Coach Mike Moschetti’s La Mirada Matadores are seeded No. 2 in the Southeast Division.
(Photo by Keith Durflinger/Whittier Daily News)

By Stephen Ramirez
steve.ramirez@langnews.com
@SteveRRamirez on Twitter
La Mirada High School has had quite a turnaround this season, rebounding from sub-par season a year ago to become one of the top teams in Southern California this fall.
The Matadores are expected to continue their rise in future weeks after receiving the No. 2 seed in the Southeast Division when the CIF-Southern Section released playoff pairings on Sunday.
Freeway League champion La Habra received the No. 3 seed in the Southwest Division.
Seven area teams qualified for the playoffs, topped by La Mirada, which went from 4-7 last season to 9-1 so far in 2014, including going undefeated in the Suburban League.
The Matadores’ reward?
How does facing 2013 Northeast Division champion Salesian sound?
La Mirada, which only loss was to Pac-5 Division qualifier Servite, will host the Mustangs (4-6) in Friday’s first round. The Mustangs finished fourth in the Angelus League and received the division’s only at-large spot.
The two teams also know a lot about each other. La Mirada practiced against Salesian during the summer.
“We’re excited,” La Mirada coach Mike Moschetti said. “They’re a really good team and we have a lot of respect for them, winning a CIF championship last year in a different division.
We’ve had a good year, but that’s past. It’s a one-game elimination now. You win, or you go home. We’re just excited to be playing. It’s going to be a great game on Friday.”
The first round is scheduled for Friday, with the finals set for Dec. 5-6. All games are 7:30 p.m. starts.
An all-area matchup could await the Matadores with a win. El Rancho (8-2), which won its first league title since the late 1990s with a Del Rio League crown, is opposite La Mirada in the bracket. The Dons host Burbank (7-3), which finished third in the Pacific League behind No. 4 seed Crescenta Valley and Muir.
Other area matchups in the division are La Serna (8-2) hosting Dominguez and California at San Gabriel Valley League champ Downey. La Serna, which finished second to El Rancho, has advanced to the finals the past three seasons, winning it last year.
La Habra (7-3), which found its comfort zone after a rugged nonleague season, is the No. 3 seed in the Southwest Division and will host Capistrano Valley (7-3) in the first round.
Montebello, which went 5-0 in the Almont League to improve to 6-4, is the lone area representative in the Mid-Valley Division. The Oilers drew La Puente and will host the Warriors on Friday.
La Puente is 7-3 and finished second to No. 3 seed Pomona. If the Oilers advance, a possible rematch vs. No. 4 seed Northview awaits them. The Vikings scored a 38-6 victory over Montebello on Sept. 4.
Cantwell-Sacred Heart is the lone entry in the Northwest Division. The Cardinals (8-2), who shared the South Catholic League title with Bishop Montgomery and Verbum Dei, host Arrowhead Christian, which was second on the Ambassador League. The Cardinals, with a win, could face top seed Maranatha in the second round.
AREA SCHEDULE
FRIDAY
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
Salesian at La Mirada
Burbank at El Rancho
California at Downey
Dominguez at La Serna
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
Capistrano Valley at La Habra
MID-VALLEY
La Puente at Montebello
NORTHWEST
Arrowhead at Cantwell-Sacred Heart
ALL GAMES BEGIN AT 7:30 P.M.
COMPLETE BRACKETS ON CIFSS.ORG