The Shadow Hills High volleyball team has been making strides every season, but for the first time the Knights have cracked the Div. 4 CIF poll.

This week coach Melissa Walker’s crew is ranked No. 6 after winning the Salton Sea Tournament title and beating Palm Desert in a non-league match last week.

Other local volleyball teams to make the polls are Palm Springs at No. 5 and Palm Desert at No. 10 in Div. 2. That will certainly change this week when the Desert Valley League season opens. Palm Springs travels to Xavier Tuesday for the first big game of the league schedule.

Also, Palm Desert already took a step forward when the Aztecs beat Palm Springs in the Hemet Tournament. That, however, does not count in the league race.

In Div. 5A, Marywood Palm Valley is at No. 5 and West Shores is at No. 6.

Biggest surprise is that Desert Christian Academy is unranked.

In water polo, three DVL teams made the Div. 6 poll; La Quinta is at No. 4, Palm Desert is 5th and Palm Springs is 6th.

In cross country, only Xavier boys (third) and girls (second) are ranked. The Saints compete in Div. 5.