Panthers are No. 1

An East Yosemite League championship is nice, but Porterville High School girls water polo is going for more after earning the No. 1 seed in the CIF Central Section Division II playoffs.

Announced in brackets released on Saturday, the Panthers (22-5, 8-0 EYL) will be joined in the playoffs by crosstown rival, Monache (17-12, 5-3 EYL) who received the third seed.

Opening rounds begin on Wednesday with the Marauders host the Grizzlies of Central (318) while the Panthers have a bye and await the winner of the opening round game between ninth-seeded Atascadero (12-14) and eighth-seeded Exeter (16-10).

Last season, secondseeded Monache beat third-seeded Porterville in the semifinals but lost 8-7 to top-seeded Redwood in the Valley championship game. The Marauders also played one game in the CIF Norcal championship tournament. BOYS DIVISION I No. 10 Porterville (1211, 5-3 EYL) at No. 7 Arroyo Grande (17-11), Wednesday

Tenth-seeded Porterville takes to the road Wednesday for an opening round Div. I game against seventh-seeded Arroyo Grande. The two have not met this season but against common opponents, the Eagles are 5-1 against teams while the Panthers are 2-4. Last season after win-

ning the East Yosemite League title, third-seeded Porterville was upset 10-7 to by sixth-seeded Clovis in the Panthers first season in Div. I.

DIVISION III No. 11 Tulare Western

(12-15) at No. 6 Strathmore (17-9, 6-2

ESL), Wednesday Sixth-seeded Strathmore finished second in the East Sequoia League and continues their season by hosting 11thseeded Tulare Western in the opening round of the Div. III playoffs.

Earlier this season when the two teams met, the Spartans went 2-0 against the Mustangs with a 13-9 win and an 11-8 win.

Last season, fourthseeded Strathmore was upset 13-6 by fifthseeded Mt. Whitney in the quarterfinals.