Marina Girls Sent Packing to Start Regional Playoffs

The Marina girls’ team is wondering what it has to do to get a home game after the brackets for the Southern California regional basketball playoffs were released Sunday.

The Vikings, who Saturday defeated San Clemente to win their first Southern Section Division I-A girls’ basketball title, are the only champions from Orange County not to be hosting a first-round game. The Vikings (27-4) were seeded fifth in the Division I bracket, which means they probably will play all their games on the road. They open Tuesday at Central Section champion Bakersfield Stockdale (26-4).

Marina’s state championship girls’ volleyball team received similar treatment, never playing at home, after winning the section Division I-A girls’ title last year.

“It’s an equity issue,” a disappointed Marina Athletic Director Larry Doyle said. “They try to make it so that each section is guaranteed that at least one of their teams gets a home game. We like to think the Southern Section is pretty darn good, but there are people from places like Fresno and San Diego who don’t know much about us and think that their teams shouldn’t have to travel, either.”

Los Angeles City Section 4-A champion Harbor City Narbonne (25-4) is top-seeded in Division I and will host Long Beach Wilson (24-4). If Narbonne and Marina win, the Vikings will play Thursday at Narbonne.

Rolling Hills Estates Peninsula, the section Division I-AA champion, was awarded the section’s Division I home game and will host Los Angeles City Section runner-up Pacific Palisades Palisades (22-6). In another Division I girls’ game, San Clemente (27-5) plays at San Diego 4-A champion Vista Rancho Buena Vista (29-2).

Troy (28-3), the section Division II-AA runner-up, will play at Chula Vista Eastlake (23-7), the San Diego 3-A champion.

In boys’ Division II, Southern Section Division II-AA champion Santa Margarita (28-2) will host Central Section runner-up Fresno Edison (25-5). In boys’ Division III, Southern Section Division III-AA champion Ocean View (25-4) hosts Southern Section Division III-A runner-up Torrance Bishop Montgomery (21-7).

In girls’ Division II, Southern Section Division II-AA champion Brea Olinda (29-1) hosts Southern Section Division II-A runner-up Glendora St. Lucy’s (21-10). In girls’ Division IV, Southern Section Division IV-A champion Brethren Christian (19-10) hosts Central Section runner-up Woodlake (18-9).

Calvary Chapel’s boys’ and girls’ teams will be on the road after finishing second in their respective Southern Section Division IV-AA finals. The boys (23-7) play at San Diego Section 2-A champion La Jolla The Bishop’s School (23-7). The girls (24-6) play at Central Section champion Corcoran (26-5). If Brethren Christian and Calvary Chapel win, they meet Thursday at Brethren Christian.