Top Soccer Seedings Go to Damien, Arcadia

First-round games in the Southern Section soccer playoffs begin Friday with competition in five boys’ and five girls’ divisions.

Championship games will be played March 5 and 6 at Cerritos Gahr High.

La Verne Damien is the top-seeded boys’ team and Arcadia is the top-seeded girls’ team in Division I.

Other top-seeded teams in the boys’ competition: Division II--Irvine Woodbridge, III--Anaheim El Dorado; IV--Santa Paula; V--Cerritos Valley Christian.

Other top-seeded teams in the girls’ competition: II--Westlake; III-West Torrance; IV--North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake; V--Brentwood.

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Top seedings in the girls’ water polo playoffs have gone to Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley in Division I, Santa Barbara in Division II, Bell Gardens in Division III and Fullerton Rosary in Division IV.

This is the second season the Southern Section has sponsored a girls’ water polo championships. Last year, 64 teams competed in three playoff divisions. This year, 87 teams are competing in four divisions.

Defending champions include Huntington Beach Marina in Division I, Santa Barbara in Division II and Rosary in Division III.

Wild-card games were played Wednesday. First-round games begin Saturday, and championship matches will be played March 1 at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach.

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Rick Azevedo, boys’ and girls’ water polo coach at Long Beach Wilson, has been hired as men’s water polo coach at Long Beach State.

Azevedo guided the Wilson boys’ team to four Southern Section Division I championships in nine seasons. The Wilson girls’ team reached the section final in 1997 and ’98 and opens play in this year’s playoffs Friday against Anaheim Canyon.

Azevedo’s son, Tony, was the Southern Section Division I player of the year last season as a junior.