GIRLS’ SOCCER PLAYOFFS : Quests Begin With Wild-Card Games

The girls’ soccer teams from Edison and Mission Viejo high schools, each ranked as high as second in the Southern Section Division 4-A this season, are the highest-ranked teams to have wild-card games today.

Edison (15-3-6), which finished second to Marina in the Sunset League, will play host to Beverly Hills (9-12-2). Mission Viejo (14-2-7), which finished second in the South Coast League to top-ranked El Toro, plays host to El Dorado (13-3-8). Games start at 3 p.m.

Dana Hills (11-6-4), the South Coast League’s third-place team, will play at Esperanza (17-2-4), second in the Empire League. Three other county 4-A schools--Woodbridge (11-5-5), Fountain Valley (11-8-3) and University (10-5-7)--have wild-card games today. In a 3-A wild-card game, El Modena (8-6-3) plays host to Troy (12-2-2) and in a 1-A game Orange Lutheran (12-7-1) plays at El Segundo (16-5).

El Toro (25-0-2), the defending 4-A champions, will open the playoffs against the winner of Lakewood St. Joseph (10-3-4) and Newbury Park (15-7-1), which was ranked 14th in the latest poll.

Mater Dei, which won the 3-A title last season, is seeded second in its first year in 4-A. The Monarchs (19-2-3) will play host to either Dana Hills or Esperanza Friday in the first round.

PAIRINGS: C13