SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL PAIRINGS : La Quinta Is Only Top-Seeded County Team

Fountain Valley will pursue its back-to-back Southern Section baseball championship as the No. 2-seeded team in Division I.

The Barons, who were 21-3-1, won the Sunset League title and finished atop the Orange County sportswriters’ poll, spent part of the early season as the nation’s top-ranked team. Long Beach Millikan, which had the same number of victories but one fewer loss, received the top seeding among the division’s 34 teams.

Fountain Valley plays host to Trabuco Hills (13-10-1), the third-place team from the South Coast League, when first-round action begins Friday.

La Quinta (22-3-1), seeking its third consecutive final and second Division III championship in a row, was the only county team to earn a No. 1 seeding. That earned Coach Dave Demarest’s team a first-round bye; the Aztecs play host next Tuesday to the winner of the Antelope Valley-Burbank game.

DIVISION I

Defending champion: Fountain Valley, a 3-1 winner over Lakewood.

Top teams: Long Beach Millikan (22-2-1), Fountain Valley (21-3-1), Fontana (22-2), La Puente Bishop Amat (23-3)

Dark horse: Katella (18-8). Everyone recognizes the prowess of Mater Dei, Lakewood and Simi Valley Westlake, but the Empire League champions have been underrated all season.

Notes: Katella enters the playoffs hot, hot, hot, having outscored its last four opponents, 65-2. . . . Lakewood, which had the tying run thrown out at the plate in last year’s championship game, is in danger of an early knockout from either La Puente Nogales or, perhaps, Fontana in the second round. . . . Cypress standout Bobby Brito (.507, 12 home runs, 35 runs batted in) is pursuing single-season county records in home runs (13) and RBIs (40). . . . Marina’s Craig Wilson (.500, 6 homers, 26 RBIs) would love one last shot at Fountain Valley, having never played on a team that’s defeated the Barons. . . . Fountain Valley doesn’t have an easy path to the finals--eight teams won at least 18 games in their bracket, and only Long Beach Wilson (9-14) has a losing record.

DIVISION II

Defending champion: Riverside J.W. North, a 5-2 winner over Cerritos Gahr.

Top teams: Riverside Arlington (23-3), West Covina South Hills (21-2-1), Temecula Valley (22-3), Cerritos Gahr (19-4-1).

Dark horse: Canyon (21-4). After righting themselves in the Las Vegas Durango tournament over spring break, the Comanches roared to their second straight Century League title.

Notes: Glendora’s Aaron Rowand is batting .675 with 15 home runs and 47 RBIS. Fortunately for Rowand, he doesn’t have to bat against teammate Wes Faust (9-0, 2.40 ERA). . . . Buena Park (12-9-1) and Valencia (10-11) hook up in a wild-card game today, as do Villa Park (14-12) and Westminster (18-8). Two intriguing all-county matchups occur in the first round. Servite (16-10), the second-place team from the Golden West League, plays at Sonora (19-4-1), which won its first Freeway League title since 1986. Tustin (19-5-1), Golden West champions and ranked ninth in the division, plays host to 10th-ranked Sunny Hills (19-7). . . . A week’s rest should help Brea Olinda’s top starter, Aaron Hough (8-1, 2.38), who slightly injured his arm lifting weights 11 days ago.

DIVISION III

Defending champion: La Quinta, a 3-1 winner over West Torrance.

Top teams: La Quinta (22-3-1), Corona (21-5), Whittier La Serna (19-4-1), Palm Desert (21-2-1)

Dark horse: Irvine (18-7). You won’t find many Vaqueros among the county’s statistical leaders, but Irvine has found a way to get it done most of the year.

Notes: Like Fountain Valley, La Quinta is shooting for a second consecutive section title.. . . Santa Margarita won is first Sea View League title, finishing 18-7 and ranked No. 6 in the division. . . . Garden Grove’s Gabe Maldonado has quietly put together a terrific season (.391, two homers, 37 RBIs). Maldonado is the county leader in RBIs, one ahead of Mater Dei’s Mike Hessman. The Argonauts play at University in the first round. The Trojans, winners of the Pacific Coast League in their season debut, reached the playoffs for the first time since 1986. . . . If Irvine can get past Costa Mesa, the Vaqueros stand a good chance to meet La Quinta in the quarterfinals. . . . Darrell Hussman of Quartz Hill (7-1, 1.11 ERA) might be the division’s best pitcher not seen by county teams.

DIVISION V

Defending champion: Sierra Madre Maranatha, a 6-2 winner over Calvary Chapel.

Top teams: Phelan Serrano (16-4), Cerritos Valley Christian (14-3), Los Angeles Baptist (19-3), Palos Verdes Chadwick (13-2).

Dark horse: Calvary Chapel (15-9-1). The Eagles came within a couple of breaks of winning it all last year. They will need more than a couple this time.

Notes: Calvary Chapel (15-9-1), which finished second to Cerritos Valley Christian in the Olympic League, is looking to reach consecutive title games. The Eagles will fly as far as Joe Jones (.528, two homers, 21 RBIs) and Josh Stewart (7-0, 1.76 ERA) can take them. . . . Orange Lutheran (15-9), the Olympic’s third-place team, needs Adam Cavaness (10-2, 1.62) to continue his hot season.

DIVISION VI

Defending champion: Temecula Linfield, a 9-8 winner over Hesperia Christian.

Top teams: Boron (14-5), Temecula Linfield (19-5), Avalon (14-1), Colton Christian Center Academy (18-4).

Dark horse: Liberty Christian (14-4-1). The Minutemen don’t overpower teams but still manage to outscore them.

Notes: Arguably the toughest division for the five county teams involved. All five--Capistrano Valley Christian, Liberty Christian, Southern California Christian, Huntington Beach Claremont and Heritage Christian--could be gone by the second round. . . . Liberty Christian might have the best chance to survive thanks in part to Ray Cook (7-1, 0.59 ERA).