Basketball to follow football

It was a rough week for area high school football teams in the first round of the CIF-SS football playoffs. Seven of 10 teams lost, some of them in upsets to teams less highly ranked. On the other hand, there’s a local fourth place team that’s advanced to the quarterfinals against another team that finished fourth in its league.

The survivors into the second of quarterfinal rounds are Edison in Division 2, Western in Division 9 and Loara in Division 14. Here’s the schedule. As always, dates, times, locations can change without notice, so check with the host school for any possible last-minute changes. All games (so far) are scheduled for Friday.

Division 2

• Edison (8-3) at Inglewood (10-0) at Coleman Stadium in Inglewood.

Division 9

• Colony (5-6) at Western (8-2)

Division 14

• Loara (5-6) at Pomona (5-7)

Under the lights on Thursday, Friday

Outstanding performances by locals in first round CIF-SS playoffs last week.

• Darius Cowens (Pacifica) passed for 263 yards and two touchdowns against Mira Costa.
• Jordan Ross (Pacifica) ran for 123 yards and caught nine passes for 114 yards and two TDs against Mira Costa.
• Dre Sanchez (Loara) passed for 119 yards and a TD and ran for another against Nuview Bridge.
• Zachary Siskowic (Orange) passed for 188 yards and a touchdown against La Serna.
• Anthony Luna (Western) passed for 267 yards and five touchdowns against Lompoc.
• Michael Alatorre (Western) rushed for 109 yards and a TD.
• Drew Faulkner (Western) caught eight passes for 91 yards and three touchdowns.
• Erek Cedillo (Westminster) rushed for 72 yards against Poly/Pasadena.

Oilers come close in v-ball

The Huntington Beach High girls’ volleyball team lost 3-1 to Aliso Niguel Saturday in the CIF-SS Division 2 title game. The Oilers finished the season 28-6 overall and were champs of the Sunset-Surf League.

It’s time for hoops to start

Football is not quite over for local preps, but basketball will be starting in a week or so. The CIF-SS pre-season Top 16 polls are out for that sport, and a total of 10 teams are thus recognized. There’s no “places” in this early ranking.

Boys’ basketball

• Division 2AA: Marina
• Division 2A: Edison
• Division 3A: Orangewood Academy
• Division 5AA: Bolsa Grande
• Division 5A: La Quinta

Girls’ basketball

• Division 1: Orangewood Academy
• Division 4AA: La Quinta
• Division 4A: Ocean View
• Division 5A: Los Amigos, Magnolia.

One unique aspect of prep hoops this season is the issue of masks. According to the CIF-SS, the California Department of Public Health is giving counties the option of requiring masks to be worn during basketball games, or to instead have weekly coronavirus tests.

Orange County, so far, is the only county to exercise the latter option, so when two OC teams play each other, no face coverings will be required. But when Orange County teams play outside the OC, or host teams from outside the county line, both will have to mask up.

And don’t forget wrestling, water polo

The winter isn’t all about basketball. The CIF-SS polls for girls’ water polo and boys’ dual meet wrestling are out. Here’s how local teams are noticed.

Girls’ water polo

• Division 2: Edison
• Division 4: Garden Grove
• Division 5: Pacifica
• Division 6: La Quinta, Rancho Alamitos

Boys’ dual meet wrestling

• Division 5: Westminster
• Division 6: Western

“Prep Sport Spotlight” is posted on Tuesdays during the high school athletic season.