Soccer: Five Catholic teams advance in state regional tournament

First-roundrnshutout victories on March 6 propelled three Catholic high school soccer teamsrninto the second round of the CIF Southern California Regional Girls’ SoccerrnTournament.

ThernDivision 1 victories by J.Serra (5-0 over Steele Canyon) and Santa Margaritarn(2-0 over Eastlake) have set up the fourth encounter of the year between therntwo Trinity League powers from Orange County on March 8. The teams tied on 0-0rnon Jan. 16; Santa Margarita prevailed 1-0 on Feb. 1, marking J.Serra’s onlyrnloss of the year; and J.Serra triumphed 1-0 on March 3 in the CIF-SS Division 1rnfinals.

Meanwhile,rnSan Gabriel Mission romped over L.A. Wilson, 7-0, to advance to the Division Vrnsecond round against Orosi on March 8. The Pioneers (29-1-2), who won theirrnsecond straight CIF-SS title March 2, are seeded No. 1 in Division V, whilernfourth-seeded Orosi (29-0-2) won the East Sierra League.

Inrnthe Boys’ Division I Tournament, second-seeded Cathedral stopped No. 7 La CostarnCanyon, 3-1, and sixth-seeded Loyola blanked third-seeded El Camino Real 2-0,rnto create an all-Catholic second-round match on March 8 between the Phantomsrn(19-4-3) and the Cubs (23-3-6). Earlier this season, the teams played to arnscoreless tie on Jan. 5 on their way to league championships (Cathedral, thernDel Rey; Loyola, the Mission).

Finals in girls’ and boys’ tournaments are March 10.