By Stephen Ramirez
La Mirada and La Serna have been the top two girls soccer programs in the area in recent years, and both could add to their success in the coming weeks.
Both received top four seeds in their respective divisions when the CIF-Southern Section released playoff pairings on Monday.
La Mirada (21-2), which has given up just nine goals all season and only one in the Surburban League, received the No. 2 seed in Division 4 and will host Culver City (12-7-2) in the first round on Thursday. The Matadores have won 13 consecutive games since losing to Estancia, 2-1, on Dec. 29. Culver City finished third in the Ocean League.
La Serna (14-5-2), which is undefeated in 13 games since a 2-1 loss to La Mirada in December, is the No. 4 seed in Division 5. The Lancers, who gave up just one goal in going undefeated in the Del Rio League, will host either Lompoc (10-7-3) or Windward (7-8-4) in the first round. Lompoc and Windward meet in Tuesday’s wild-card round.
All first round games are slated for Thursday, with the wild-card round on Tuesday. The finals are scheduled for March 6-7. All games are slated for 3 p.m. starts.
Schurr (15-3-1), which shared the Almont League title with Alhambra (12-7-3), is the only other area team to be at home in the first round. The Spartans host Vasquez (13-6-5) in a Division 6 game. Both shared their respective league titles, but lost tie-breakers. Vasquez tied for the Desert Mountain League title with Mammoth (12-6-2).
Montebello (10-3-9), the third-place team from the Almont League, is in a wild-card game Tuesday in Division 6. The Oilers are at Summit (15-4-1). The winner advances to face Savanna (10-10-3) on Thursday.
Other area first-round games on Thursday are La Habra (10-11-2) at Mira Costa (17-5-4) in Division 2; El Rancho (8-10-3) at Rio Mesa (12-8-4) and California (13-7-4) at Palm Desert (13-2-2) in Division 5 and Whittier Christian (11-9-2 at Pacific Christian (9-2-3 in Division 6.

AREA SCHEDULE
THURSDAY’S FIRST ROUND
DIVISION 2
La Habra at Mira Costa
DIVISION 4
Culver City at No. 2 La Mirada
DIVISION 5
El Rancho at Rio Mesa
Lompoc-Windward winner at No. 4 La Serna
California at Palm Desert
DIVISION 6
Vasquez at Schurr
Whittier Christian at Pacific Christian
WILD CARD ROUND
TUESDAY
DIVISION 6
Montebello at Summit
(Winner adv to Savanna)
ALL GAMES BEGIN AT 3 P.M.