It’s Up to Santa Ana, Foothill to Decide Century League Championship Tonight

Greg Coombs, Santa Ana High School coach, says a coach couldn’t ask for a better situation.

The Saints play host to Foothill tonight in a battle for the Century League title. The teams are tied for first with 11-2 records. Foothill is 19-5 overall and Santa Ana is 18-6.

“If you were to ask a coach at the beginning of the year if he would want to be in his home gym playing for the league title in the last game of the season, I think he’d tell you that would be ideal,” Coombs said.

But Santa Ana is coming off a loss at the buzzer to El Modena Wednesday night, which dropped the Saints into the tie. The Saints also lost to Foothill earlier this season, on a 50-foot shot by Dave Rasmussen at the buzzer. A bench-clearing brawl broke out following Rasmussen’s shot.

Can Santa Ana rebound from both losses?

“It’s always something you’re concerned with,” Coombs said. “Both those losses were heartbreakers. But it’s a big enough game. They shouldn’t have any problem getting up for it. The place will be packed and they have to come into our gym and play, so the pressure is on them.”

Jim Reames, Foothill coach, sees an advantage in having beaten the Saints before and a possible disadvantage in the way the Knights beat them.

“It does help to have won the first time, but winning on a 50-footer also gives them something to get up for.” he said.

The game may be won or lost on the boards, Reames said.

“If we don’t rebound with them, we’re dead,” he said. “They have the quickness and the size and we’ve got to limit them to one shot.”

“I’d love to win it on another 50-footer, but somehow I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

In other Century League action: Orange (7-6, 12-12) at Canyon (3-10, 7-16), Tustin (7-6, 13-10) at El Modena (9-4, 12-9) and Santa Ana Valley (4-9, 10-13) at Villa Park (0-13, 4-17).

EMPIRE LEAGUE El Dorado (11-2, 19-4) at Los Alamitos (10-3, 16-6)--The Golden Hawks could clinch second place with a victory. A win by the Griffins would tie them for second, but El Dorado would get the No. 2 playoff spot by virtue of its victory over Katella, the league champion.

Also: Cypress (8-5, 13-11) at Katella (12-1, 20-3), Loara (0-13, 0-20) at Esperanza (3-10, 7-14) and Pacifica (2-11, 6-16) at Kennedy (6-7, 10-12).

FREEWAY LEAGUE Sonora (3-6, 5-16) at Fullerton (5-4, 14-10)--A victory by the Indians would give them the same league record as second-place Buena Park. But the Coyotes would get the No. 2 playoff spot, having beaten Fullerton twice this season. Troy, unbeaten in league play at 9-0, has clinched the title.

Also: Troy (9-0, 15-7) at Sunny Hills (3-6, 5-14) and La Habra (1-8, 1-18) at Buena Park (6-3, 10-11).

GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE Garden Grove (5-4, 14-9) at Bolsa Grande (6-3, 13-8)--A victory by the Argonauts, and a victory by La Quinta would force a playoff between the Matadors and Aztecs at noon Saturday at Garden Grove. A La Quinta victory, and a Garden Grove loss, would give the Aztecs third and Bolsa Grande second. Rancho Alamitos clinched the league title Wednesday.

Also: La Quinta (5-4, 8-10) at Los Amigos (3-6, 10-11) and Santiago (0-9, 3-17) at Rancho Alamitos (8-1, 14-8).

ORANGE LEAGUE Valencia (5-4, 13-8) at Western (4-5, 9-12)--A victory could wrap up second place for the Tigers and send the winner of the Savanna-Anaheim game to the playoffs as the third-place team. A victory by Western would set up a coin flip to determine the the second- and third-place spots between Western and Valencia. A three-way tie for third (Savanna, Anaheim and Magnolia) would force a league playoff at a site and time to be determined. Brea-Olinda, unbeaten in league play, is the league champion.

Also: Savanna (3-6, 5-14) at Anaheim (3-6, 11-11) and Brea-Olinda (9-0, 21-4) at Magnolia (3-6, 8-13).

SEA VIEW LEAGUE University (6-7, 10-13) at Laguna Beach (7-6, 13-10)--Corona del Mar has first place clinched, Woodbridge has second wrapped up. There are five teams with a shot at third and the Trojans and the Artists are two of them (Saddleback, Newport Harbor and Estancia are the others). Laguna Beach could end all the confusion and clinch third with a victory. A five-way tie would send Saddleback to the playoffs because of its record against the other four. A four-way or three-way tie would force league playoffs, with pairings and sites to be determined.

Also: Saddleback (7-6, 12-11) at Corona del Mar (11-2, 21-4), Costa Mesa (0-13, 1-19) at Newport Harbor (6-7, 12-11) and Estancia (6-7, 13-11) at Woodbridge (9-4, 20-6).

SOUTH COAST LEAGUE Mission Viejo (9-2, 19-6) vs. Irvine (7-4, 15-11) at University High--The game was moved because of a leaky gym roof at Irvine. The Diablos have second place wrapped up, but the Vaqueros could clinch third with a victory. But a loss, combined with an El Toro victory at San Clemente, would leave the Vaqueros and the Chargers tied for third and force a playoff for the final playoff berth Saturday night.

Also: El Toro (6-5, 12-11) at San Clemente (4-7, 11-13) and Dana Hills (0-11, 6-14) at Laguna Hills (1-10, 3-18).