With wild-card round play nearly complete, CIF-Southern Section playoffs in five sports begin in earnest the remainder of this week.

The wild-card winners advanced to the first round of their respective competitions.

Girls’ soccer: Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks posted a Division 3 wild-card win Feb. 4, 2-1 over Santa Monica, and plays Mayfair in the first round Feb. 6. Elsewhere, Alverno Heights Academy (D-6) lost 5-2 to Academy of Academic Excellence, and Cornelia Connelly (D-7) fell to Hawthorne MSA 4-2.

Boys’ soccer: In wild-card matches Feb. 5, Bishop Montgomery (D-4) lost 3-0 to Torrance, while in D-6: Brentwood beat Verbum Dei 2-1, and Sage Hill beat St. Anthony 4-1. In Round 1 on Feb. 7, Santa Clara hosts Poly/Pasadena, and Mary Star hosts Brentwood.

Girls’ water polo: In Division 3 wild-card play Feb. 5, Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks defeated Rio Mesa 16-8, and St. Lucy’s beat Temescal Canyon 14-10. In Round 1 Feb. 6, Notre Dame is at Santa Monica, and St. Lucy’s is at Mira Costa.

In first-round matches Feb. 5, Alemany (D-4) lost to Ventura, 8-6, but Marymount (D-5) downed Santa Ana Valley 7-3, and plays Roosevelt in Round 2 on Feb. 7. In D-6, Mayfield lost to Arcadia 17-0, while Villanova Prep, after a first-round bye, plays Cypress on Feb. 7 in Round 2. And in D-7, Pomona Catholic hosts Tahquitz in Round 1 Feb. 6.

Girls’ basketball: In Division 5A wild-card games on Feb. 5, Villanova toppled Hillcrest Christian/Thousand Oaks 48-22, but La Puente beat Ramona Convent 43-36, and Saddleback downed Cornelia Connelly 58-21. First round D-5A games on Feb. 7 include Crossroads Christian at Bishop Conaty-Loretto, and La Reina at Pacific Christian/Santa Monica.

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). 

Start your day with Always Forward, our award-winning e-newsletter. Get this smart, handpicked selection of the day’s top news, analysis, and opinion, delivered to your inbox. Sign up absolutely free today!