League Titles, Berths on the Line

Several league championships are still undecided as prep softball enters the final week of the regular season, but the races to watch most closely are in the Empire, Freeway, Pacific Coast and Sunset leagues.

The biggest showdown is Thursday’s Freeway League game between La Habra and Sonora, as the host Raiders try to end La Habra’s three-year championship streak on the final day of the season.

Academy: Downey Calvary Chapel (15-4, 8-0) must lose twice, and Capistrano Valley Christian must win three times to forge a tie for the league title.

Century: Foothill (25-3, 8-0) clinched its ninth consecutive title. Canyon (15-12-1, 4-4) can gain a second-place tie with a victory today at El Modena (15-10, 5-3).

Empire: El Dorado (19-3, 7-1) can break the six-year title run by Kennedy (14-9, 6-2) with two wins this week, including a season finale against a dangerous third-place team, Loara (16-11, 5-3).

Freeway: La Habra (13-12, 6-2) and Sonora (20-6, 6-2) are tied for first and play Thursday at Sonora. La Habra won the first game, 2-1, on Erin Murray’s two-run homer in bottom of seventh.

Garden Grove: Pacifica (18-7, 10-0) owns a share of the league title with two to play, but can win it outright today against second-place Garden Grove (16-10-1, 8-2), which has won 10 in a row.

Golden West: Rosary (18-8, 8-0) has a share of the title with two games remaining, but can win it outright with a victory today against second-place Westminster (15-9, 6-2).

Olympic: Orange Lutheran (21-5, 9-1) holds a one-game lead over Calvary Chapel (11-5, 8-2)--the only team to beat Orange Lutheran--but doesn’t play a team with a winning record this week.

Orange: Brea Olinda (16-7-1, 8-0) has a two-game lead and closes out against teams with losing records. Second-place hinges on today’s matchup between Valencia (14-11, 6-2) and Western (8-14, 5-3).

Pacific Coast: Laguna Hills (20-4-2, 8-0) can clinch a share of its eighth title in nine years with a victory today at Aliso Niguel (15-8, 7-1).

Sea View: Woodbridge (19-9, 7-0) clinched its 17th league title. Third-place Santa Margarita (12-10-1, 3-3) plays at Irvine (11-12, 2-4) today as each tries to gain the league’s final automatic playoff berth.

South Coast: Mater Dei (23-3, 8-0) holds a 1 1/2-game lead over today’s opponent, Dana Hills (21-4-2, 6-1-1), with two to play. Mater Dei, going for its seventh consecutive title, ends the season against winless Trabuco Hills 6-19, 0-8).

Sunset: Edison (11-15, 4-4), which beat Fountain Valley twice last season, plays the first-place Barons (19-7, 7-1) today. Second-place Marina, a game behind Fountain Valley, finishes against Los Alamitos (12-12, 4-4) which is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time this decade.