Ranking: #2
6. FRESNO CITY, Central Valley, 15-4: The Rams keep piling on to their incredible CVC win streak, now at 167 matches with sweeps over Taft and Merced. Interestingly, they have to beat unranked West Hills Coalinga in order to take over first place by itself as WHC is also 7-0 in conference play. NorCal #4; Last Week's Ranking: #6
7. IRVINE VALLEY, Orange Empire, 11-2: The Lasers swept Fullerton, then barely won an epic battle v. Orange Coast in five, rallying from 2-0 down to pull out the victory, 22-25, 25-27, 25-22, 25-18, 19-17. SoCal #3; Last Week's Ranking: #7
8. LASSEN, Golden Valley, 21-2: The Cougars swept Shasta and Butte to open GVC play and have won 21 consecutive sets. Lassen had a State Player of the Week #7 in OH Cayton White. They also inch up another spot.  NorCal #5; Last Week's Ranking: #9
9. VENTURA, Western State North, 12-2: The Pirates swept Cuesta and face a big test when it plays Santa Barbara this week. The Pirates bump up a slot. SoCal #4; Last Week's Ranking: #10
10. CYPRESS, Orange Empire, 12-3: The Chargers swept Santa Ana and the domino effect of LBCC's loss allows them to leap four spots. SoCal #5; Last Week's Ranking: #14
11. AMERICAN RIVER, Big 8, 12-5: The Beavers won a hard-fought 4-setter over Cosumnes River (96-95 in points), then swept Diablo Valley. NorCal #6; Last Week's Ranking: #11
12. SOLANO, Bay Valley, 15-5: The Falcons upped their BVC win streak to 50 matches in sweeping Alameda and Mendocino, limiting the two opponents to just 41 points combined. NorCal #7; Last Week's Ranking: #12
13. RIO HONDO, South Coast, 12-3: The Roadrunners ran their winning streak to eight with sweeps over El Camino and LA Harbor. They face a stiff test v. Long Beach this week. RHC moves up 2 rungs on the ladder. SoCal #6; Last Week's Ranking: #15
14. LONG BEACH CITY, South Coast, 12-1: The Vikings may have lost to ELAC, but their earlier 5-set wins over Mt. San Antonio and Pasadena as well as a sweep of SBCC keep them from dropping more. It's a 6-spot fall for LBCC. SoCal #7; Last Week's Ranking: #8
15. MT. SAN ANTONIO, South Coast, 10-7: The Mounties handed rival Pasadena its worst loss of the season in a sweep (75-48), swept LA Harbor and are on a 4-match win streak. Mt. SAC rises 3 spots. SoCal #8; Last Week's Ranking: #18
16. ORANGE COAST, Orange Empire, 9-5: The Pirates continue to be a bit of an enigma. They played an impressive five in its loss to Irvine Valley (116-109), then were shocked in an upset loss to Saddleback in five, 24-26, 25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 15-12. OCC falls 3 spots. SoCal #9; Last Week's Ranking: #13
17. PASADENA CITY, South Coast, 11-6: The Lancers win resume including over ELAC, Moorpark, and conference leaders Santa Barbara, Saddleback, and Bakersfield kept them from sliding much. Just one slot down. SoCal #10; Last Week's Ranking: #16
18. MOORPARK, Western State North, 9-6: The Raiders have won six of their last seven including sweeps over LA Mission and MiraCosta. Moorpark moves up one slot. SoCal #11; Last Week's Ranking: #19
19. EAST LOS ANGELES, South Coast, 17-4: In another season, the Huskies upset over Long Beach would have catapulted them higher, but their win followed getting upset themselves by Cerritos in four. Just one elevator stop upward. SoCal #12. Last Week's Ranking: #20
20. WEST VALLEY, Coast South, 10-3: The Vikings have won four in a row, edging Cabrillo in five, 25-23, 25-17, 20-25, 24-26, 15-11, then sweeping San Jose CC. The South logjam forced a one spot drop. NorCal #8; Last Week's Ranking: #19
21. SAN MATEO, Coast South, 5-6: The Bulldogs beat De Anza in four in their lone match last week. It's been a snail pace for CSM in playing now just 11 matches overall due to some scheduling postponements. NorCal #9; Last Week's Ranking: #21
22. CERRITOS, South Coast, 7-3: The Falcons continue a hot streak, including its biggest win of the year so far over East LA, and swept LA City. Cerritos road upward two spots. SoCal #13; Last Week's Ranking: #T24
23. SANTA MONICA, Western State South, 11-6: The Corsairs beat Canyons in four, then were knocked off in a hard five v. Bakersfield, 23-25, 25-13, 16-25, 25-16, 15-13. SMC went one down one on the ferris wheel. SoCal #14; Last Week's Ranking: #22
24. SANTA BARBARA CITY, Western State North, 9-8: The Vaqueros have won four straight after a sweep over LA Pierce. They have a chance to make some more noise when they face Ventura this week. SoCal #15; Last Week's Ranking: #T24
    T25. BAKERSFIELD, Western State South, 8-5: The Renegades also have won four in a row, sweeping West LA, then recording its biggest win since their opening-day sweep over Mt. San Antonio by getting past Santa Monica in five. Bakersfield gets back on the top 25. Last Week's Ranking: Not Ranked.
    T25. SADDLEBACK, Orange Empire, 10-3: Winners of six of their last seven, the Bobcats climb aboard the top 25 with their upset over Orange Coast and a 4-set win over Golden West. They also picked State Player of the Week #7 honors in OH Stila Fresenius. Last Week's Ranking: Not Ranked.
    T25. MT. SAN JACINTO, Inland Empire Athletic, 14-4: The Eagles are on a 6-match win string, sweeping Cerro Coso and beating San Bernardino Valley in four. They lead the IEAC at 3-0. They slid one spot. Last Week's Ranking: #T24
    BEST OF THE REST
    Cabrillo, Coast North, 6-7: The Seahawks keep getting snakebit, losing to West Valley in five, but they are the favorites to win the Coast North as they open conference play this week. NorCal #10
    Cosumnes River, Big 8, 12-5: the Hawks scored 4-set wins over Modesto and De Anza and gave American River a battle in their 4-set L. NorCal #11
    Hartnell, Coast North, 10-6: The Panthers are on fire with six consecutive sweeps, including over Ohlone, Folsom Lake and Butte. NorCal #12
    Los Angeles Mission, Western State North, 13-9: The Eagles were swept by Moorpark. 
    Cuesta, Western State North, 12-8: The Cougars were swept by Ventura, then edged North foes Ohlone in five (127-118) and West Hills Lemoore in four. 
    Riverside City, Orange Empire, 10-6: The Tigers swept Golden West and Fullerton. 
    Golden West, Orange Empire, 7-5: The Rustlers were swept by Riverside City and beaten by Saddleback in four. Last Week's State Ranking: #T24
    San Bernardino Valley, Inland Empire Athletic, 10-5; The Wolverines had their 6-match win streak stopped by Mt. San Jacinto in four after being Victor Valley in four. 
    Santa Rosa JC, Big 8, 10-7: The Bear Cubs showed some mettle in their 4-set L v. Sierra, then swept Folsom Lake. NorCal #13
    Canyons, Western State South, 6-9: The Cougars lost to Santa Monica in four, then beat Antelope Valley in four.
    Monterey Peninsula, Coast North, 8-3: The Lobos swept Gavlilan. NorCal #14
    Modesto JC, Big 8, 12-5: The Pirates lost to Cosumnes River in four and swept Diablo Valley. NorCal #15
    Sacramento City, Big 8, 11-9: The Panthers won a set v. #1 Delta in their 4-game defeat.  
    West Hills Coalinga, Central Valley, 9-6: The Falcons are tied with Fresno for the CVC lead after upping their conference win streak to seven with a 4-set win over Merced. 
    Los Medanos, Bay Valley, 12-11: The Mustangs swept Mendocino and Yuba. 
    Sequoias, Central Valley, 8-12: The Giants have won three straight, sweeping Reedley and Columbia. 
    Merced, Central Valley, 6-8: The Blue Devils lost in four to WH Coalinga and were swept by Fresno. 
    Taft, Central Valley, 11-8: The Cougars were swept by Fresno, then swept WH Lemoore.
    Victor Valley, Inland Empire Athletic, 6-5: The Rams played well in a 4-set loss to SBVC (97-87)
    Porterville, Central Valley, 9-11: The Pirates beat WH Lemoore in four and swept Reedley.
    Siskiyous, Golden Valley, 8-9: The Eagles were swept by Feather River.
    Desert, IEAC, 7-9: The Roadrunners have won three in a row, beat Cerro Coso twice (sweep and in four) and defeated Chaffey in four.
    Ohlone, Coast South, 10-12: The Renegades were swept by Hartnell, scored a 32-30 set win in a 5-set L v. Cuesta, and swept WH Lemoore.

Rankings/Release by Robert Lewis, CCCWVCA SID