Playoff preview: Pac-5 Division

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Defending champion: Orange Lutheran
Seeded teams: 1. Long Beach Poly (9-1), 2. Crespi (8-2), 3. Servite (7-2), 4. Orange Lutheran (8-1)
How it shakes out: There are eight league champions in the 16-team field, and that doesn’t include perennial powers Notre Dame or Mission Viejo. There should be nothing but marquee games after the first round. Mater Dei was the consensus favorite until a few weeks ago, its only blemish a 35-12 setback to defending champion Orange Lutheran. Edison is playing extremely well and showing the kind of balance it takes to win a title. Long Beach Poly may be the most talented team, and will be particularly tough if it can play the full 48 minutes. Crespi has played as fine a schedule as there is and excelled. Notre Dame is dangerous and should be hungry after last year’s second-round exit. Orange Lutheran may not have the single-best offense or defense, but if you value consistency on both sides of the ball week after week for a full 48 minutes, it’s hard not to like the Lancers.

PAC-5 DIVISION (I)
First round 7:30 p.m. unless noted

Santa Margarita (At-large/Trinity 4, 5-4) vs. Long Beach Poly (Moore 1, 9-1) at Veterans Stadium
Newport Harbor (Sunset T3, 7-3) at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (Serra 2, 8-2)

Compton (Moore 3, 8-2) vs. Edison (Sunset T1, 7-3) at Huntington Beach
Mission Viejo (South Coast T2, 4-5-1) vs. Orange Lutheran (Trinity T1, 8-1) at Santa Ana Stadium

San Clemente (South Coast T2, 7-2-1) vs. Servite (Trinity T1, 7-2) at Cerritos College
Lakewood (Moore 2, 7-3) vs. Esperanza (Sunset T1, 9-1) at Brea Olinda, 7 p.m.

Mater Dei (Trinity T1, 8-1) vs. Tesoro (South Coast 1, 7-3) at Saddleback College
Millikan (Moore 4, 7-3) vs. Crespi (Serra 1, 8-2) at Pierce College

-- Martin Henderson

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