From left, La Serna High School (Whittier) DLs Oscar Orosco, Able Ramirez, Joe Cannon, Louie Lozano and Zeid Nesheiwat. (SGVN/Staff Photo by Raul Roa/SPORTS)
I know, I know, it’s still early.
It still deserves a mention.
Seven games into the season, the Del Rio League is 6-1.
And the leader is Pioneer (2-0).
And the one loss is six-time defending DRL champion Santa Fe’s.
Three of the six league members are ranked among the top 1-0 in this week’s CIF Southern Section, Southeast Division (VII) poll: La Serna (3), California (4) and Santa Fe (7).
Two others, Pioneer and Whittier, received votes.
All this is big because the Del Rio League doesn’t get alot of support among the voters, in any sport for that matter. This is especially true when it comes playoff time and the brackets are set up.
Last week, the DRL guys outscored their opponents, 156-91, perhaps not the most impressive ratio, but still, that’s an average of 26-15 per game. And that’s more than just decent in anybody’s league.
In this week’s CIF-SS polls, eight of the area’s 13 teams are ranked among the top 10 teams in their respective divisions. In addition to La Serna, California and Santa Fe, they are: Schurr (No. 2, Southwest/VII), Cantwell (No. 3, Mid-Valley/XI), La Habra (No. 5, Southeast/VII), St. Paul (No. 7, Western/III) and Whittier Christian (No. 8, Northeast/XIII).
In addition to Pioneer and Whittier, La Mirada (Southwest) also received votes. The only area teams left out of the polls were El Rancho, which won its opener over Cerritos, and Montebello, winless in two games.
Which area teams has the staying power to remain in the polls?