Boys’ soccer: Banning thrilled with top seeded spot

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Banning Coach Frank Sandoval is quite pleased with the Pilots (9-2-1) being the top seed of the boys’ soccer playoffs.

‘We just wanted to make the top five,’ said Sandoval, adding this season’s Pilots’ squad may be his best team in 10 years. ‘They have really gelled as a team.’

Banning, the Marine League champion and winners of nine of its last 10, open the playoffs against No. 32 Chatsworth (4-7-10) at 3 p.m. Thursday at Harbor College.

The Pilots will be shorthanded -- sweeper Edder Lemus received a red card in the season finale against Carson and with it a one-game suspension. But they do have leading scorer Guillermo Beltran (19 goals) at forward, plus midfielders Ralph Delgado, Andre Martinez and Edson Lemus, who is back after playing last week with the U.S. national 16-and-under team.

Banning has its challengers. No. 3 South East and No. 4 Bell, both from the Eastern League, are considered formidable, as is No. 2 Taft, coming out of the West Valley League.

If you’re looking for a sleeper, try San Fernando from the Valley Mission League. Some coaches believed the Tigers could have been higher than a fifth-seeded team. Lying in the weeds for an unprepapred opponent is No. 15 South Gate. The Rams may be the Eastern’s third-place team, but that league is considered one of the City’s strongest.

-- Mike Terry