State High School Basketball Tournament : Torrey Pines Gets Second Chance; Lincoln Top Seeded

For 25 high school basketball teams in San Diego County, March madness will continue Tuesday and Thursday as the Southern California Regionals begin.

The weekend’s 10 section champions knew their season would continue; they just had to wait until Sunday’s seeding meeting in Los Angeles to find out their opponents.

But it took at-large bids to extend the season for 15 other county teams.

Perhaps happiest with the second chance is Torrey Pines, which beat nationally ranked Camden, N.J., this season but was upset by Kearny in the Division II semifinals.

“We were down on ourselves for letting what we achieved get away,” said Torrey Pines Coach John Farrell, whose team is 28-2. “Now, this gives us a chance to redeem ourselves. It’s another goal.”

Said Kearny Coach Bill Peterson, whose team lost to Madison in the final: “We knew there would be pressure to put Torrey Pines in, and if they did that, they had to put us in.”

Torrey Pines plays at La Palma Kennedy (22-7) Tuesday.

All games are at 7:30 p.m.

At-large Holtville drew a tough assignment against Banning Tuesday. Banning (30-0) beat defending Division II state champion Irvine Woodbridge for the Southern Section 2-A title but will play in Division IV for the regional.

The Lincoln boys’ team was the only county squad to receive a No. 1 seeding. The only all-county matchup is Helix at San Pasqual in the Division II girls competition.

The pairings for Tuesday’s games:

Division I, boys--Santana (25-2, No. 7) at Simi Valley (27-3, No. 2); girls--Lynwood (28-4, No. 6) at Mt. Carmel (24-4, No. 3); Santana (25-2, No. 5) at Hanford (24-1, No. 4).

Division II, boys--Tustin (24-6, No. 7) at Madison (26-2, No. 2); Irvine Woodbridge (22-6, No. 6) at Kearny (24-5, No. 3); Torrey Pines (28-2, No. 5) at La Palma Kennedy (22-7, No. 4); El Camino (22-5, No. 8) at Foothill (24-4, No. 1). girls--Helix (18-6, No. 7) at San Pasqual (26-2 No. 2); Fallbrook (17-9, No. 5) at Los Altos (20-4, No. 4).

Division IV, boys--Christian (12-12, No. 6) at Beaumont (23-5, No. 3); Mt. Empire (17-7, No. 7) at Washington Union (record unavailable, No. 2); Holtville (14-8, No. 8) at Banning (30-0, No. 1). girls--Oxnard Santa Clara (21-7, No. 5) at Holtville (16-9, No. 4); Coronado (11-12, No. 7) at Valley Christian (25-2, No. 2); Christian (7-17, No. 6) at Chowchilla (25-2, No. 3).

Division V, boys--Bishop’s (22-1, No. 4) at Immanuel (19-8, No. 5). girls--Riverdale (record unavailable, No. 5) at La Jolla Country Day (20-4, No. 4); Lutheran (19-7, No. 7) at Avenal (24-3, No. 2); Calvin Christian (17-6, No. 6) at Lone Pine (21-4, No. 3).

Thursday’s games:

Division III, boys--Golden West (16-9, No. 4) at Lincoln (24-2, No. 1); Ramona (14-16, No. 3) at Lemorre (16-9, No. 2). girls--Highland (7-14, No. 3) at Ramona (18-7, No. 2); Lincoln (16-8, No. 4) at Lemorre (20-8, No. 1).

Division V, boys--Fowler (20-7, No. 6) vs. Calipatria (21-2, No. 2) at Brawley.