Teams head to playoffs

The CIF Southern Section winter playoffs got underway this week and several local prep teams earned berths, or were granted entrance, to the postseason party.

All regular season records and league finishes were supplied by the CIF-SS office.

Girls’ Basketball

The playoffs get underway Thursday for the local teams with the exception of Edison. The Sunset League champion Chargers (24-3) are the No. 1-seed in Division 1A and received a first-round bye. They will host the winner of Thursday’s game between Santa Fe (14-13, Del Rio No. 3) and No. 16 Arcadia (13-11, Pacific at-large) on Saturday.

In Division 1A action, Fountain Valley (8-18) got an at-large bid for the Sunset League and travels to take on Baseline League runner-up Rancho Cucamonga (16-4). The winner moves on to play at No. 13 Capistrano Valley (13-12, Seaview No. 1) which has a first-round bye.

In Division 2AA, Sunset League runner-up and third-ranked Huntington Beach (22-3) hosts Valencia/Placentia (15-8, Empire No. 4) and Marina, 16-10 and the third-place team from the Sunset League, visits 13th-ranked Saugus (13-14, Foothill No. 3).

“We had a great [regular] season with lots of great memories,” Huntington Coach Russ McClurg said. “I hope we will continue the success. I believe the girls will be ready for the playoffs.”

In Division 4AA, No. 14 Ocean View (15-11) which finished in a tie for second-place in the Golden West League, is home to Lawndale (8-16, Pioneer at-large) and in Division 5A, No. 5 Brethren Christian (18-7, Academy League No. 2) is on the road to face Avalon (17-8, San Joaquin co-No.2).

All first-round games are at 7 p.m. Thursday. Second-round games will at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Boys’ Basketball

The playoffs begin Wednesday. Second-round games will be played at 7 p.m. Friday.

In Division 1A Wednesday, Fountain Valley, which finished 4-6 in the Sunset League and 15-11 overall, will travel to take on California (11-13), the No. 3 team from the Del Rio League. The winner will play Friday against San Gabriel Valley League champion and No. 4-seed Downey (25-2) which had a first-round bye.

“It is a great step for our program to be in the playoffs,” first-year Fountain Valley Coach Roger Holmes said. “I think it has been three years since Fountain Valley was last in [the playoffs] and they only won nine games that year. We are excited to play.”

In Division 2AA Wednesday, Sunset League co-champion and No. 5-seed Edison (24-2) hosted Sunny Hills (19-9, Freeway No. 3). The winner of that game advances to face the winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 12 Simi Valley (19-7, Marmonte co-No. 1) and Glendale (12-14, Pacific co-No. 3).

“Sunny Hills is a well-coached and fundamentally-sound team,” Edison Coach Rich Boyce said. “It is a tough first-round game but every game in the division is tough. 2AA is the best, top to bottom, division.

Eleventh-ranked Huntington Beach (19-8, Sunset No. 3) played at Del Rio League co-champion La Serna (19-7) and the winner of that game will face the winner of Wednesday’s game between sixth-ranked Summit (22-6, Sunkist No. 1) and La Quinta/La Quinta (Desert co-No. 3) on Friday. Ocean View (17-9), which is one of three teams to share the Golden West League championship, hosted No. 15 Patriot (22-5, Sunkist No. 2) Wednesday. The winner of that game advances to meet the winner of Wednesday’s first-round game between top-ranked Ventura (24-2, Channel No. 1) and West Ranch (17-7, Foothill at-large).

“I think we didn’t get any favors in the draw,” Huntington Coach Fabian Luna said. “I thought we could have been seeded a bit higher considering our schedule this year. Wednesday night is a very winnable game for us and I feel like we are playing pretty good right now.

“We are definitely very comfortable going on the road and we have been battle tested and ready for the challenge. The one thing I do like about going on the road in the first round is having that second round game at home this Friday … if we get the win at La Serna.”

In Division 5A Wednesday, Brethren Christian (24-2), co-champion of the Academy League and the No. 6-seed, will host New Community Jewish (9-15, Westside No. 4). The winner moves on to play the winner of the Wednesday game between No. 11 Desert Christian Academy (20-2, Victory No. 1)-CSDR (California School for the Deaf-Riverside, 12-11, Arrowhead No. 4) on Friday.

Girls’ Soccer

The postseason gets underway at 3 p.m. Thursday for two local teams. In Division 1, Edison (15-5-4), winner of the Sunset title, hosts Notre Dame Sherman Oaks (10-7-7, Mission at-large). In Division 6, Golden West League runner-up Ocean View (11-8-3) entertains San Gabriel Mission (8-10-3, Horizon No. 2). Second-round games are at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Boys’ Soccer

First-round playoffs games begin Friday but Sunset League champ Edison has the day off. The top-ranked team in Division 1, the Chargers (22-1) have a first-round bye and next Wednesday (3 p.m.) will play the winner of a wild card game between Harvard-Westlake (8-11-5, Mission No. 4) and Simi Valley (9-5-6, Marmonte at-large).

Marina (10-8-5, Sunset No. 3) and Fountain Valley (11-8-8, Sunset at-large) also play wild card matches Wednesday, the Vikings against Los Osos (12-7-4, Baseline at-large), the Barons against Bell Gardens (9-9-4, Almont No. 3). The scores weren’t available by press time. A win by Marina would set up a first-round game for the Vikings at 3 p.m. Friday at South Coast League champion Tesoro (14-5-5). Should Fountain Valley defeat Bell Gardens, the Barons would advance to play at Channel League champ Ventura (18-5-2) also at 3 p.m. Friday.