Sorting Out the Playoff Picture

The Southern Section playoffs begin today, and Orange County prep teams figure to play prominent roles. Here’s a guide to the playoffs:

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

* How participating teams are determined: Automatic berths are given to the top two finishers in four-team leagues, the top three in five- and six-team leagues, and the top four in seven-, eight- and nine-team leagues. At-large qualifiers must have at least 10 victories. Consideration for at-large berths include head-to-head competition, strength of schedule and the overall strength of the league from which the team plays in. Pairings will be announced Sunday.

* Playoffs begin: Wednesday, with wild-card and first-round games.

* Schedules: 32-team bracket with byes: Second round, Feb. 21; quarterfinals, Feb. 25; semifinals, Feb. 28. 32-team bracket without byes: First round, Feb. 21; second round, Feb. 25; quarterfinals, Feb. 28; semifinals, March 4. 16-team bracket with byes: Quarterfinals, Feb. 21; semifinals, Feb. 28. 16-team bracket without byes: First round, Feb. 21; quarterfinals, Feb. 25; semifinals, Feb. 28.

* Championship games: Divisions I-AA and I-A, March 8 at the Pond, evening session; Divisions II-AA, II-A, III-AA and III-A, March 8 at the Pond, day session; Divisions IV-AA, IV-A, V-AA, V-A, March 7 at the Bren Center.

* Top county teams: Among the Orange County teams most likely to be seeded are Mater Dei (Division I-A) and Woodbridge (II-AA). Teams that could also be seeded in the top four include Los Alamitos (I-AA), Villa Park (II-AA), El Dorado (II-AA), Sonora (II-A), Brea Olinda (II-A) and Calvary Chapel (IV-A).

* Tickets: Preliminary rounds, $3-$6. At the Bren Center, $4-$7. At the Pond day session, $4.50-$8. Night session is $4.50-$9.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

* How participating teams are determined: Automatic berths are given to the top two finishers in four-team leagues, the top three in five- and six-team leagues, and the top four in seven-, eight- and nine-team leagues. At-large qualifiers must have at least 10 victories overall. Consideration for at-large berths

include head-to-head competition, strength of schedule and the overall strength of the league from which the team plays in. Pairings will be announced Monday.

* Playoffs begin: Thursday, with wild-card and first-round games.

* Schedules: 32-team bracket with byes: Second round, Feb. 22; quarterfinals, Feb. 26; semifinals, March 1. 32-team bracket without byes: First round, Feb. 22; second round, Feb. 26; quarterfinals, March 1; semifinals, March 4. 16-team bracket with byes: Quarterfinals, Feb. 22; Semifinals, March 1. 16-team bracket without byes: First round, Feb. 22; quarterfinals, Feb. 26; semifinals, March 1.

* Championships: Divisions I-AA, I-A, II-AA, II-A, III-AA, III-A, IV-AA, IV-A, March 7 or 8, the Pyramid; Divisions V-AA and V-A, March 7, the Pyramid.

* Top county teams: Among the teams likely to be seeded first or second in their divisions are Laguna Hills (II-AA), Woodbridge (II-AA), Brea Olinda (II-A), Ocean View (II-A) and Capistrano Valley Christian (V-AA). Teams that could also be seeded among the top four include Capistrano Valley (I-AA), Esperanza (I-AA), Mater Dei (I-A), Santa Margarita (I-A) and Brethren Christian (IV-A).

* Tickets: Preliminary rounds $3-$6. Championship games $4-$7.

BOYS’ SOCCER

* How participating teams are determined: Each league will receive three automatic entries into the playoffs. At-large berths will be awarded only to teams with .500 records or better. Pairings will be announced Monday.

* Playoffs begin: Wednesday, with wild-card games.

* Schedule: First round, Feb. 21; second round, Feb. 25; quarterfinals, Feb. 27; semifinals, March 4.

* Championships: March 7 and 8, Cerritos Gahr High School.

* Top county teams: Santa Ana and Mater Dei, the county’s top teams, have a chance to be seeded first in Divisions I and II. Esperanza, which shared last year’s Division I title with Peninsula, is ranked third in Division I. El Modena, the county’s eighth-ranked team, is ranked third in Division III.

* Tickets: All games are free except the championship games. March 7 games are $3-$7. March 9 games are $3-$8.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

* How participating teams are determined: Each league will receive three automatic entries into the playoffs. At-large berths will be awarded only to teams with .500 records or better. Pairings will be announced Monday.

* Playoffs begin: Wednesday, with wild-card games.

* Schedule: First round, Feb. 22; second round, Feb. 25; quarterfinals, Feb. 27; semifinals, March 4.

* Championships: March 7 and 8, Cerritos Gahr High School.

* Top county teams: Capistrano Valley, the South Coast League champion and the county’s top-ranked team, was ranked second last week in Division I behind Upland. Sunset League champion Los Alamitos, ranked No. 4 in the county and No. 4 in Division I, also will contend for the top-division title. The bulk of the county’s top teams will play in Division II this season and Santa Margarita and Mission Viejo, ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in the county last week, both have a chance to be seeded first. Santa Margarita won the Sea View League and Mission Viejo tied for second place in South Coast League with Mater Dei, which also will play in Division II.

* Tickets: All games are free except the championship games. March 7 games are $3-$7. March 8 games are $3-$8.

WRESTLING INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP

* How spots are determined: Three entrants at each weight per league in Divisions I and II, two at each weight in Divisions III and IV.

* Competition begins: Friday, with preliminaries.

* Championships: Saturday, Feb. 22, with consolation matches at 11 a.m., semifinals at 12:30 p.m., consolation finals at 6 p.m., and championships finals at 7 p.m.

* Sites: Division I at Moreno Valley Canyon Springs High School; Division II at Westlake Village Westlake High School; Division III at University High School; Division IV at Santiago High School.

* Top individuals: Defending Division I champion Calvary Chapel should again dominate with defending state champions Joe Calavitta (140 pounds) and Ty Wilcox (160). Other Division I standouts include Michael Delaney (112) and Pat Cadwallader of Brethren Christian; Rick Oishi (171) of Canyon; Edgar Saldivar (189) of Anaheim and Mateo Headrick (215) of San Clemente. From Division II, Andrew Pena (119) of Irvine; Austen Cathey (160) of Huntington Beach and Jason Deere (275) of Newport Harbor are expected to be top performers. Santa Ana’s Tony Perez, who’s ranked first in the county at 103 pounds, will join teammates Fernando Serratos (112) and Jose Morales (130) in the Division III finals. Ed Sanchez, ranked third in the county at 130, will be helping Santiago defend its Division IV title.

* Tickets: $3-$5.

WRESTLING MASTERS MEET

* How participating teams are determined: Six entrants at each weight from Division I and II Individual Championships; five at each weight from Division III, and three at each weight from Division IV. The top eight finishers in each weight class advance to the state championships, March 7-8.

* Where: Fountain Valley High School.

* When: Saturday, March 1, beginning at 10 a.m.

* Tickets: $3-$5.

WRESTLING TEAM DUAL MEET

* How spots are determined: The team that has the best league record will represent its league in its respective division.

* When: Today. First rounds begin at 10 a.m., second at 2 p.m., preliminary finals at 4 p.m., finals at 6:15 p.m.

* Where: Division I at Cerritos College; Division II at Temecula Valley High School; Division III at Chino Hills Ayala High School; Division IV at Santiago High School.

* Top teams: County teams are expected to dominate their divisions. Calvary Chapel should walk away with its second consecutive Division I title; Santa Ana defends its Division II championship, and Santiago defends its Division IV title.

* Tickets: $3-$5.

Compiled by Times staff writers Erik Hamilton, Martin Henderson, Paul McLeod, Dave McKibben, Bob Rohwer and Wendy Witherspoon

* Schedule: First round, Feb. 22; second round, Feb. 25; quarterfinals, Feb. 27; semifinals, March 4.

* Championships: March 7 and 8, Cerritos Gahr High School.

* Top county teams: Capistrano Valley, the South Coast League champion and the county’s top-ranked team, was ranked second last week in Division I behind Upland. Sunset League champion Los Alamitos, ranked No. 4 in the county and No. 4 in Division I, also will contend for the top-division title. The bulk of the county’s top teams will play in Division II this season and Santa Margarita and Mission Viejo, ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in the county last week, both have a chance to be seeded first. Santa Margarita won the Sea View League and Mission Viejo tied for second place in South Coast League with Mater Dei, which also will play in Division II.

* Tickets: All games are free except the championship games. March 7 games are $3-$7. March 9 games are $3-$8.

WRESTLING INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP

* How spots are determined: Three entrants at each weight per league in Divisions I and II, two at each weight in Divisions III and IV.

* Playoffs begin: Friday, Feb. 21, with preliminaries.

* Championships: Saturday, Feb. 22, with consolation matches at 11 a.m., semifinals at 12:30 p.m., consolation finals at 6 p.m., and championships finals at 7 p.m.

* Sites: Division I at Moreno Valley Canyon Springs High School; Division II at Westlake Village Westlake High School; Division III at University High School; Division IV at Santiago High School.

* Top individuals: Defending Division I champion Calvary Chapel should once again dominate with defending state champions Joe Calavitta (140 pounds) and Ty Wilcox (160). Other Division I standouts include Michael Delaney (112) and Pat Cadwallaer of Brethren Christian; Rick Oishi (171) of Canyon; Edgar Saldivar (189) of Anaheim and Mateo Headrick (215) of San Clemente. From Division II, Andrew Pena (119) of Irvine; Austen Cathey (160) of Huntington Beach and Jason Deere (275) of Newport Harbor are expected to be top performers. Santa Ana’s Tony Perez, who’s ranked first in the county at 103 pounds, will join teammates Fernando Serratos (112) and Jose Morales (130) in the Division III finals. Ed Sanchez, ranked third in the county at 130, will be helping Santiago defend its Division IV title.

* Tickets: $3-$5.

WRESTLING MASTERS MEET

* How spots are determined: Six entrants at each weight from Division I and II Individual Championships; five at each weight from Division III, and three at each weight from Division IV. The top eight finishers in each weight class advance to the State Championships, March 7-8.

* Where: Fountain Valley High School.

* When: Saturday, March 1, beginning at 10 a.m.

* Tickets: $3-$5.

TEAM DUAL MEET

* How spots are determined: The team that has the best league record will represent its league in its respective division.

* When: Today. First rounds begin at 10 a.m., seconds rounds at 2 p.m., preliminary finals at 4 p.m., finals at 6:15 p.m.

* Where: Division I at Cerritos College; Division II at Temecula Valley High School; Division III at Chino Hills Ayala High School; Division IV at Santiago High School.

* Top teams: County schools are expected to dominate their divisions. Calvary Chapel should walk away with its second consecutive Division I title; Santa Ana defends its Division II championship, and Santiago defends its Division IV title.

* Tickets: $3-$5.

Compiled by Times staff writers Erik Hamilton, Martin Henderson, Paul McLeod, Dave McKibben, Bob Rohwer and Wendy Witherspoon