Top-seeded J.Serra continued its unbeaten season Feb. 6 with a 5-0 first round victory over Rancho Cucamonga in Division 1 of the CIF-Southern Section girls’ soccer playoffs.

Fourteen other Catholic schools teams also won to advance to Round 2 of the competition scheduled Feb. 8, including J.Serra’s Trinity League rival, Santa Margarita, which edged Northwood 2-1. Mater Dei lost 1-0 to Cypress.

Round 2 finds J.Serra against Moore League champ Millikan, and Santa Margarita against Newport Harbor. In other first-round girls’ soccer matches:

  • D-2: Bishop Amat beat Valencia 4-1 and will play Mira Costa; Rosary Academy blanked Redlands East Valley 2-0 and next  plays Sunny Hills.
  • D-3: Bishop Montgomery beat North Torrance 5-1, Flintridge Sacred Heart beat Dos Pueblos 5-3, and Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks beat Mayfair 2-1. Alemany lost 1-0 to Oxnard. Round 2 matches feature Bishop Montgomery vs. Downey, Flintridge Sacred Heart vs. Serrano, and Notre Dame vs. Apple Valley.
  • D-4: La Salle beat Immaculate Heart 5-3, but defending D-6 champ San Gabriel Mission lost 1-0 to Ocean View. La Salle plays Montclair in Round 2.
  • D-5: St. Anthony edged Schurr 3-2; Westridge beat La Reina 4-0. St. Anthony next plays Ontario.
  • D-6: Pomona Catholic downed the Academy of Academic Excellence 6-0, advancing to play Ontario Christian in Round 2.
  • D-7: Mary Star of the Sea edged St. Monica Academy 2-1, St. Mary’s Academy beat Samueli Academy 2-1, St. Bonaventure beat Dunn 4-1, Ramona Convent stopped Rancho Alamitos 4-1, Santa Clara nipped Garey 1-0; St. Pius X-St. Matthias lost 6-1 to Desert Mirage. In Round 2, Mary Star is at St. Bonaventure, St. Mary’s Academy hosts Calvary Murrieta, Ramona Convent hosts Big Bear, and Santa Clara is at Desert Hot Springs.

Quarterfinals are scheduled Feb. 12, semifinals Feb. 16 and finals Feb. 22 and 23.

Other sports

Girls’ water polo: In Division 3 Round 1 play on Feb. 6, Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks was edged 8-7 by Santa Monica, and St. Lucy’s was outscored 18-11 by Mira Costa. Play in other divisions resumes Feb. 7.

Boys’ basketball: In a D-5A wild-card game on Feb. 6, St. Michael’s Prep beat Orange County Christian 68-52 and will play Cate in Round 1 Feb. 8.

Angelus News will provide regular playoff updates on Catholic school teams’ progress throughout the respective competitions.

Mike Nelson is the former editor of The Tidings (predecessor of Angelus News).

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