SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS : SOFTBALL : An At-Large Berth in the Division I Playoffs Eludes Canyon

Perhaps the only real surprise in the softball pairings is that Canyon did not receive an at-large berth in Division I. Instead, No. 1 Simi Valley gets the only first-round bye, and Canyon (13-13), which finished fourth in the Century League, stays home.

“They offered it to us, but I was out of town on Saturday and didn’t know about it until I got to school (Monday),” Canyon Coach John German said Monday.

Canyon closed the season with a 1-0 upset of Villa Park, which won 20 games.

Marina, ranked second in Orange County, is the No. 2 seeded team in the division, behind Simi Valley. Fourth-ranked Mater Dei is fourth-seeded. Kennedy, ranked No. 1 in Orange County, is not one of the four seeded teams.

Unranked Brea-Olinda is second-seeded in Division II behind Covina Charter Oak, the state’s top-ranked team in any division. Ninth-ranked La Habra is No. 4.

Third-ranked Woodbridge and fifth-ranked Irvine received the top seedings in Division III.