CIF Southern Section Finals have arrived

JP Raineri Sports Editor

The CIF Southern Section playoffs are coming to an end for local high school baseball and softball teams as well as boys’ tennis, boys’ volleyball, girls’ beach volleyball, boys’ and girls’ lacrosse, boys’ golf, and track and field.

As always, there were some great wins this past week, and there were some tough losses, but that’s the name of the game. In order to be called a CIF Southern Section champion, and be the last one standing, you have to win or go home. With that said, the following update tells the tale of the teams that are still in the hunt, and who might still have a shot at a state bid, with their semifinal success.

CIF-SS Baseball Playoffs

While a total of 20 area teams qualified for the seven divisional single-elimination tournament, only one team remains. Down three runs, and with two innings to play, Linfield Christian (23-7) put together a huge sixth-inning rally to run away with a 6-3 victory over Brea Olinda Friday, May 12, in their CIF Southern Section Division 4 baseball quarterfinal.

Linfield, the No. 2 seed, will travel to Anaheim Tuesday to face Canyon, a 13-3 winner over

Barstow Friday. With a win, the Lions will find themselves in the championship finals slated for Friday and Saturday, May 19-20, at Blair Field in Long Beach. All games, apart from championship games, are scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m. unless otherwise noted. All championship games from Blair Field will be streamed live by The NFHS Network and Bally Sports. Specific date, time and location for each divisional final game will be announced on May 17.

Other game this past week included: Division 4 - Friday, May 12: Quarterfinals: Sultana - 17, Chaparral – 6; Division 5 - Friday,

May 12: Quarterfinals: Peninsula -

3, Liberty – 1; Division 7 - Friday, May 12: Quarterfinals: Brentwood

-3, Cornerstone Christian - 2

CIF-SS Softball Playoffs

In total, 16 area teams qualified for the CIF-SS Ford Softball Championships, and in some heated battles last week, two local teams find themselves in the final game of the CIF-SS postseason. See the full recap in this week’ issue from Derryl Trujillo. Championship games are set for Friday, May 19 and Saturday, May 20, at Irvine’s Deanna Manning Stadium. Great Oak will play Saturday, May 20, at 6:30 p.m. and Liberty will play Friday, May 19, at 3:30 p.m.

Other game this past week included: Division 1- Tuesday, May 9: Quarterfinals: Murrieta Mesa - 12, Huntington Beach – 11; Thursday, May 11: Semifinals: Norco - 8, Murrieta Mesa - 1; Division 2 - Thursday, May 11:

Quarterfinals: Great Oak - 3, California High School - 0; Tesoro - 2, Vista Murrieta –-1; Saturday, May 13: Semifinals: Great Oak - 7, Moorpark - 0; Division 5 - Thursday, May 11: Quarterfinals: Liberty - 12, Paraclete – 6; Saturday, May 13: Semifinals: Liberty - 6, Northwood -3; Division 7 - Thursday, May see FINALS, page C-2