By Stephen Ramirez

MONTEBELLO >>It’s the goal of nearly every high school athlete to develop their talent enough to earn a collegiate Division I scholarship.
Cantwell Sacred Heart softball player Serena Meehan’s day in the sun came Monday.
The senior shortstop, who played key part in the Cardinals advancing to the CIF-Southern Section Division 6 championship game last season, signed with Fairleigh Dickinson, a Northeast Conference school in Teaneck, NJ.
“It’s nice,” Meehan said. “I’ve worked for it for so long. I feel accomplished. I’m a little nervous right now, but I’m happy with what I’ve done.”
Meehan was second team All-Whittier Daily News last season after helping the Cardinals go 21-8, win the Camino Real League title and advance to the Division 6 title game, losing to St. Bonaventure.
She hit .431, which ranked third on the team, and had nine RBIs and scored 28 runs. She also had seven extra-base hits and was 2-0 in a limited role in the circle.
Meehan will join a Fairleigh Dickinson team that was 21-21 overall and tied for second in the Northeast Conference last season. The Knights went 0-2 in the conference tournament to end their season.
“I like the environment of the school,” Meehan said. “It’s outside of New York, a nice campus. The team is good, so that’s why I picked them.”
And will it be hard to play so far away from home?
“Eventually it will,” Meehan said. “But I need to grow up, so I want to go there.”
Meehan, who also plays soccer, is one of nine returning players to the softball team, which should still make the Cardinals a force in the Camino Real League and Division 6.
“I’m pretty confident about it,” Meehan said.

By Stephen Ramirez
St. Paul High School began the season as one of the top girls volleyball teams in the area, and the Swordsmen have lived up that billing and the pressure of being the No. 3 seed in the 4AA Division playoffs.
Now, they’ll look to add to it when they travel to No. 2 La Reina for a CIF-Southern Section semifinal match at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
St. Paul (30-6), which won the Camino Real League, have hardly been touched in the playoffs, needing just 10 sets in three victories to advance to the division final four. The Swordsmen should get a tougher challenge on Tuesday.
La Reina (28-8), which won the Tri-Valley League, also has needed just 10 sets to get to the semifinals. The Regents feature a lineup with three players with 200 kills or more, led by outside hitter Whitney Hunter, who has 230. La Reina also looks to Carolena Huseby, who has 209 kills, and Izzy Simqu, who has 200.
St. Paul, which advanced with a four-set win over Pacifica Christian, counters with Riley Kelly, who has 356, and Cheyanne Little, who has 255. Hannah Tostado has 204.
The winner faces the winner of Garden Grove-Alta Loma in the finals, either Friday or Saturday. The site, day and time will be announced on Wednesday.
2A
PALM SPRINGS AT ARCADIA, 7 P.M.
This is a battle of the upset kings, featuring the host Apaches, who beat No. 4 seed Viewpoint in four games in the quarterfinals, and the Indians, who knocked off top seed Louisville.
Arcadia (21-5), which went undefeated in winning the Pacific League, is led by Hannah Kennedy, who had 18 kills in the win over Viewpoint, and Lexi Resch, who had 17.
Palm Springs (24-5), which won Desert Valley League, counters with Asia O’Nell, who has 233 kills, and Michaela Hissam, who has 201.
The winner advances to face Troy or Windward in the finals.
4A
DESERT AT DUARTE, 7 P.M.
The No. 2 Falcons (25-8) are led by Kathy McKiernan, who has 183 kills, and Daisy Portillo, who has 145. Duarte advanced with a five-set win over Anaheim.
Desert (22-1) advanced with a sweep of Savanna.
The winner faces either Summit or Cate in the finals.

Wednesday’s semifinals
Division 3
At Irvine HS, 3:30 p.m.
Capistrano Valley vs. Laguna Beach
Montebello vs. Murrieta Valley
Division 5
At Diamond Bar HS
Los Altos vs. La Serna, 5:30 p.m.
Claremont vs. Redlands, 7:30 p.m.
Division 7
At Mt. SAC
Rowland vs. Don Lugo, 3 p.m.
San Dimas vs. Rio Mesa, 4:30 p.m.

All finals Saturday at Irvine HS

Tuesday’s semifinals, 7 p.m.
Division 2A
Palm Springs at Arcadia
Troy at Windward
Finals: Saturday at Cerritos College, 10 a.m.
Division 4AA
St. Paul at La Reina
Alta Loma at Garden Grove
Finals: Friday or Saturday, TBD
Division 4A
Desert Duarte
Summit at Cate
Finals: Friday or Saturday, TBD

Division 2AA
Village Christian 3, Pasadena Poly 1: The Crusaders rallied from a near-2-0 deficit to defeat the Panthers (24-6), 20-25, 26-24, 25-16, 25-12 victory.
Esperanza 3, Mayfield 0 The Cubs’ bid for a second consecutive title game ended in Orange County. Mayfield (20-8) fell 25-23, 25-21, 25-22. Sarah Johnson led the Cubs
Division 2A
Arcadia 3, Viewpoint 1 Hannah Kennedy had 18 kills, Lexi Resch had 17 kills and Kelly Dopke added 16 kills in a balanced effort to lead the Apaches to a 21-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-20 victory to knock out No. 4 Viewpoint.
The Apaches (22-5) play host to Palm Springs in Tuesday’s semifinal match.Troy 3, Glendora 1 The Tartans (20-7) won the first game, 25-21, but the third-seed Warriors won the final three games in the 2A quarterfinal.
Division 3AA
Quartz Hill 3, La Mirada 2 The second seeded Rebels rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat the visiting Matadors, 25-27, 25-18, 22-25, 25-12, 15-8. La Mirada finishes 23-5.
Division 3A
La Sierra 3, San Gabriel 2 The Matadors (18-5) rallied from two games down to force a fifth before falling 25-19, 25-15, 21-25, 13-25, 15-8.
“We played a horrible first two and then two really good games,” San Gabriel coach Larry Kanow said.
The Eagles built a big lead in the final game.
Division 4AA
St. Paul 3, Pacifica Christian 1 Riley Kelly had 20 kills and Katie Engles 24 digs to lead the fourth-seeded Swordsmen to a 25-22, 25-13, 24-26, 25-11 victory at a match played at St. Bernard High.
St. Paul (31-6) plays at second seeded La Reina on Tuesday.
Division 4A
Duarte 3, Anaheim 2 The second seeded Falcons rallied for a 25-16, 21-25, 22-25, 25-19, 15-13 victory.
“It was an unbelievable game,” Duarte coach Irene Sunabe said. “I’m extremely proud. I think the girls know now what we are capable of.”
Duarte (25-8) led 6-1 in the fifth game. The Falcons will play