The Riverside Press-Enterprise
Etiwanda girls get top seed in Open Division
The Etiwanda girls basketball team took care of some important business Friday, beating Sierra Canyon to win the CIF Southern Section’s Open Division championship.
Now, the Eagles turn their focus to retaining their CIF State Open Division crown.
Etiwanda (29-3) received the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye for the Southern California Open Division regional playoffs. The Eagles will host Mater Dei (24-7) or Mission Hills (23-8) in a regional semifinal game Saturday. Mater Dei went 2-1 in CIF Southern Section Open Division pool play, while Mission Hills captured the San Diego Section’s Open Division championship. Etiwanda owns a 6347 win over Mission Hills this season (Nov. 30).
Joining Etiwanda in the Open Division girls regional playoffs is Ontario Christian. The Knights (27-4) received the No. 3 seed after going 2-1 in pool play in the Southern Section’s Open Division playoffs. Ontario Christian hosts Sage Hill (254) in a first-round game Wednesday at 7 p.m. Sage Hill, another CIFSS Open Division qualifier, has been one of Ontario Christian’s biggest nemesis in recent years. The Lightning have won five straight matchups, including a 70-61 victory this season (Nov. 25).
Roosevelt received the No. 2 seed for the Open Division boys regional after finishing as the runnerup in the Southern Section’s Open Division playoffs. The Mustangs (303) have a first-round bye and will host Sierra Canyon (27-3) or Santa Maria St. Joseph (30-3) in a regional semifinal Saturday. Sierra Canyon went 2-1 in the CIF-SS Open Division pool play. St. Joseph won the Northern California Open Division regional title last season. Roosevelt owns a 62-61 victory over the Knights (Jan. 6).
The Centennial boys basketball team went 0-3 in Southern Section
Open Division pool play, but the Huskies still received he No. 6 seed in this year’s Division I regional bracket. The Huskies (20-13) host Mission Hills (21-8) in a regional opener tonight at 8. Mission Hills lost in the opening round of the San Diego Section’s Open Division playoffs.
Joining Centennial in the Division I boys regional is Damien, which received the No. 12 seed after reaching the Southern Section’s Division 1 semifinals. The Spartans (26-5) will travel to St. Augustine (25-5) for a firstround game tonight at 7. St. Augustine reached the semifinals of the San Diego Section’s Open Division playoffs.
Two of the Inland area’s top girls teams have been pitted against one another, as No. 6-seeded Centennial (19-13) will host No. 11 Moreno Valley (28-5) in a Division I opener today at 5 p.m. Centennial went 0-3 in Southern Section Open Division pool play. Moreno Valley was the Southern Section’s Division 2AA runner-up.
Joining those two teams will be Santiago, which won the 2023 Division I girls regional championship. The Sharks (2112) received the No. 8 seed after finishing as the runner-up in the Southern Section’s Division 1 playoffs. Santiago hosts City Section Open Division runner-up Westchester (22-6) in a first-round game tonight at 7.
Rancho Cucamonga received the No. 13 seed in the Division III girls regional bracket after finishing as the Southern Section’s Division 4AA runner-up. The Cougars (24-9) travel to Central Section Division 3 runner-up Morro Bay (23-7) for a first-round game tonight at 7.
Diamond Ranch and Temecula Valley received the No. 3 seed and No. 4 seed, respectively, in the Division IV boys regional bracket.
Diamond Ranch (229), which advanced to the semifinals of the Southern Section’s Division 4AA playoffs, hosts Mission College Prep (12-18) in a first-round game tonight at 7. Mission College Prep was the Central Section’s Division 2 runner-up.
Temecula Valley (19-14), the Southern Section’s Division 4A champion, hosts Washington Prep (15-15), the City Section’s Division 1 champion, in a firstround game tonight at 7.
Colton received the No. 16 seed in the Division IV regional girls bracket after finishing as the runner-up in the Southern Section’s Division 5AA playoffs. The Yellowjackets (24-7) face Newbury Park (25-7) in a firstround game tonight at 7. at a site to be determined. Newbury Park reached the semifinals of the Southern Section’s Division 4AA playoffs.
Three Inland teams qualified for the Division V boys regional playoffs.
Big Bear (24-6) received the No. 12 seed after finishing as the runner-up in the Southern Section’s Division 5A playoffs. The Bears will make the trip to North Bakersfield (266) for a first-round game tonight at 7. North Bakersfield was the Central Section’s Division 3 champion.
Ontario (18-5) is the No. 15 seed in the bracket after reaching the semifinals of the Southern Section’s Division 5A playoffs. The Jaguars travel to City Section Division 2 champion Verdugo Hills (21-11) for a first-round game tonight at 7.
Notre Dame (23-8) is the No. 16 seed after advancing to the semifinals of the Southern Section Division 5A playoffs. The Titans head to San Pedro (21-1) for a first-round game tonight at 7. San Pedro was the City Section’s Division 1 runner-up.
Temecula Prep is the No. 16 seed in the Division V girls regional after advancing to the semifinals of the Southern Section’s Division 5A playoffs. The Patriots (16-9) travel to San Diego Section Division 3 champion Montgomery (21-11) for a first-round game today at 5 p.m.