Twenty-five Catholic school teams, including Tri-Valley League champion La Reina, No. 1 in Division 5, will compete for CIF-SS Softball Championships as the tournament begins May 15 with wild card play.
Among the other league champions competing in the 2018 tournament are Mater Dei (Trinity), Chaminade (Mission), St. Paul (Del Rey), Paraclete (Gold Coast), Alverno Heights (Horizon), Mary Star (Sunshine) and Serra (Santa Fe).
The final regular season rankings saw Mater Dei finish third in Division 1; St. Paul eighth in D-3; La Reina first and Chaminade third in D-5; Mary Star tenth in D-6; and Santa Clara second and Serra sixth in D-7.
Wild card games (May 15) include Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks vs. Pacifica/Oxnard in D-4; St. Joseph/Santa Maria vs. Lompoc, and Pomona Catholic vs. San Jacinto in D-5; and Notre Dame Academy vs. Nipomo, and Ramona Convent vs. Poly/Pasadena in D-6.
First round games are May 17, followed by second round games May 22, quarterfinals May 24, semifinals May 29, and finals June 1 and 2 at Deanna Manning Stadium, Irvine. The first round schedule (pending the completion of wild card games):
Division 1: Santa Margarita (21-5, Trinity No. 3) vs. Yorba Linda (14-7, Crestview No. 1). Mater Dei (22-5) has a first round bye.
Division 2: Bishop Amat (16-10, Del Rey No. 2) vs. Newbury Park (20-4, Marmonte No. 2); St. Joseph/Lakewood (17-9, Del Rey No. 3) vs. La Serna (16-5, Del Rio No. 1).
Division 3: Alemany (14-10, Mission No. 2) vs. Golden Valley (18-4, Foothill No. 2); St. Anthony (8-18, Camino Real No. 3) vs. West Torrance (25-3, Pioneer T1); St. Bonaventure (11-12, Tri Valley No. 3) vs. Atascadero (20-3, Pac 8 No. 1); St. Paul (17-8) vs Tesoro (14-14, Sea View No. 3).
Division 4: Paraclete (21-4-1) vs. wild card winner.
Division 5: La Reina (19-3), Chaminade (16-5) and Alverno Heights (13-10) will all play wild card winners.
Division 6: Connelly (12-3, Express No. 2) vs. Crean Lutheran (13-9, Academy No. 2); Mary Star (17-7) vs. wild card winner; Mayfield (15-7, Prep No. 2) vs. St. Genevieve (8-7-1, Santa Fe T2).
Division 7: Marymount (9-9, Sunshine T2) vs. Lone Pine (17-5, Desert Mountain No. 2); San Gabriel Mission (14-5, Horizon No. 2) vs. Bethel Christian/Riverside (8-4, Majestic No. 2); Serra (12-7) vs. wild card winner; St. Mary’s Academy (13-5, Santa Fe T2) vs. Trinity Classical Academy (5-7, Heritage No. 2).
