Loudoun County, Va. — After a month of boys volleyball action, teams are settling in and finding their rhythm. As district play gets underway, the stakes get higher as teams vie for the top spot in the standings and the coveted first title. The premier teams have already established themselves as such, as the same five teams remain in the mix of the LoCo Top 5, with only one swap occurring since the previous edition. As the 2026 season continues and more Top 5 matchups take place, things are bound to get shaken up, and it will be exciting to see how it all plays out.
1. Freedom (-)
The Eagles (3-0, 10-0) are one of two teams that still remain unbeaten. Over the last couple weeks, they took down Stone Bridge, Osbourn Park, and Loudoun Valley. Freedom also won the duel with No. 3 Lightridge in a battle for the early lead in the district race. Senior outside hitter Simon Bigham continues to lead the way, and senior middle hitter Peter Lisack has also become a regular contributor. Senior libero Alex Cocchiaro anchors the back row defense, while senior setter Eistein Gunawan and junior setter Justin Jose run a balanced offense. The Eagles host John Champe on September 22, Riverside on September 24, and Osbourn Park on September 28 before hitting the road against No. 5 Briar Woods on September 29 and Potomac Falls on October 1.
2. Tuscarora (+1)
The Huskies (2-0, 5-0) have still not dropped even a set and remain the other undefeated team in the county. Sweeps of Dulles District opponents Dominion and Heritage give them the early edge in the standings. Junior middle hitter Aloysius Jose dominates at the net, burying balls and shutting down opponents with the block. Junior setter Kellen Hill also provides a solid block in the front row and finds his hitters everywhere on the court. The team as a whole is well-rounded, with several players who can step in when needed to side-out or go on a run. Tuscarora will be tested when they host Rock Ridge—the other Dulles District opponent currently sitting at 2-0—on September 22 and when they travel to No. 3 Lightridge on September 24. Games the following week against Woodgrove (September 29) and Loudoun County (October 1) will also determine if the Huskies can hold strong.
3. Lightridge (-1)
After sweeping Potomac Falls, the Lightning (3-1, 8-1) suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of No. 1 Freedom in a 5-set battle. They rebounded quickly to shut out Stone Bridge and now have to prepare for a big week of Top 5 matchups. Junior middle hitter Vishnu Venkatesan dominates at the net, junior right side hitter Aarman Acharya can put balls away from the pin, and the court awareness of junior outside hitter Peter Kwon allows him to contribute no matter where he is. Other members of the team are finding their place and learning their role, which has enabled the Bolts to operate as a cohesive unit. Lightridge will face No. 5 Briar Woods on September 22 and No. 2 Tuscarora on September 24 in a couple games that have the potential to shake up the LoCo Top 5. The Lightning will then travel to Riverside on September 29 and host John Champe on September 30.
4. Broad Run (-)
Since dropping a 4-set match to No. 1 Freedom, the Spartans (0-0, 5-1) have been perfect, picking up sweeps of Riverside and John Champe. Leading the charge is senior outside hitter Joshua Collins, while sophomore setters Skyler Amaya and Connor Bibbs are distributing the ball well to a mix of different hitters. The next stretch of Broad Run’s schedule features games against Class 4 opponents in the Dulles District, including Dominion on September 24, Heritage on September 29, and Loudoun Valley on October 1.
5. Briar Woods (-)
The Falcons (4-0, 8-1) have swept their way through every match so far, except for a 3-1 loss to No. 4 Broad Run early in the season. Most recently, Briar Woods took down Stone Bridge, Potomac Falls, and John Champe during the first round of Potomac District play. Sophomore outside hitter Caden Sorensen knows how to terminate, especially when the connection with senior setter Nicholas Friend is running in-system. Junior middle hitter Miles Nickerson and freshman outside hitter Kellen Herbert are gaining confidence and developing into reliable contributors. Next up for the Falcons is a showdown with No. 3 Lightridge on September 22 and another meeting with Stone Bridge on September 24. Briar Woods will then take on No. 1 Freedom on September 29 and Riverside on October 1.