The CIF Southern Section on Friday released its playoff lacrosse brackets, sending most of the Foothill League teams on the road in the first round, while the West Ranch girls are set to host on Monday.
The West Ranch boys’ lacrosse team (7-8, 6-2) is also staying home for the first round as the Wildcats received a bye as the top seed in Division 3. They await the winner of Monday’s game between Millikan and Cate and will host in the second round on Thursday.
Monday’s first-round games are set to begin at 5 p.m. Second-round girls’ games are slated for Thursday, while second-round boys’ games are set to be played Friday, May 2.
Here’s what Foothill League lacrosse teams are looking at in the first round of the playoffs:
Saugus boys heading to Crespi in Division 2
After claiming the Foothill League title for the fifth consecutive season, the Saugus Centurions (12-7, 1-0) are going on the road to Encino on Monday in the first round of Division 2 to take on the Crespi Celts (8-8, 3-5).
Saugus won its final six games of the regular season, finishing things off with a 13-2 thumping of Valencia on Wednesday to officially take the league crown.
Crespi finished fourth in the Mission League and lost its final two games of the regular season, both to Division 1 powerhouses in Loyola and JSerra Catholic.
The Celts have a couple of 30-goal scorers in juniors Hector Gresko and Zain Sheikh. Overall on the season, Crespi has scored 134 goals while allowing 155.
Saugus has five players who have scored at least 20 goals this season, and the team has put up 200 overall against 164 allowed. Freshman Gavin Pantelidis leads the Centurions with 49 goals, followed by junior Kaden Barcus with 34 and sophomore Landon Lattimore with 28.
The winner between Saugus and Crespi would travel to face the St. John Bosco Braves (12-5, 1-4) in the second round. The Braves received a bye in the first round.
Valencia boys traveling to Sierra Canyon in Division 2
The Valencia Vikings (14-3, 5-3) are slated to travel to Chatsworth on Monday in the first round of Division 2 to take on the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers (4-5, 3-2).
Valencia finished third in the Foothill League while the Trailblazers were third in the Mission League.
Sierra Canyon played a slew of Southern Section Division 1 teams to start the season and lost its first four games before winning four of its final five games. The Trailblazers scored 75 goals on the season and gave up 98.
Valencia ended its season with wins in seven of nine games. Overall, the Vikings put up 179 goals against 100 allowed.
Senior Luke Huey led the Vikings with 50 goals in the regular season. Senior Derek Grossman was close behind with 42 goals, while junior Adam Arvidson had 23 and junior Nolan Araki had 22.
The winner between Valencia and Sierra Canyon would play either Palos Verdes (8-7, 4-2) or Corona (18-4, 3-4) in the second round.
West Ranch girls hosting Santiago in Division 2
The West Ranch Wildcats (11-7, 6-0) had a goal of claiming the Foothill League title outright, and they did that with an undefeated league campaign for their fifth consecutive title.
On Monday, West Ranch is slated to host the Santiago Sharks (10-10, 4-3) of Corona, the third-place team out of the Big VIII League, in Division 2.
West Ranch has a couple of dominant goal scorers in sophomore Grace Manning and junior Lauren Lamb, the reigning Foothill League Player of the Year. The Wildcats have tested themselves throughout the season with games against some of the top teams in the section, something head coach Leesa Chelminiak has hoped would prepare them for a deep playoff run.
Santiago has put up 223 goals on the season and has allowed just 140, while West Ranch has scored 296 goals and allowed 203.
Senior Autumn Kuhl led the Sharks in the regular season with 43 goals, while senior Elise Gunnell put up 30.
The winner between West Ranch and Santiago is slated to travel to El Segundo to take on the top-seeded Eagles (13-6, 6-0) in the second round.
Saugus girls heading to Chaparral in Division 2
After finishing in second place in the Foothill League, the Saugus Centurions (13-4, 4-2) are slated to head to Temecula to take on the Chaparral Pumas (13-5, 8-2) in the first round in Division 2.
Saugus had a 10-game winning streak during the middle of the regular season before going 2-2 in its final four games. Chaparral ended the regular season on a four-game winning streak.
The Centurions scored 275 goals as a team while allowing 147. Chaparral had a tighter margin, scoring 183 goals against 160 allowed.
Senior Tessa Pearson led the Pumas with 26 goals in the regular season. Senior Julia Canela added 25 goals and senior Malia Fox had 20.
The winner between Saugus and Chaparral would face either Village Christian (12-7, 2-6) or Oak Park (11-5, 9-3) in the second round.
