With the start of the 2022-2023 school year, high school sports are off and running with CIF Southern Section Divisional groupings set for each local school. Valley News/File photo
— SOUTHWEST RIVCO — The 2022-2023 CIF Southern Section prep sports season is underway, which means the battle to be the last team standing at the end of the season, has begun. Even though local schools have their respective leagues (Big West, Ambassador, South Valley, etc.), divisional placement is where everything matters at the end of the regular season. Most often than not, a prep sports team needs to finish in the top three spots of their league standings and depending on the breakdown of post season tournament play, an At-Large bid can be given out to a fourth or even fifth place finisher based off of strength of schedule.
For the current school year, the Valley News Sports Department will be focusing on the school’s and sports inside a limited coverage area this year, due to print space and manpower. Those schools include Great Oak, Temecula Valley, Chaparral, Murrieta Valley, Murrieta Mesa, Vista Murrieta, Linfield Christian, Rancho Christian, Elsinore, Paloma Valley, Liberty, St. Jeanne de Lestonnac, Santa Rosa Academy, Heritage, Temecula Prep, Hamilton (Anza), Cornerstone Christian, Temescal Canyon, Lakeside, and the River Springs Charter Schools.
Girls’ Volleyball
Vista Murrieta – D1/D2
Temecula Valley – D1/D2
Great Oak – D1/D2
Murrieta Valley – D1/D2
Chaparral – D1/D2
Paloma Valley – DIVISION 3
Murrieta Mesa – DIVISION 4
Elsinore – DIVISION 4
Heritage – DIVISION 5
Linfield Christian – DIVISION 5
Temescal Canyon – DIVISION 6
Rancho Christian – DIVISION 6
Lakeside/Lake Elsinore – DIVISION 8
Temecula Prep – DIVISION 8
California Lutheran – DIVISION 8
Hamilton (Anza) – DIVISION 9
Cornerstone Chr./Wildomar – DIVISION 9
St. Jeanne de Lestonnac – DIVISION 9
Santa Rosa Academy – DIVISION 9
River Springs Charter/Temecula – DIVISION 9
Liberty/Winchester – TBD
Boys’ Water Polo
Given the challenges faced with COVID in the 2020 water polo season, playoff groupings will be reflective of the 2021 season power rankings only. As a reminder, the CIF Southern Section will offer Divisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, respectively, but also offer an “Open” division to be determined using “in season” results with the top 8 teams in the section, regardless of division, being placed there. In a model where an “Open” division exists, teams can qualify from any numerical division should their strength warrant such a move. Seeding in the 8-team “Open” bracket will be a straight 1-8 seed without the restriction of league affiliation. By reorganizing divisional reference, the Advisory Committee was able to accomplish some goals in line with other team sports.
Murrieta Valley – DIVISION 2
Chaparral – DIVISION 3
Temescal Canyon – DIVISION 3
Elsinore – DIVISION 3
Vista Murrieta – DIVISION 4
Temecula Valley – DIVISION 4
Great Oak – DIVISION 4
Paloma Valley – DIVISION 5
Murrieta Mesa – DIVISION 5
Lakeside – DIVISION 5
Heritage – DIVISION 5
Girls’ Tennis
Great Oak – DIVISION 1
Temescal Canyon – DIVISION 1
Temecula Valley – DIVISION 2
Murrieta Valley – DIVISION 2
Vista Murrieta – DIVISION 3
Chaparral – DIVISION 3
Murrieta Mesa – DIVISION 4
Heritage – DIVISION 4
Elsinore – DIVISION 4
Paloma Valley – DIVISION 4
Lakeside – DIVISION 5
Linfield Christian – DIVISION 5
Cross Country (Boys’ and Girls’)
The CIF-SS Cross Country divisions are based on CBED information from the 2021-2022 year. When the CBED information for 2022-2023 has been submitted to CIF-SS and the State Department of Education, any school that incurs a gain/loss in enrollment of a minimum of 15% in the current year will utilize the new CBED data for placement into division. Reporting of the information to the State Department of Education occurs in October of each school year. Final divisional placement for each school will be determined once this information has been received and compiled.
Chaparral – DIVISION 1
Great Oak – DIVISION 1
Paloma Valley – DIVISION 1
Elsinore – DIVISION 1
Heritage – DIVISION 1
Murrieta Mesa – DIVISION 1
Temecula Valley – DIVISION 1
Vista Murrieta – DIVISION 1
Temescal Canyon – DIVISION 2
Lakeside – DIVISION 3
Liberty – DIVISION 4
California Lutheran – DIVISION 5
Cornerstone Christian (Wldmr) – DIVISION 5
Hamilton (Anza) – DIVISION 5
Linfield Christian – DIVISION 5
Rancho Christian – DIVISION 5
River Springs Temecula – DIVISION 5
Santa Rosa Academy – DIVISION 5
St. Jeanne de Lestonnac – DIVISION 5
Temecula Prep – DIVISION 5
*Football divisions will come out later.
The Valley News Sports Department can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com.
