County Teams Are Shut Out of Top Spots

For the first time since 1993, no county baseball team received a top seeding in any of the Southern Section division playoffs, which begin Friday.

Four got the next best thing, however. Mater Dei, Canyon, La Quinta, and Calvary Chapel each received a No. 2 seeding in divisions I, II, III, and V, respectively.

The pairings were released Monday by the section’s Cerritos office.

DIVISION I

Defending champion--Fountain Valley, a 14-7 winner over La Puente Bishop Amat.

Top teams--Fontana (23-1), Mater Dei (21-3), Simi Valley Royal (23-2), Capistrano Valley (21-4).

Dark horses: Fountain Valley (20-6). The Barons were toughened by a rigorous Sunset League battle, and are still champs until someone beats them.

Notes: Fountain Valley is trying to become the first Division I team to win three straight championships since Chaffey did it from 1956 to 1958. But most coaches consider these playoffs to be as wide open as they have in years.

DIVISION II

Defending champion--Sonora, a 7-2 winner over San Luis Obispo.

Top teams--Redondo Beach Redondo Union (26-1), Canyon (22-3), Temecula Valley (21-4), Riverside Arlington (22-4).

Dark horses: Sonora (20-4-1), as long as it doesn’t have to face Fullerton’s Michael Garner. And Fullerton (19-5-1) because it has Garner, the top pitcher in the county this season.

Notes: Redondo Union has the best record of any team in any division playoffs. . . . Fullerton won its 27th league title in school history this season. The Indians have won three section titles, and have been runners-up five times.

DIVISION III

Defending champion--La Quinta, an 8-4 winner in eight innings over Santa Margarita.

Top teams--Newhall Hart (19-6), La Quinta (21-6), Laguna Hills (19-5), Corona (21-4).

Dark horse: Quartz Hill (19-6), although it would have to get past top-seeded Hart in a potential second-round matchup.

Notes: Like Fountain Valley, La Quinta is trying to win its third consecutive title, which in this division is unprecedented. The Aztecs have played in three consecutive finals. . . . One of the county’s more underrated players is Laguna Hills’ Tom Banning, who has clubbed eight homers as a sophomore. . . . This is the most sprawling division, beginning at the Antelope Valley and ending in Calexico.

DIVISION V

Defending champion--Calvary Chapel, a 4-2 winner over Long Beach St. Anthony’s.

Top teams--L.A. Baptist (21-4), Calvary Chapel (18-5), La Salle (17-8), Cerritos Valley Christian (17-7).

Dark horse: San Pedro Mary Star of the Sea (20-4), the only team besides L.A. Baptist to have won at least 20 games entering the playoffs.

Notes: At 9-0, Calvary Chapel’s Josh Stewart is one of three county pitchers still undefeated (eight or more decisions).

DIVISION VI

Defending champion--Temecula Linfield, a 10-5 winner over Colton Christian Center Academy.

Top teams--Temecula Linfield (16-7), Riverside Woodcrest Christian (18-4), Heritage Christian (13-8), Boron (13-5).

Dark horses: Maricopa (21-2), which has the most victories of any team in the division playoffs but whose league (Coast Valley) is not considered strong.

Noteworthy: Heritage Christian sophomore Paul Caffrey has enjoyed one of the finest seasons of any county player, regardless of the division in which he plays. He leads the county in average (.613), has established a new county single-season record in RBIs (56) and has set a single-season county and section record in triples (11). He is also 6-3 with a 1.53 earned-run average.