The CIF-Southern Section playoffs are here, bringing high-energy matchups in basketball and soccer for local high school teams. From basketball’s pool-play format to the single-elimination excitement in soccer, the next couple of weeks promise drama and skill on display across divisions.
Local girls’ basketball teams have much to look forward to despite no representation in the Open Division. Ontario Christian and Etiwanda, both top-seeded teams, enjoy home-court advantage for their Open Division pool-play games.
Division 1 will see Rancho Christian, seeded No. 5 based on their final season rank, host Mira Costa on Thursday night. Meanwhile, Temecula Valley and Temecula Prep, seeded No. 2 in Division 3A and No. 4 in Division 4AA respectively, are set to host home games against Sierra Vista and Lancaster Desert Christian. San Jacinto Leadership Academy’s No. 2 seed in Division 4A also brings a home game against San Luis Obispo Classical.
Other notable matchups include Great Oak hosting Grand Terrace in Division 3AA and Hemet facing Ramona in Division 3A.
Schedule dates and times for all sports are subject to change and can be found online at www.cifss.org.
Division 1
Mira Costa at Rancho Christian
Division 2AA
San Jacinto at Hart
Division 2A
No local teams
Division 3AA
Chaparral at Murrieta Valley
Grand Terrace at Great Oak
Division 3
Ramona at Hemet
California School for the Deaf-Riverside at Temescal Canyon
Sierra Vista at Temecula Valley
Division 4AA
Linfield Christian at Heritage Christian
Lancaster Desert Christian at Temecula Prep
Elsinore at Santa Paula
Division 4A
San Jacinto Valley Academy at Laguna Hills
San Luis Obispo Classical at San Jacinto Leadership Academy
Division 5AA
Capistrano Valley Christian at Hamilton (Anza)
Perris at Los Amigos
Division 5A
No local teams
BOYS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS
The boys Open Division basketball playoffs expanded to include 10 teams this year but, once again, no local teams cracked the bracket. Divisions 1-5A offer a robust schedule of first-round games on Wednesday, with Vista Murrieta traveling to Los Alamitos in Division 1 action, and local rivals Rancho Christian and Centennial squaring off in Division 2AA.
Linfield Christian enters as the No. 1 seed in Division 3AA, hosting Sunny Hills. Elsinore, another No. 1 seed, kicks off their postseason in Division 4AA against Newbury Park Adventist. Santa Rosa Academy, seeded third in Division 4A, gears up to host Valley Torah.
Temecula Prep hosts Loma Linda Academy, and Paloma Valley will welcome Santa Clarita Christian as intriguing Division 4 matchups to watch.
Division 1
Vista Murrieta at Los Alamitos
Division 2AA
Rancho Christian at Centennial
Temecula Valley at Riverside Poly
Canoga Park AGBU at Great Oak
Division 2A
Artesia at Orange Vista
Division 3AA
Sunny Hills at Linfield Christian
Liberty at Tustin
Division 3A
Burbank at Hemet
Temescal Canyon at Quartz Hills
Division 4AA
Newbury Park Adventist at Elsinore
Loma Linda Academy at Temecula Prep
Cal Lutheran at Whittier
Division 4A
Santa Clarita Christian at Paloma Valley
San Jacinto at California
Valley Torah at Santa Rosa Academy
San Jacinto Leadership Academy at Hacienda Heights Wilson
Granite Hills at Perris
Mesrobian at Citrus Hill
Division 5AA
California Military Institute at Santa Maria Valley Christian
Division 5A
Cornerstone Christian at Summit Leadership
San Luis Obispo Classical at River Springs-Hemet
GIRLS’ SOCCER PLAYOFFS
On the girls’ soccer fields, this year’s Open Division, featuring aggregate scoring across two fixtures, will not include any local teams. Instead, attention shifts to single-elimination matchups across Divisions 1-8.
Locals Great Oak and Murrieta Valley feature prominently in Division 1. Great Oak faces championship-defending Roosevelt, while Murrieta Valley takes on Orange Lutheran. Other key matchups include Vista Murrieta clashing with Warren in Division 2 and Linfield Christian battling Sage Hills in Division 4.
Lower divisions bring their own intrigue as Rancho Christian hosts Desert Hot Springs in Division 7, and San Jacinto Valley Academy squares off against Pomona in Division 8.
Division 1
Roosevelt at Great Oak
Murrieta Valley at Orange Lutheran
Division 2
Vista Murrieta at Warren
Division 3
San Jacinto at Crean Lutheran
Division 4
Temescal Canyon at Coachella Valley
Linfield Christian at Sage Hills
Bishop Montgomery at Paloma Valley
Division 5
Tahquitz at Cerritos Valley Christian
Citrus Hills at Gahr
Division 7
Desert Hot Springs at Rancho Christian
Marshall at Nuview Bridge
Jurupa Hills at Santa Rosa Academy
CAMS at San Jacinto Leadership Academy
Division 8
Bishop Conaty-Loretto at Cornerstone Christian
Pomona at San Jacinto Valley Academy
Compton Early College at Temecula Prep
BOYS’ SOCCER PLAYOFFS
As for the boys’ soccer playoffs, once again excluded from the Open Division, local teams flood the action in Divisions 1-8. Vista Murrieta stands out in Division 1, hosting Bonita in a critical opening-round clash on Thursday. Paramount hosts Elsinore in Division 3 action, while San Jacinto travels to Katella.
Expect a strong showing from Linfield Christian hosting Pioneer in Division 6 and Santa Rosa Academy taking on Pilgrim in Division 8. Temecula Prep faces Flintridge Prep in Division 7, adding even more depth to the week’s matchups.
Division 1
Bonita at Vista Murrieta
Division 2
Harvard-Westlake at Great Oak
Division 3
Elsinore at Paramount
Perris at Saugus
San Jacinto at Katella
Division 4
West Valley at Lakeside
Garden Grove Pacifica at Temecula Valley
Division 5
Orange Vista at Garey
Division 6
Linfield Christian at Pioneer
Liberty at Canoga Park AGBU
California Military Institute at University Prep
Division 7
San Jacinto Valley Academy at Rim of the World
Temecula Prep at Flintridge Prep
Village Christian at Nuview Bridge
Division 8
Cornerstone Christian at Oakwood
Pilgrim at Santa Rosa Academy
With games scheduled through the week, the CIF-SS playoffs offer plenty for local sports fans, parents, and students to cheer for. Teams have high hopes of deep postseason runs, making these opening rounds crucial for setting the tone.
Get out and support your local athletes!
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