Spring polls: La Reina takes charge in D-5 softball

With just over a week remaining in regular season play, La Reina is the new No. 1 team in Division 5 softball, according to the latest CIF-Southern Section poll released April 30.

Winners of five straight entering this week, the Regents (13-3) moved up from third in last week’s poll, followed by Chaminade, which rose from sixth to fourth. La Reina shares the Tri-Valley League lead at 5-1 with Santa Paula. The teams meet May 9 in the regular season finale.

In Division 1, Mater Dei (19-5) remains sixth and Santa Margarita eighth in D-1, after the Monarchs edged the Eagles 2-1 on April 27. In D-7, San Gabriel Mission held the fourth spot, former No. 1 Santa Clara inched upward from seventh to sixth, and Serra entered the top 10 at No. 8.

In baseball, Mary Star of the Sea was the highest-ranking Catholic school team, holding the No. 5 spot in Division 5, while St. Joseph/Santa Maria rose from seventh to sixth. Alemany entered the D-2 rankings at No. 10, and Cantwell-Sacred Heart remained ninth in D-3, but for the first time all season no Catholic school teams were ranked in the Division 1 top 10.

In boys’ volleyball, St. Anthony and La Salle remained one-two for the third straight week among Division 4 teams, prior to their Camino Real League rematch on May 1, and the start of playoff action May 5.

In Division 1, Loyola moved from third to second, Alemany rose from seventh to sixth and Mater Dei from ninth to eighth. Bishop Montgomery continued in fifth in D-2, and Damien remained ninth in D-3.

In boys’ tennis, Santa Margarita and J.Serra are seventh and eighth in Division 2, the first time all season two Catholic schools have been ranked at the same time.