Mighty Miraleste All-Stars Start Water Polo Playoffs

The Miraleste High water polo team opens the South Bay fall sports playoff season today, facing Western of Anaheim at home. The Ocean League champions are the No. 3 seed in the Southern Section 2-A playoffs.

The entire Miraleste starting lineup was named to an all-league team, and Marauder captain Kyle Hildebrand was the unanimous choice for Most Valuable Player.

“For the most part, we dominated the league,” Miraleste Coach Chick McIlroy said. “So it’s a real challenge to keep everyone sharp.”

After beating Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks, 16-6, in a wild-card match Tuesday, Mira Costa moves into first-round 2-A playoff action today at Kennedy of La Palma.

“We’re going to have to play better than we did (against Notre Dame) to move through the playoffs,” said Mira Costa Coach Mike Nollan, whose team advanced to last year’s semifinals.

El Segundo (7-11), the surprise second-place finisher in the Ocean League, opens today at Agoura, the Frontier league champion.

Mira Costa (19-0), the nation’s top-ranked girls volleyball team, enters the 5-A playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the 16-team field.

“I think we’re deserving of the seed, and we’re ready for the playoffs,” Mira Costa Coach Dae Lea Aldrich said.

Mira Costa opens today at 3 p.m. at home against Bishop Montgomery, which defeated Trabuco Hills in a wild-card match Tuesday.

Prep League champion Chadwick (13-0) is the No. 1 seed in the Small Schools Division. The Dolphins play at home tonight against Thatcher in the opening round.

Bishop Montgomery was a surprise winner at the Angelus League boys cross-country finals. The Knights, who suffered a regular-season loss to Mater Dei, edged the Monarchs by a point to earn their second straight CIF qualifying-meet appearance after a five-year absence.

All divisional qualifying meets will be run Friday morning at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.

“Last year we were just happy to go and we came in last in a 12-team heat,” Bishop Montgomery Coach Tim Forney said. “This year we want to do well.”

Angelus League individual champion Joe Reinsch will lead the Knights.

Joining Bishop Montgomery in the 4-A Division finals are Bay League champion Palos Verdes and runner-up Torrance, led by individual champ Israel Pose.

In the girls 4-A finals, Palos Verdes is favored to win its fifth consecutive championship. “If we are healthy, (the 4-A championship) will be between us and Buena,” Palos Verdes Coach Joe Kelly said. Kelly said some of his runners have flu, but top runners Tami Wilcox and Maya Muneno are healthy.

In girls tennis, Miraleste and Palos Verdes seem destined to meet for a third time this year in the Southern Section 4-A semifinals. The teams split the two meetings by 11-7 scores.

Both have to get through first-round and quarterfinal opponents, but Palos Verdes Coach Kathy Ross said the Nov. 16 semifinal date is tough to ignore. “It’s tough not to look forward to Miraleste,” she said. “Anything can happen, but I think we’ll see them there.”

Palos Verdes (12-2) has not lost since early October at home to Miraleste. The Sea Kings’ only other loss was to No. 1-seeded Corona Del Mar in the opening match of the season.

Last week Palos Verdes swept the Bay League singles and doubles championships. Sheila Moore was chosen Bay League singles most valuable player, and the doubles team of Paully Hackathorn and Lorren Lotesta was chosen doubles MVPs.

Miraleste (12-2) opens the playoffs today at home against Santa Monica, while Palos Verdes plays Dos Pueblos.

Chadwick has played 15 matches without a loss this season and is the No. 1 seed in the 1-A division. The Dolphins open at home today against La Serna.