Crescenta Valley boys’ soccer ready to begin road to repeat
The following are playoff previews of Friday’s events involving local teams.
BOYS’ SOCCER
Crescenta Valley at Placentia Valencia, 5 p.m.: After winning the CIF Southern Section Division IV championship last season, the Falcons will try to win a Division III title. Crescenta Valley is 20-3-7 after taking second in the Pacific League. Valencia, which finished second in the Empire League, is 15-5-5.
The winner of the Crescenta Valley-Placentia Valencia match will meet Century or Murrieta Valley in a second-round match Wednesday.
St. Francis at Palos Verdes, 3 p.m.: St. Francis finished third in the Mission League and began the Division I postseason Wednesday with a 5-5 (4-3) wild-card home win against Canyon Springs. St. Francis overcame a 4-1 deficit to prevail. Fourth-seeded Palos Verdes (19-2-3) won the Bay League championship.
The winner will face Damien or Tesoro in a second-round contest Wednesday.
Glendale at El Rancho, 3:15 p.m.: The Nitros (8-10-5) had plenty of suspense in winning their Division III wild-card road match against Garden Grove Pacifica, 0-0 (4-3). The Nitros (7-10-1) will now face top-seeded El Rancho on the road in a first-round contest. El Rancho (21-2-1) won the Del Rio League title.
The winner will meet Littlerock or Cajon in a second-round match Wednesday.
Flintridge Prep at Firebaugh, 3 p.m.: Flintridge Prep (8-8-4) enters the Division VI playoffs on an eight-match unbeaten streak (5-0-3) that allowed them to take second in the Prep League. Firebaugh finished second in the Harbor League and is 9-6-1.
The winner will battle Rubidoux or Riverside Prep in a second-round match Tuesday.
BOYS’ BASKETBALL
Paloma Valley at Crescenta Valley, 7 p.m.: After finishing second in the Pacific League, the fourth-seeded Falcons (20-7) will tip off the Division I-A first-round game against Paloma Valley, which is 12-16 and placed fourth in the Sunbelt League before receiving an at-large berth.
The winner will take on 13th-seeded Edison or Walnut in a second-round contest Tuesday.
Glendale at Dana Hills, 7 p.m.: The Nitros (9-17) received an at-large berth into the Division 1-A bracket following a seventh-place finish in the Pacific League. Glendale will meet sixth-seeded Dana Hills, which is 20-7 and finished second in the Sea View League.
The winner will advance against Schurr or Troy on Tuesday in a second-round game.
Corona del Mar at Hoover, 7 p.m.: After opening the Division III-A playoffs with a win over Firebaugh on Wednesday, Hoover (14-13) will next face third-seeded Corona del Mar (19-10) in a second-round contest. The Sea Kings, who took second in the Pacific Coast League, started their playoff journey Wednesday with an 84-41 win against Rancho Alamitos.
The winner will face sixth-seeded San Marcos or El Dorado in a quarterfinal game Tuesday.
San Dimas at St. Francis, 7 p.m.: Seventh-seeded St. Francis (16-13) received a balanced scoring attack in its Division III-A opening-round game Wednesday in a 56-34 road win against Lompoc. St. Francis, which received an at-large berth out of the Mission League, will take on San Dimas, which registered a 73-63 win against Pioneer on Wednesday. Tenth-seeded San Dimas (16-10) finished third in the Valle Vista League.
The winner will meet second-seeded Oak Park or Pacific in a quarterfinal game Tuesday.
Flintridge Prep at Lancaster Desert Christian, 7 p.m.: The second-seeded Rebels (20-5) began the Division V-AA playoffs with an easy 69-48 home win against Avalon on Wednesday. Flintridge Prep, which won the Prep League crown, will travel to the Antelope Valley to take on Desert Christian (17-8), which captured the Desert Mountain League championship and posted a 70-66 upset first-round win against 15th-seeded Providence.
The winner will take on seventh-seeded Santa Clara or 10th-seeded Linfield Christian.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Holy Family at Canoga Park General Benevolent Union, 5 p.m.: After finishing third in the Horizon League, the Gaels (7-11) will begin the Division V-A playoffs as the 15th seed. Holy Family will meet second-seeded AGBU, which is 12-6 and shared the Westside League championship
The winner will meet seventh-seeded Ribet Academy, West Shores or Webb in a quarterfinal game Feb. 20.
