The CIF Southern Section baseball playoffs have arrived, and so have our predictions for the San Gabriel Valley teams.
Who has a chance to make a deep playoff run and perhaps win a championship?
Let’s take a look …
DIVISION 1
Top four seeds: 1. Corona (25-3), 2. Harvard-Westlake (23-4-1), 3. Orange Lutheran (22-6), 4. Santa Margarita (19-8-1)
SGV angle: There hasn’t been an SGV Division 1 champion since Bishop Amat in 1996, but we also can’t remember the last time six SGV teams made the top bracket. Five of those teams won league titles and have first-round home games. Gateway League champion La Mirada (21-6) has the best chance. It served notice with a 2-0 victory over top seed Corona on April 20. The Matadores have a durable ace in Walker Calvo (7-1, 1.34) and consistent arms with sophomore Kaden Corns and freshman Luke Armijo. San Dimas (23-4) has talent top to bottom in its lineup, led by Arizona State commit Landon White and USC-bound pitcher Jude Favela (8-1, 1.07). The Saints also have a winnable road in the first two rounds. Bishop Amat (17-7), Bonita (18-7) and Damien (16-10-1) all have home games in the first round, giving them a chance to reach the second round, but it’s hard to imagine any of them advancing past that. South Hills (19-9) has had an injury-plagued pitching staff and has struggled offensively. It looks like a one-and-done. We like San Dimas to reach the quarterfinals before going up against Harvard-Westlake, and La Mirada reaches at least the semifinals. La Mirada is the most capable of winning it, but it would take near perfection.
Final four: Corona, Huntington Beach, La Mirada, Harvard-Westlake
Champion: Corona
DIVISION 2
Top four seeds: 1. Westlake (23-4), 2. Paloma Valley (27-1), 3. Maranatha (21-6), 4. Arlington (22-3)
SGV angle: Maranatha is a Division 1 team in the Division 2 bracket, and it probably has more Division I commits than any team it will face in this division. UCLA commit and pitcher Zach Strickland is a mid 90s flamethrower who is arguably the SGV’s best pitcher. The Minutemen also showed themselves well during the Boras Classic South tournament. They have a power lineup, but do they have enough pitching depth beyond Strickland? That’s the test, but we certainly aren’t betting against them. Pacific League champion Arcadia (19-7) played as well as any team late in the regular season and has a good one-two pitching punch with Fernando Palencia (9-3, 1.42) and Gabe Lopez (7-1, 1.51). The Apaches look like they can win two rounds and get to top seed Westlake. La Serna (16-9) should beat Ayala to reach the second round, but Charter Oak (8-14-1) isn’t going anywhere.
Final four: Westlake, Maranatha, Arlington, Paloma Valley
Champion: Maranatha
DIVISION 3
Top four seeds: 1. Corona Centennial (20-3), 2. Summit (23-5), 3. Chaminade (19-9), 4. St. John Bosco (16-10)
SGV angle: Although La Salle (16-10) struggled late in the regular season, remember that it won the season-opening SGV Pizza Chalet tournament, beating Arcadia, San Dimas and Bonita to win the title. Can the Lancers recapture that magic? UCLA commit David Myza has struggled with injuries, but they have tournament pitching depth with Morgan Sullivan, Adrian Hernandez and others. They open against El Rancho (12-15) and should advance. The other SGV team to watch is Walnut (16-12), which pulled off late-season magic by splitting with South Hills and winning the Hacienda League title. Mustangs pitcher Erick Felix will get them past the first round and Walnut likely will meet La Salle in the second round. Freeway League runner-up La Habra (20-8) should win a game, but don’t count on Prep League champion Flintridge Prep (12-11) to get one. The upset choice is to take La Salle to reach the semifinals, and it will knock off Chaminade to get there. Coach Andy Nieto is always worth an upset pick.
Final four: Corona Centennial, St. John Bosco, La Salle, Beckman
Champion: St. John Bosco
DIVISION 4
Top four seeds: 1. Camarillo (20-3), 2. San Juan Hills (20-7), 3. Estancia (23-4), 4. Culver City (22-4)
SGV angle: This is where it could get really fun and interesting. St. Francis (15-13) doesn’t have the best record, but it’s hard to imagine any team in this division playing a tougher schedule. That’s because St. Francis competed in the Mission League and finished fifth. The Golden Knight have a win over Division 1 Notre Dame (1-0) and played Chaminade to a 1-0 loss. They have pitching, enough hitting and a playoff path they can handle. The division looks up for grabs. We’re taking St. Francis and not looking back. Rio Hondo League champion San Marino (20-7) is in the top half of the bracket, but we’re not sure the RHL has prepared the Titans for a run. Still, we like the Titans to reach the second round.
Final four: Camarillo, Culver City, Highland, St. Francis
Champion: St. Francis
DIVISION 5
Top four seeds: 1. Santa Monica (17-7), 2. Chino Hills (16-8-2), 3. Saugus (16-12), 4. Oxnard Pacifica (15-10-1)
SGV angle: Ganesha (15-5) is not the same overpowering team that won the Division 7 title last year, but it’s still very good. And it’s the only team in this division that played in the Boras Classic South tournament, where it went 0-4 but gained valuable experience. We think the Giants knock off top seed Santa Monica to reach the quarterfinals, but after that they lose to undefeated Trinity Classic Academy, the team we like to win it all. It hasn’t been the best season for Monrovia (16-10), but the Wildcats are good enough to knock off Prep League champion Pasadena Poly (17-6). And South Pasadena (17-10) can reach the second round too. However, the SGV team most likely to make a run is Almont League champion Montebello (19-8). We like Montebello to knock off Chino Hills in the quarterfinals to and reach the final four. We also will go out on a limb and take South Pasadena to reach the quarters.
Final four: Trinity Classical Academy, St. Anthony, Montebello, Saugus
Champion: Trinity Classical Academy
DIVISION 6
Top four seeds: 1. Costa Mesa (21-6), 2. Colony (21-5-1), 3. Century (21-6-1), 4. Grand Terrace (21-4)
SGV angle: When you reach the lower divisions, anything can happen and you look for teams who have enough pitching depth and an ace that can carry a team in big spots. Three teams stand out. Camino Real League champion St. Paul (17-9) has a strong ace with Kalai Benavente (5-1, 1.12 ERA), and a team ERA of 3.42. Alhambra (20-7) has Matt Garcia (7-1, 1.02) and West Covina has Max Murillo (4-1, 1.89) and Vincent Marichi (2-2, 1.63). However, Alhambra has a tough draw with possibly facing Grand Terrance in the second round and West Covina could meet top seed Costa Mesa in the second round. St. Paul is the best bet to reach the quarterfinals. But hey, this is a division where top seeds get upset all the time, and we’re picking two SGV teams to reach the final four and St. Paul to win it all.
Final four: West Covina, St. Paul, Century, Colony
Champion: St. Paul
DIVISION 7
Top four seeds: 1. Buena Park (21-6), 2. Western Christian (16-5-1), 3. Cornerstone Christian (18-7), 4. Oakwood (13-7).
SGV angle: There are two SGV teams to keep an eye on: Mission Valley League champ South El Monte (18-6) and Montview League co-champ Sierra Vista (12-8-1). South El Monte is interesting after going 11-1 in the MVL and the Eagles have a top pitcher in senior Andrew Medina (8-1, 0.85 ERA) and a team ERA of 1.89. They have a winnable road that takes them to fourth seed Oakwood, a team that looks beatable. SGV teams tend to do well in the lower divisions and this is a spot we think South El Monte can get to the semifinals. Sierra Vista hasn’t had the best season, but it can get to the quarterfinals before losing to third seed Cornerstone Christian.
Final four: Vasquez, South El Monte, Cornerstone Christian, Western Christian
Champion: Western Christian
DIVISION 8
Top four seeds: 1. Newport Beach Pacifica Christian (18-6), 2. Azusa (13-5), 3. Arroyo Valley (11-8-1), 4. San Bernardino (12-4)
SGV angle: In the first year that Azusa merged with Gladstone, Azusa is the No. 2 seed in Division 8 and has promising nonleague wins over South El Monte and La Canada. Look at the bottom half of the bracket and there is no reason to bet against them, it’s wide open. Top seed Pacifica Christian, at least on paper, looks like the overwhelming favorite, but we’re going to take Azusa to reach the finals. Santa Fe League runner-up Bosco Tech (13-11) is also in the division but didn’t do well in nonleague games.
Final four: Newport Beach Pacifica Christian, San Bernardino, Palm Valley, Azusa,
Champion: Newport Beach Pacifica Christian
