Lots of local teams headed to basketball, soccer playoffs. Los Alamitos had all four of its soccer, basketball teams capture league titles, with the soccer teams clinching on the final game of the regular seasons.
The Griffin girls soccer team is among the Elite Eight to get placed in the Open Division and will playing a Champions League format (see more below).
Girls Soccer
Open Division
Los Alamitos (15-5-4) vs. Capistrano Valley (18-2-1), Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
The Griffins captured the Surf League title with a 4-1-1 record, outscoring their final six opponents by a combined 18-7. However, their only league loss came in that stretch with a 2-1 overtime loss to Huntington Beach. Still, the Griffins managed to stay ranked in the top 8 teams in the CIF-SS poll and were slotted into the Open Division Playoffs.
The Open Division plays a “Champions League style, where teams play the same opponent twice and the team with the highest cumulative score advances to the quarterfinals. The eight teams, in order of ranking, are; Santa Margarita, Santiago/Corona, Capistrano Valley, Millikan, Mira Costa, Los Alamitos, Mater Dei, and Oaks Christian.
After Thursday’s game at Los Alamitos, the Griffins will travel to Capistrano Valley for their second game on Saturday at 11 a.m. Santa Margarita plays Oaks Christian, Mira Costa plays Millikan, and Mater Dei plays Santiago. Four teams will advance to the quarterfinals on Feb. 14, with the semifinals on Feb. 17 and the championship game on Feb. 23.
Division 1
Huntington Beach (15-5-3) at Troy (11-2-2), Thursday at 5 p.m.
The Oilers finished third in the Surf League and will travel to take on the Freeway League Champs in a first-round game.
Newport Harbor (14-6-4) No. 2 out of the Surf League is also in the bracket with a first-round game at home against West Torrance on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Sunset Conference teams out of the Wave League, Edison and Corona del Mar are also among the field. Nearby Pacifica/Garden Grove, Empire League Champs, are also in the bracket and have a first-round bye.
Division 3
Cypress (11-6-1) at El Rancho (15-4), Thursday at 3 p.m.
The Centurions reached the playoffs as the No. 2 team out of the Empire League. They will travel to El Rancho, the No. 2 team out of the Del Rio League.
Boys Soccer
Los Alamitos (12-9-2) vs. Palos Verdes (10-9-2), Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
After an erratic start, the Griffins went 5-0-1 down the stretch and swept its final three against Surf League opponents to take the league title with a 4-1-1 record. The Griffins needed a 2-1 overtime win over Newport Harbor in their final regular season game to prevent sliding down into third place.
The Griffins now open the playoffs against the Palos Verdes Sea Kings, which enters the playoffs as the No. 2 team out of the Bay League. Edison, which finished second in the Surf League behind the Griffins are also in the bracket with a first-round game at Sierra Vista, the No. 1 team out of the Montview League.
Division 2
Huntington Beach (6-8-5) vs. Wilson/LB (9-6-3), Wednesday at 5 p.m.
The Oilers won the Wave League championship and will host the Bruins, who earned an at-large berth out of the Moore League.
Girls basketball
Division 1
Cypress (14-13) at Santiago/Corona (17-9), Thursday at 7 p.m.
Cypress is No. 2 out of Empire League and Santiago is No. 2 out of the Big VIII League.
Division 2A
Los Alamitos (23-5) vs. Pioneer (12-15), Thursday at 7 p.m.
Los Alamitos No. 1 out of Surf League, while Pioneer is No. 3 out of 605 League. For more on the Griffins see page 6.
Division 3A
Huntington Beach (16-12) at Segerstrom (22-6), Thursday at 7 p.m.
Huntington Beach is No. 2 out of Wave League and Segerstrom is No. 2 out of Golden West League.
Division 4AA
Marina (20-8) vs. Norwalk (13-15), Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Marina is the No. 1 team out of the Wave League, Norwalk is No. 3 out of the Mid-Cities League.
Canyon/Anaheim (17-11) vs. Avalon (), Thursday at 2 p.m.
Canyon is No. 2 team out of North Hills League, Avalon is No. 3 team out of Academy League.
Boys Basketball
Division 1
Los Alamitos (23-5) vs. Canyon/Anaheim-Rancho Cucamonga winner, Friday at 7 p.m.
The Surf League Champion Griffins received a first-round bye and will host the winner of the Canyon/Rancho Cucamonga game.
The Griffins started the season strong and have continued to play at a high level most of the season. They went 6-0 in Surf League, while Newport Harbor, Edison, and Fountain Valley all went 2-4, as they exchanged wins over each other, but could not got past Los Al. All four teams also made the playoffs and Fountain Valley was the only one with less than 20 wins at 16. Fountain Valley was ranked No. 11 in the final CIF-SS Division 2AA poll and Newport Harbor was No. 6 in Division 2A.
Los Alamitos has pushed tempo all season. They have speed and plenty of players who can shoot. They press teams from the start and look to wear them down, and Head Coach Nate Berger has been pleased with the progress.
“I’m proud of the team, I thought we got a lot better during the year,” Berger said.
Along with that, the Griffins played some top teams out of conference and league, such as Mater Dei, Etiwanda and De la Salle. And the games they didn’t win, were competitive.
Head Coach Nate Berger said the way his team was able to battle in the trenches was impressive.
“The way we’ve been able to play against bigger, taller, and stronger teams,” Berger said.
Edison (20-8) at West Ranch (14-14), Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Second place team out of the Surf League, Edison, will travel to West Ranch High, to face the No. 2 team out of the Foothill League.
Division 2A
Marina (21-7) vs. Beverly Hills (15-11), Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Wave League Champions, Marina, will host the No. 2 team out of the Ocean League.
Cypress (21-6) vs. Beaumont (20-6), Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Empire League Champions, Cypress, will host the No.2 team out of the Citrus Belt league.
Division 3A
Huntington Beach (15-13) at Gahr (18-8), Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Huntington Beach is the No. 3 team out of the Wave League. Gahr is the No. 1 team out of the Mid-Cities League.
Division 5A
Avalon (9-14) vs. Anaheim (10-16), Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Avalon won the Express League title and will host the No. 3 team out of the Orange League.