If you’re a Mom who loves baseball, the CIF Southern Section just issued you a nice Mother’s Day gift for the weekend. The CIF office released the baseball playoff pairings Friday afternoon, a day earlier than the previously scheduled release time, which was Saturday at 1 p.m.
The extra day is huge for the Division 1 teams, which are scheduled to play the first game of pool play on Tuesday. It’s one thing to practice, it’s another to practice knowing your opponent.
“The extra day to prepare is huge, no doubt,” Harvard-Westlake coach Jared Halpert said.
If the pairings had been released Saturday afternoon, it would have left most teams with one practice on Monday to prepare because it’s against CIF rules to hold any team activities on a Sunday.
Halpert feels like first-year CIF assistant commissioner in charge of baseball, Joe Hoggatt, had a lot to do with the early release.
“The feel Joe has for the baseball community and what the coaches want is amazing. I think this early release has something to do with Joe. This extra time is valuable, he knows that. This is the best baseball in America. Credit to Joe,” Halpert said.
FOUR DAILY NEWS TEAMS IN DIVISION 1
Harvard-Westlake, Sierra Canyon, Notre Dame and Oaks Christian were all placed the new, 16-team Division 1 playoff field that starts with pool play.
POOL A: Norco vs. Maranatha, Notre Dame vs.Ayala
POOL B: Corona vs. Etiwanda, Orange Lutheran vs. Corona/Santiago
POOL C: Sierra Canyon vs. Oaks Christian, St. John Bosco vs. Cypress
POOL D: Temecula Valley vs. Huntington Beach, Harvard-Westlake vs. La Mirada
Pool play guarantees each team at least two games. After the first round of pool play, the teams that are 1-0 play each other. The teams that are 0-1 play each other.
Teams that go 0-2 are disqualified. Teams that go 2-0 advance to the quarterfinal, knockout stage. Teams that go 1-1 will play each other in a third game to advance. Two teams from each pool move on.
Divisions 2, 4, 6, and 8 will start on Thursday. Divisions 3, 5, 7, and 9 will start Friday.
WESTLAKE GETS TOP SEED IN D2
Westlake is the No. 2 seed in Division 2 and will host Alta Loma. Alemany, one of seven Mission League teams to qualify for the playoffs, will host Mission Viejo. Chaminade got into the Division 2 playoffs by way of an at-large berth and will host Newbury Park.
Paraclete will host Yucaipa, Royal will host El Modena, and Loyola will host Yorba Linda
DIVISION 3
Dos Pueblos at Burbank/Burroughs
Warren at West Ranch
Crescenta Valley at St. Francis
Oakwood at Agoura
Simi Valley at Arcadia
DIVISION 4
Walnut at Saugus
Valencia at Canyon/Anaheim
Highland at Laguna Beach
Monrovia at Castaic
La Serna at Moorpark
DIVISION 5
Tahquitz at Quartz Hill
Heritage Christian at Paramount
DIVISION 6
Lancaster at Crossroads
DIVISION 7
Palmdale at New Roads
Beverly Hills at Grace
Milken Community at Fontana
Patriot at Viewpoint
University Prep at Golden Valley
Jurupa Valley at Campbell Hall
DIVISION 8
Buckley at Duarte
Santa Clarita Christian at Academy of Academic Excellence
Nuview Bridge at Providence/Burbank