Playing for Keeps Is Name of Game

Baseball championship games in two City Section and six Southern Section divisions will be played today, Friday and Saturday with seven of the eight divisions certain to crown new champions.

Simi Valley Grace Brethren, the defending champion in Southern Section Division VI, is the only team that has the opportunity to defend its title.

A look at the championship matchups:

CITY SECTION

* CITY CHAMPIONSHIP: CHATSWORTH (26-3) vs. SUN VALLEY POLY (25-7), tonight, Dodger Stadium, 7:30--Poly is winless in four championship game appearances. It won’t be easy for the Parrots to end the streak against Chatsworth ace Mike Kunes (12-1).

* DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP: RESEDA CLEVELAND (14-15) vs. HUNTINGTON PARK (23-9), today, Dodger Stadium, 4 p.m.--Huntington Park is making its first appearance in a championship game since 1994, when the Spartans lost to Franklin. Senior shortstop Rafael Ornelas is batting .421 and senior left-hander Edgar Arambula is 7-2.

SOUTHERN SECTION

* DIVISION I: LONG BEACH WILSON (26-4) vs. RIVERSIDE ARLINGTON (28-2), Saturday, Edison Field, 7:30 p.m.--Arlington is making its first appearance in the championship game. Wilson is back for the first time since 1950.

Arlington is led by senior catcher Ryan Christianson, who was selected by the Seattle Mariners with the 11th overall pick in Wednesday’s amateur draft. The Lions also feature senior shortstop Anthony Lunetta, who has signed with USC.

Senior center fielder Chris Miller has been outstanding throughout the season for Wilson.

* DIVISION II: SANTA MARIA RIGHETTI vs. NEWHALL HART (26-4), Saturday, Edison Field, 4:30 p.m.--Righetti features left-handed pitcher John Thomas, who was drafted in the second round by the San Francisco Giants.

This is the final game for Hart Coach Bud Murray, who is retiring after 22 years. The Indians beat Chino Don Lugo in the semifinals.

* DIVISION III: HEMET (24-5) vs. PLACENTIA EL DORADO (25-5), Saturday, Edison Field, 1 p.m.--Ryan Rocheleau is batting .447 and is 10-2 on the mound for Hemet, which is making its first appearance in a championship game since 1974.

Top-seeded El Dorado beat Magnolia, Norte Vista, Hesperia and Norwalk to reach the final.

* DIVISION IV: EL SEGUNDO (27-6) vs. CORONA DEL MAR (19-8), Saturday, Edison Field, 10 a.m.--Catcher Alberto Concepcion, drafted in the second round by the San Diego Padres, leads El Segundo.

Corona del Mar beat top-seeded Westminster La Quinta, 12-1, in the semifinals.

* DIVISION V: SANTA ANA CALVARY CHAPEL (27-1-1) vs. NORTH HILLS L.A. BAPTIST (18-6), Friday, Blair Field, 7:30 p.m.--Top-seeded Calvary Chapel defeated St. Bonaventure, 10-0, in five innings in the semifinals.

L.A. Baptist earned its first trip to the final by defeating Lancaster Desert Christian.

* DIVISION VI: SIMI VALLEY GRACE BRETHREN vs. ARCADIA RIO HONDO PREP (17-6), Friday, Blair Field, 4:30 p.m.--Third-seeded Rio Hondo Prep advanced to a final for the first time by defeating second-seeded La Verne Lutheran, 6-1, in the semifinals.

Top-seeded Grace Brethren held off Bloomington Christian, 6-5, in the semifinals.