Boys' volleyball: Who's better -- Valencia or Santa Barbara?

I realize there's half a dozen or so teams out there that think they're the best team in the  Southland, but the only ones that can honestly claim this sort of early-season distinction are Division II rivals Valencia and Santa Barbara. And as to which of these two teams is better, I have no idea.

As of last Thursday, I was convinced the Dons were the team to beat after their two-game victory over Valencia for the Gold Division title at the Best of the West Invitational on March 8. That outlook jumped out the window last Friday, though, when I heard about the Vikings living up to their No. 1 team-in-the-nation billing with a sweeping victory over the visiting Dons.

I'm leaning toward Valencia being the better of the teams thanks to the relative ease of its victory on Friday, but something has to be said about the Dons' ability to take a big tournament match. Plus, Santa Barbara is going to have plenty of chances to sharpen its teeth playing in the competitive Channel League against talented squads from Dos Pueblos and Ventura. The Vikings, though, won't find too many tests within their Foothill League borders.

Unless someone out there in the blogosphere can persuade me to one side or the other, I guess I'm just going to have to sit on the fence until these teams possibly meet up at the Santa Barbara tournament April 18-19.

-- Austin Knoblauch

-- Image from www.wikimedia.org