GARDEN GROVE’S Allen Abarca (20) defends Segerstrom’s Isiah Velasquez in Golden West League action on Jan. 25 (Orange County Tribune photo by Jim Tortolano).
This, for area high school basketball teams, is the stretch run. Who will be the league champs? Which teams will do well enough to make the playoffs?
Here’s a quick look by league.
- Empire League boys: Pacifica is 1-6 in league but 13-8 overall, so a playoff spot is not impossible.
- Empire League girls: Pacifica is 0-8 and 8-16.
- Garden Grove League boys: Santiago (7-1) has a one-game lead over Bolsa Grande (6-2) and La Quinta (6-2). The big game upcoming is Bolsa at Santiago on Thursday at 6 p.m.
- Golden West League boys: Garden Grove (8-0) has clinched no worse than a tie for the GWL title and needs just one win in the Argos’ last two league games to own it all. Ocean View (5-2) and Segerstrom (5-3) will settle who finishes second and third.
- Golden West League girls: Segerstrom (8-0) leads the field and can lock up at least a tie for the crown with a win over Godinez (5-3) today. In second is Westminster (6-1), which will have one last shot at the Jaguars on Thursday.
- Orange League boys: Western (7-1) has the lead going into the final week. The Pioneers are being chased by Anaheim (6-2). A win over Century (4-4) today will mean at least a title tie.
- Orange League girls: Anaheim (8-0) is running away with the league; a win over Santa Ana Valley (3-4) today should clinch the crown.
- Orange Coast League boys: Calvary Chapel (9-0) and Santa Ana (7-2) are finishing first and second. Orange (1-7 in league) is tied for fifth.
- Orange Coast League girls: Calvary Chapel (9-0) has won the title; Orange (3-5) is in fourth,
- Surf League boys: Edison (4-0) has a one-game lead over Los Alamitos (3-1). They will clash on Thursday in the Charger gym.
- Surf League girls: Newport Harbor (5-0) has the title. Edison (2-3) and Marina (0-5) are in third and fourth.
- Wave League boys: Marina and Fountain Valley (each 3-1) are tied for first and don’t meet again. Huntington Beach (0-4) is fourth.
- Wave League girls: Newport Harbor (5-0) and Laguna Beach (3-2) lead; Edison (2-3) and Marina (0-5) trail.
Also: Orangewood Academy is winning the boys’ title in the Academy League and is leading in the San Joaquin League race for girls.
Last polls before the playoffs
The CIF-SS released its final winter sports polls before the start of playoffs next week. Here are the local teams named in the various rankings, by sport.
Boys’ basketball
- Division 2AA: Marina (14th)
- Division 2A: Edison (second)
- Division 3A: Orangewood Academy (fifth)
- Division 5AA: Bolsa Grande (10th)
- Division 5A: La Quinta (second)
Girls’ basketball
- Open Division: Orangewood Academy (unranked)
- Division 1: Orangewood Academy (seventh)
Boys’ soccer
- Division 1: Huntington Beach (fifth)
- Division 3: Savanna and Los Amigos (tied for 10th)
Girls’ soccer
- Division 4: Westminster (received votes)
Girls’ water polo
- Division 3: Edison (tied for first)
- Division 6: Westminster (third), La Quinta (fifth).
19 locals are all-CIF/SS for football
Nineteen athletes from area high schools have been named to the 2021 All-CIF-SS teams announced on Tuesday.
They are:
- Division 2: Troy Fletcher and Austin Grbic (both Edison)
- Division 4: Kobe Boyin and Blaze Iglesias (both Orange)
- Division 7: Jordan Ross (Pacifica)
- Division 9: Drew Faulkner, Michael Sutton, Tywon Mitchell and Chris Banos (all Western)
- Division 10: Malachi Bey (Garden Grove)
- Division 12: Anthony Leal and Nicholas Amman (both Rancho Alamitos); Ivan Felix (Santiago)
- Division 14: Jaime Mondragon, Adrian Lopez, Cesar Vasquez, Andre Sanchez, Ezra Tafilele and Issac Malauula (all Loara).
“Prep Sport Spotlight” is posted on Tuesdays during the high school athletic year.
