The San Diego Section playoff seeding committee meeting for softball will take place Saturday, May 14. Teams will be seeding in six divisions: 12 teams in each for Division I, Division II, Division III and Division IV and eight teams for both the Open Division and Division V.
Where do South County teams stand on the eve of qualification?
Mater Dei Catholic, Eastlake and Bonita Vista have emerged as the Metro-Mesa League’s power teams this season and all look to receive high playoff seeds in their respective divisions.
Mater Dei Catholic, which wrapped up this year’s league championship with a 5-3 victory against visiting Eastlake on Tuesday, currently occupies the No. 2 slot in the Division I power rankings while Bonita Vista is ranked sixth among Division I teams and Eastlake is ranked eighth in the same category.
The top eight teams in the Division I power rankings advance to the Open Division playoffs. Is it possible for three Metro teams to squeeze into the elite group?
Mater Dei Catholic is 18-7 overall after finishing 7-1 in league play.
Bonita Vista is 20-7 after finishing 6-2 in league play, including a season-ending 1-0 win at Mater Dei Catholic on Thursday.
Eastlake is 16-8 overall after finishing league play 5-3.
Hilltop won this year’s Metro-Pacific League championship race with a 6-0 record while Mar Vista won the Metro-South Bay League championship race with a 6-0 record. Both teams should advance to postseason competition.
A look at the Division II power rankings has Olympian (13-15, 2-6 in Metro-Mesa play) sitting in ninth place while Hilltop (15-13) is 13th.
Chula Vista (14-8, 4-2 in Metro-Pacific play) sits eighth in the Division III power rankings while Sweetwater (11-14, 2-4 in Metro-Pacific play) is 17th
In the Division IV power rankings, Mar Vista (11-13, 5-0 in Metro-South Bay play) is ranked eighth, followed by Montgomery (11-9, 3-2 in Metro-South Bay play) in 15th place and Southwest (8-11, 1-4 in Metro-South Bay play) in 17th place.
Chula Vista Calvary Christian Academy (15-2, 6-0 in Citrus League play) tops the section’s Division V power rankings while High Tech High Chula Vista (12-3, 4-2 in Frontier League play) is ranked third. Castle Park (7-12, 1-5 in Metro Pacific play) is ranked ninth in the division, followed by San Ysidro (7-17, 0-6 in Metro-South Bay play) in 18th place, Chula Vista Community Learning Center (1-9, 1-4 in Frontie play) in 20th place, Bayfront Charter (2-3, 1-3 in Apollo League) in 21st place and Lutheran (1-11, 0-6 in Citrus play) in 23rd place (out of 25 teams).
Playoff schedule
The playoffs start with any necessary play-in games involving league champions not originally seeded by the committee. These game will take place on Monday, May 16.
Regular play-in games for seeded teams will start on Tuesday, May 17, in Division I through Division IV. Open Division and Division V first-round games will take place on Wednesday, May 18.
First-round play in Division I through Division IV is scheduled for Thursday, May 19.
Second-round play in all divisions is scheduled for Saturday, May 19 (both loser and winner bracket).
Third-round play is scheduled in all divisions is scheduled for Tuesday, May 24.
Fourth-round play in Division I, Division III and Division V (winner and loser brackets) is scheduled for Thursday, May 26, at the Poway Sportsplex USA.
Fourth-round play in the Open Division, Division II and Division IV is scheduled Thursday, May 26, at the Santee Sportsplex USA.
All division finals will be played at UC San Diego.
The division championship schedule is set as follows:
- Division V: Friday, May 27, 5 p.m.
- Division I: Friday, May 27, 7:30 p.m.
- Division IV: Saturday, May 28, 11:30 a.m.
- Division III: Saturday, May 28, 2 p.m.
- Division II: Saturday, May 28, 4:30 p.m.
- Open Division: Saturday, May 28, 7 p.m.
League champion play-in games
According to the section championship bulletin, if a league champion is not seeded into the playoffs, the league champion will host a play-in game against the lowest seeded team in that division. If more than one league champion is not seeded, the highest-ranking league champion will play the lowest seeded team and the second-highest ranked league champion will play the second lowest seeded team.
The play-in game will be held prior to the first-round game in that sport. League champions will host play-in games.
League champions will host first-round games unless playing a higher-seeded league champion or playing a team seeded first through fourth or a league champion has hosted a play-in game. This accommodation does not apply to playoffs that begin with the quarterfinal round.
If a play-in game is needed, it will be played on Monday May 16.
Lady Barons end regular season with 1-0 shutout win over Lady Crusaders
Bonita Vista prevented Mater Dei Catholic from recording a perfect record in Metro-Mesa League play this season by dealing the host Lady Crusaders a 1-0 defeat in Thursday’s regular season finale. Aaliyah Jordan scored the game’s lone run in the first inning, with Crissy Ramirez credited with the RBI. Izzy Ortiz took care of the rest in the pitching circle with a complete game one-hitter.
However, the win (which made amends for a home field loss earlier in the season to Mater Dei Catholic) was not enough to catch the Lady Crusaders in the league standings. Bonita Vista finished in sole possession of second place ahead of third place Eastlake.
Metro Conference
Softball Standings
(Final Regular Season)
Metro-Mesa League
League/Overall
Mater Dei Catholic 7-1, 18-7
Bonita Vista 6-2, 20-7
Eastlake 5-3, 16-8
Olympian 2-6, 13-15
Otay Ranch 0-8, 7-18-1
Metro-Pacific League
League/Overall
Hilltop 6-0
Chula Vista 4-2
Sweetwater 2-4
Castle Park 1-5
Metro-South Bay League
League/Overall
Mar Vista 6-0
Montgomery 4-2
Southwest 1-4
San Ysidro 0-6
Eleven South County softball teams qualify for CIF playoffs
The San Diego Section playoff seeding committee recognized three Metro-Mesa League teams for excellence during regular season play by placing them in the Elite Eight Open Division bracket. League champion Mater Dei Catholic (18-7) received the No. 1 seed while Bonita Vista (20-7) received the No. 5 seed and Eastlake (16-8) received the No. 8 seed.
That’s a big deal in terms of prestige for Metro Conference softball programs.
Mater Dei Catholic opened the playoffs by hosting Eastlake in a quarterfinal-round game on Wednesday while Bonita Vista was scheduled to play at fourth-seeded Poway (18-9).
Teams advance to second-round play in both the winners and losers brackets on Saturday, May 21.
Mater Dei Catholic won this year’s league title with a 7-1 record while Bonita Vista finished league play 6-2 and Eastlake finished league play 5-3.
Hilltop won this year’s Metro-Pacific League championship race with a 6-0 record while Mar Vista won the Metro-South Bay League championship also with a 6-0 record.
Both teams advanced to postseason competition but were eliminated in their first playoff outings. Hilltop (15-14) dropped a 6-1 contest to visiting Mt. Carmel in Monday’s Division II play-in round while ninth-seeded Mar Vista (12-15) dropped a 7-5 contest to eighth-seeded Escondido Charter in Tuesday’s Division IV play-in round.
A total of 11 South County teams received invitations to this year’s playoff tournament.
Calvary Christian Academy (16-2) received the No. 1 seed in Division V and was scheduled to meet eighth-seeded Castle Park (8-12) in Wednesday’s quarterfinals after Castle Park defeated Gompers Prep by a 9-5 score in a play-in game on Monday.
High Tech High Chula Vista (8-3) received the No. 2 seed in Division V and was scheduled to meet seventh-seeded Escondido Adventist in another quarterfinal game on Wednesday.
Second-round play for Division V teams is scheduled for Saturday, May 21.
Ninth-seeded Olympian (13-16) lost, 1-0, at eighth-seeded Del Norte (19-11-1) in a Division II play-in game on Tuesday.
In other play-in games on Tuesday, ninth-seeded Helix (19-9) eliminated eighth-seeded Chula Vista (14-9) in a Division III match-up while fifth-seeded West Hills (14-12) eliminated 12th-seeded Otay Ranch, 13-3, in a Division I match-up.
CIF playoff schedule
Third-round play is scheduled in all divisions is scheduled for Tuesday, May 24.
Fourth-round play in Division I, Division III and Division V (winner and loser brackets) is scheduled for Thursday, May 26, at the Poway Sportsplex USA.
Fourth-round play in the Open Division, Division II and Division IV is scheduled Thursday, May 26, at the Santee Sportsplex USA.
All division finals will be played at UC San Diego.
The division championship schedule is set as follows:
•Division V: Friday, May 27, 5 p.m.
•Division I: Friday, May 27, 7:30 p.m.
•Division IV: Saturday, May 28, 11:30 a.m.
•Division III: Saturday, May 28, 2 p.m.
•Division II: Saturday, May 28, 4:30 p.m.
•Open Division: Saturday, May 28, 7 p.m.
For updated playoff brackets, visit the website at www.cifsds.org.
San Diego Section
Softball Playoffs
Open Division
First Round
Wednesday, May 18
(1) Mater Dei Catholic 2, (8) Eastlake 1
(4) Poway 3, (5) Bonita Vista 2
(3) San Marcos 6, (6) Cathedral Catholic 3
(2) Ramona 2, (7) Torrey Pines 1
Second Round
Saturday, May 21
(4) Poway 6, (1) Mater Dei Catholic 0
(8) Eastlake 6, (5) Bonita Vista 2
(3) San Marcos 3, (2) Ramona 2
Third Round
Tuesday, May 24
(1) Mater Dei Catholic 3, (6) Cathedral Catholic 1
(2) Ramona 6, (8) Eastlake 5
Fourth Round
Thursday, May 26
Santee USA Sportsplex
(2) Ramona vs. (4) Poway, 4 p.m. (if necessary due to double-elimination, teams rematch at 6:30 p.m.)
Result: Poway 6, Ramona 0
(1) Mater Dei Catholic vs. (3) San Marcos, 4 p.m. (if necessary due to double-elimination, teams rematch at 6:30 p.m.)
Result: San Marcos 2, Mater Dei Catholic 1
Championship Game
Saturday, May 28
(3) San Marcos vs. (4) Poway, 7 p.m. at UC San Diego
Division I
Play-in Round
Tuesday, May 17
(5) West Hills 13, (12) Otay Ranch 3
Division II
Play-in Round
Monday, May 16
Mt. Carmel defeated Hilltop, 6-1, to earn (12) seed
Tuesday. May 17
(8) Del Norte 1, (9) Olympian 0
Division III
Play-in Round
Tuesday, May 17
(9) Helix 5, (8) Chula Vista 1
Division IV
Play-in Round
Tuesday, May 17
(8) Escondido Charter 7, (9) Mar Vista 5
Division V
Play-in Round
Play-in Round
Monday, May 16
Castle Park defeated Gompers Prep, 9-5, to earn (8) seed
Tuesday, May 17
(1) Calvary Christian Academy (Chula Vista) 3, (8) Castle Park 1
(4) Foothills Christian 10, (5) Borrego Springs 9
(3) Classical Academy 13, (6) Julian 3
(2) High Tech High (Chula Vista) 13, (7) Escondido Adventist 2
Second Round
Saturday, May 21
(1) Calvary Christian Academy (Chula Vista) 12, (4) Foothills Christian 11
(3) Classical Academy 12, (2) High Tech High (Chula Vista) 11
(5) Borrego Springs 6, (8) Castle Park 4
(6) Julian 16, (7) Escondido Adventist 4
Third Round
Tuesday, May 24
(2) High Tech High (Chula Vista) 15, (5) Borrego Springs 5
(6) Julian 11, (7) Escondido Adventist 6
Fourth Round
Thursday. May 26
Poway USA Sportsplex
(1) Calvary Christian Academy (Chula Vista) vs. (2) High Tech High (Chula Vista), 10 a.m. (if necessary due to double-elimination, teams rematch at 12:15 p.m.)
Results:
High Tech High (Chula Vista) 12, Calvary Christian Academy (Chula Vista) 2 (6 inings)
High Tech High (Chula Vista) 22, Calvary Christian Academy (Chula Vista) 1 (5 innings)
(3) Classical Academy vs. (6) Julian (if necessary due to double-elimination, teams rematch at 12:15 p.m.)
Result: Classical Academy 14, Julian 3
Championship Game
Friday, May 17
(2) High Tech High (Chula Vista) vs. (3) Classical Academy, 5 p.m. at UC San Diego
Result: Classical Academy 9, High Tech High (Chula Vista) 7
