Nine local soccer teams will enter the CIF postseason this week. Some programs are making their playoff debut while others are looking to repeat as sectional champions.
Here’s everything you need to know for the upcoming first round of playoff soccer:
The champs earn a bye
Hart Indians girls’ soccer is back in Division 1 and notched a first-round bye after the team’s impressive (19-2-2) record and second straight undefeated Foothill League campaign.
The Indians have a plethora of firepower but have been just as dynamic on defense. Hart has allowed just two goals since late December, with nine straight clean sheets in that span.
Hart has its eyes on back-to-back CIF titles and will take the field on Saturday and host the winner of Alta Loma and Mission Viejo.
Hart boys head to Carter
The Indians (15-4-1) will head to Rialto and begin their Division 1 journey against the Carter Lions (11-4-4).
Carter has dropped just one match in its last seven outings and notched a Sunkist League championship.
Hart also enters the playoffs hot, as winners of nine of its last 10 matches with 38 goals scored to seven conceded.
The Indians head to Rialto on Wednesday to take on the Lions at 3:15 p.m.
Saugus girls head to Yorba Linda
The Foothill League runner ups will hit the road for a Division 2 matchup with the Yorba Linda Mustangs (14-2-5).
Numerous 2025 collegiate athletes will take the field as Saugus’ Sophia Ruys, an Old Dominion commit, will lead the Centurions (11-6-4) against the Mustangs. The playmaking senior leads Saugus with 13 goals and 10 assists.
Yorba Linda is led by Kansas commit Karina da Silva, San Marcos commit Isabela Chavez and Surf Cup champion Mia Corder.
Yorba Linda welcomes Saugus on Thursday at 3:15 p.m.
Golden Valley boys finish second in league, head to Glendale
Golden Valley Grizzlies boys’ soccer (11-7-4) had a season overflowing with headlines. The Grizzlies finished second overall in league for the first time in program history, snapped Hart’s 35-game unbeaten streak in league and head into the postseason as winners of three straight.
Golden Valley will play another league runner up in the Glendale Nitros (13-2-2). Glendale only fell to the Pacific League champion Pasadena. Golden Valley faced a similar fate against Pasadena earlier in the season.
The Nitros have lost just one game since late December and are yet to be shut out this season. The Grizzlies will need another energetic and balanced performance, similar to the one that helped the team beat the Indians, in order to get by the Nitros.
Glendale features three players with over 22 points on the year including senior Edgar Naghdalyan, who has netted 14 goals and added five assists.
Golden Valley makes the short drive to Glendale on Wednesday and faces the Nitros at 3:15 p.m.
Valencia girls head into wildcard round
Valencia (9-8-1) showed grit this year with several solid wins and finishes in the Foothill League. The Vikings will enter the Division 3 playoffs via the wildcard round and take on the hosting Oak Park Eagles (9-6-2).
Valencia is undefeated in four straight matches and will look to keep inclining against a tough Eagles team that has stumbled into the postseason. Oak Park gave up nine goals in its final two losses of the season.
The Eagles are still a threat to score at any time and are yet to be shutout this season.
Valencia heads to Oak Park on Tuesday at 3:15 p.m.
Canyon boys face Etiwanda
Aside from a couple of tough losses to the Division 1 Hart Indians, Canyon (7-5-4) has been electric since mid-December.
The Cowboys have registered nine multi-goal games this season and will likely need another one when the team takes on the Etiwanda Eagles (14-4-4).
Etiwanda is yet another team heading into the postseason unbeaten since late December and will aim to slow down Canyon’s creative attacking players. Seniors Marcus Toney, Jacob Beltran and Gabriel Roque have flashed their skills all season and will now get to showcase their scoring abilities on the big stage.
Canyon faces off with Etiwanda on Wednesday at 3:15 p.m.
Canyon girls also pop in D3 wildcard
Cowboys girls’ soccer (8-6-2) will be another local team in the Division 3 wildcard round. Canyon will also hit the road as they head over to Moreno Valley to face the Valley View Eagles (8-4-3).
Both teams enter the postseason less than ideally as Valley View has just two wins in its last six matches, while Canyon is winless in three straight.
Nonetheless, the Cowboys have plenty of playoff experience after last year’s dynamic run that ended in the CIF Division 4 quarterfinals at the hands of the eventual champion Western Christian. Valley View on the other hand is looking for its first playoff win in four years
Canyon takes on Valley View on Tuesday at 3:15 p.m.
Saugus draws top-seeded Palmdale
The Centurion boys came alive at the end of the season and did just enough to squeeze them into the Division 2 playoffs.
Saugus (4-6-5) will now face the biggest challenge of the season as it takes on the No. 1 seed Palmdale Falcons (16-1-3).
Palmdale has just one loss to its record in mid-December and has been on a tear ever since.
The Falcons and Centurions both have balanced attacks, with several players scoring crucial goals throughout the season. Freshman Daniel Peraza has led the team with 11 goals while junior Brandon Valdivia has netted 10. Senior Diego Nunez has created most of the team’s chances with 13 assists.
Saugus senior Alejandro Zalamea has given the team six goals and five assists this season, while junior Santiago Veizaga has netted five goals.
The Centurions head up to Palmdale looking for a huge upset on Wednesday at 3:15 p.m.
Trinity girls make playoff debut
The breakout season for the Knights continues on as Trinity girls’ soccer heads to the playoffs for the first time in program history.
Trinity will take its talent to Simi Valley to face the hosting Frontier League champion Grace Lancers (9-5-1).
The Knights will need to come out with a strong defensive game plan as the Lancers enter the playoffs on a scoring frenzy. Grace has punched in 49 goals in its last seven games.
Grace hosts Trinity on Thursday at 3:15 p.m.
