In a perfect world, I’d have nothing else to do but to keep tabs on Johnston County high school sports. Or, maybe I should say a more perfect world, since a perfect one wouldn’t have me doing much of anything.

Nevertheless, it’s far past time for me to devote some time to volleyball — especially since we have a magical season unfolding over in McGee’s Crossroads.

Let’s run through the ranks:

Diamond 9

Our friends at Neuse Charter have been dropped from the middle of the pack in the Diamond 9, but there’s plenty of motivation left to finish the season on a high note.

VarsityNC has them projected on the right side of the 1A playoff bubble, and another win or two would help ensure it remains there.

Quad County 2A/3A/4A

American Leadership Academy is still looking for its first league win, but because it’s a 2A team in a combined league, the Patriots are very much in the discussion for a spot in the 2A playoffs.

The last team on that bubble? Wilson’s Mills, which is playing this season as an unaffiliated NCHSAA member. We could be looking at the school’s first-ever playoff bid in a few weeks.

Swine Valley 2A/3A

Midway looks to be the class of the Swine Valley 2A/3A, but Princeton is in good position to earn a spot in the 3A bracket. It’s on the bubble, though, so a good finish would be a nice bit of insurance.

Three Rivers 4A

North Johnston is in a cat fight for the Three Rivers 4A crown with Washington, West Craven and North Lenoir. The Panthers have games left against all three in the first two weeks of next month, so we’ll have a better picture then.

Carolina Pines 6A

West Johnston is having an amazing season with a 19-0 record, and has only been pushed to a fifth set once all season (Lee County). The Wildcats are poised to be the East’s top seed in the 6A bracket, and one of the favorites to win the whole enchilada.

South Johnston, on the strength of its nonconference slate, is projected to make the field as well.

Greater Neuse River 7A

Cleveland has a one-game lead over Fuquay-Varina and a game-and-a-half edge on Clayton atop the Greater Neuse River 7A.

Those two county schools are in the middle of the pack in terms of potential 7A playoff seeds at the moment, while Smithfield-Selma could use a win or two to get on the right side of the bubble.

CAP 8A

Millbrook and Broughton are fighting it out for the CAP 8A crown, while Corinth Holders is in a group of four teams vying for third. The Pirates are currently projected as a top-five seed in the 8A bracket, and could creep even higher with a late season push.