The second edition of VST’s power rankings has arrived with a few shakeups after some big wins last week. A Central Valley League team hits the list after a strong week of competition. The East Valley gains a second entrant after a big win over a West Valley League team. Here are the top ten teams heading into a busy week of action:

1. Taft Toreadors (13-5) Last Week: #1
   The Toreadors hold strong at number one despite dropping a four-setter to league rivals Cleveland this week. They will get a chance to right their momentum when they head to Birmingham this week before taking on Roosevelt in the Chatsworth tournament on Friday.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (9-4) Last Week: #3
   The Cavs continue to show that they will be a real threat to unseat Taft as the top team in the Valley. They will take on Granada Hills on Wednesday.
3. Arleta Mustangs (8-0) Last Week: #2
   The Mustangs are one of four teams in the city that remain unbeaten, and the only team in the Valley that can claim such a distinction.
4. Kennedy Cougars (12-3) Last Week: #4
   The Cougars continue to look like the runaway favorites in the Valley Mission. The team is off to a 5-0 start in the league with wins against all the teams thought to be the toughest opposition for the Valley Mission championship.
5. Chatsworth Chancellors (12-5) Last Week: #5
   The Chancellors lost in five sets to league rival Granada Hills yesterday, but the Chancellors are still a threat to challenge for the league title. They will look to bounce back when they host El Camino tomorrow.
6. Granada Hills Highlanders (8-7) Last Week: NR
   The Highlanders jump onto the list after a hard-fought victory over Chatsworth yesterday. It has been an inconsistent start to the season, but that is due to the level of competition the Highlanders have faced in the early going. The win over Chatsworth could be an indicator of the damage GHC is capable of in the West Valley during the league play portion of the season.
7. El Camino Real Royals (6-5) Last Week: #6
   The Royals responded to a hefty layoff with a dominant win over Birmingham to open league play. They will ascend the rankings with a win over Chatsworth on Wednesday.
8. Sylmar Spartans (12-9) Last Week: #7
   The Spartans are as tough as they come in the San Fernando Valley, and they have been tough outs even in the matchups they have not won this season. Despite their recent losses, the Spartans are still off to a 3-1 start in the Valley Mission.
9. Sun Valley Magnet Pioneers (10-2) Last Week: NR
   The Pioneers have emerged as the team to watch from the Central Valley League with as hot a start as they have gotten off to. While the competition they have faced might not be considered the top that the city has to offer, SVM has done exactly what you would expect a good team to do. They have dominated their opponents, taking 26 of the 31 sets they have played.
10. Grant Lancers (5-2) Last Week: NR
    The Lancers are a bit of a sleeper team here in the early portion of the season. They have only had seven matches so far, but they already have a quality win over Granada Hills, and their only losses have come to Valley heavyweights Arleta and Sylmar. I think this team could be a title contender. They will get a real litmus test this weekend when they face undefeated Los Angeles in the MACES tournament.