Metro Conference teams have been there before and won the big prize. They’re at it again this year.
Second-seeded Eastlake High School (25-11) will meet No. 9 Ranch Bernardo High School (19-17) in Friday’s San Diego Section Division I girls volleyball championship game at 7:30 p.m. at Southwestern College.
The Lady Titans are not alone in this weekend’s championship fray.
A total of 13 South County teams qualified for this year’s seven-divisional section playoffs. Four of those squads were left standings in this week’s semifinals. Joining Eastlake in the semifinals were Olympian High School (Division III) and Southwest and San Ysidro high schools in Division V.
The Division I semifinals took place on Tuesday with Metro-Mesa League champion Eastlake sweeping 11th-seeded Point Loma 25-20, 25-23,25-13 and 11th-seeded Olympian (16-21) ending its season with a 25-8, 25-14, 25-9 loss at No. 2 seed Brawley High School (28-11).
Metro-Pacific League champion Southwest (15-16) and league runner-up San Ysidro (21-13) were next up in Wednesday’s semifinals. Southwest hosted fifth-seeded Kearny (14-15) while No. 3 San Ysidro traveled to No. 2 seed Orange Glen (14-13) in bids to advance to Saturday’s championship game at MiraCosta College.
There was the possibility that Southwest and San Ysidro could meet each other in the Division V final at 2:30 p.m.
Southwest did its part with a 3-0 sweep (25-14, 25-15, 25-14) of the Lady Komets (14-16) but San Ysidro fell in five-sets, 3-2, by scores of 17-25, 25-21, 17-25, 26-24, 16-14 to the Lady Patriots (15-13).
San Ysidro was one win away from joining its Metro-Pacific League rival in the championship match but dropped the last two games, 26-24, 16-14, in tight fashion to end the season.
“We are excited about competing in this Saturday’s Division V championship game,” Southwest coach Norma Alexys Ramirez said after the semifinal win. “This will be the girls volleyball team second time in a CIF final. Last time in 2018 was the first time in school history and we won.
Ramirez was the winning coach in 2018, but took a break from coaching after to support her daughter in her own high school volleyball career.
“Now I’m happy to be back with this group of amazing girls,” the Lady Raiders coach said.
Eastlake eliminated No. 10 Pacific Ridge (18-19) in a 3-0 sweep (25-20, 25-20, 25-16) and Olympian ousted No. 14 Oceanside (14-13) in five games (25-18, 25-21, 19-25, 19-25, 16-14 in last Friday’s quarterfinals. Southwest topped No. 8 Castle Park (14-18) in four games (25-12, 25-19, 20-25, 25-6) on Saturday while San Yisdro dispatched No. 6 High Tech High Chula Vista in five games 22-25, 25-9, 18-25, 25-15, 15-9.
Olympian started the playoffs with a four-game upset of No. 6 Escondido in the opening round.
Southwestern College will host both the Division I and Division II championship games on Friday. The Division II championship game pitting No. 2 La Jolla Country Day (28-8) and No. 5 University City (23-8) precedes the Eastlake-Rancho Bernardo Division I clash at 5 p.m.
Metro teams in search of success in CIF boys water polo playoffs
The San Diego Section boys water polo playoffs are underway leading to championship finals in all four divisions Nov. 16 at La Jolla High School.
The Eastlake Titans (No. 2 in Division I) and Hilltop Lancers (No. 3 in Division III) gained favorable seeds. They are among five Metro Conference teams entered in this year’s playoffs, joining Southwest (No. 8 in Division III), Otay Ranch (No. 9 in Division III) and Mater Dei Catholic (No. 11 in Division III).
Southwest qualified as the Metro-Pacific League champion.
Both Eastlake and Hilltop have made the division finals in the past, but a double championship would certainly be special this year.
It could happen if the seeding works in their favor.
Metro-Mesa League champion Eastlake (23-5) will play No. 10 Vista (9-18) in Saturday’s quarterfinals at 5:15 p.m. at La Jolla High School after the Panthers eliminated No. 7 Patrick Henry, 16-11, in Tuesday’s opening round.
Metro-South Bay League champion Hilltop (15-6) will play No. 6 Mission Hills (14-6) in Friday’s quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. at La Jolla high School after the Grizzlies sank Mater Dei Catholic, 15-4, in Tuesday’s opening round.
The Division II semifinals are Monday, Nov. 11, while the Division I semifinals are Wednesday, Nov. 13, both at LJHS.
Southwest ended its season on Tuesday with a 16-5 loss to Otay Ranch at Mar Vista High School to allow the Mustangs (13-13) to advance to Friday’s quarterfinals against No. 1 San Pasqual (15-4) at LJHS at 4 p.m.
Fall Sports Championship Schedules
Girls Volleyball
Open Division: Saturday, Nov. 9, at University of San Diego, 7:30 p.m.
Division I: Friday, Nov. 8, at Southwestern College, 7:30 p.m.
Division II: Friday, Nov. 8, at Southwestern College, 5 p.m.
Division III: Saturday, Nov. 9, at MiraCosta College, 7:30 p.m.
Division IV: Saturday, Nov. 9, at MiraCosta College, 5 p.m.
Division V: Saturday, Nov. 9, at MiraCosta College, 2:30 p.m.
Division V-AA: Thursday, Nov. 7, at MiraCosta College, 7 p.m.
Girls Field Hockey
Saturday, Nov. 16
Eastlake High School
Open Division: 6 p.m.
Division I: 3:30 p.m.
Division II: 1 p.m.
Boys Water Polo
Saturday, Nov. 16
La Jolla High School
Open Division: 7 p.m.
Division I: 5 p.m.
State play-in game: 3 p.m.
Division II: 1 p.m.
Division III: 11 a.m.
Girls Flag Football
First-Round
Division I: Wednesday, Nov. 13
Division II: Tuesday, Nov. 12
Division III: Wednesday, Nov. 13
Division IV: Tuesday, Nov. 12
Girls Tennis Team Finals
Open Division: (1) Canyon Crest Academy 13, (2) Del Norte 5
Division I: (1) La Jolla Country Day 10, (2) Scripps Ranch 8
Division II:(2) La Jolla 12, (1) Steele Canyon 6
Division III: (4) Clairemont 10, (14) University City 8
