The CIF Southern Section office released the playoff groupings for the winter sports season, and Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary, arguably the area’s top two boys basketball teams the past few years, were both placed in the top division, IAA.
Sonora, which won a division title two seasons ago, was also placed in 1AA.
Whittier, which had its best season in nearly two decades last winter, was placed in 2AA.
There are some questionable choices on the lists. I feel for Cantwell-Sacred Heart, because again despite having one of its better teams, the Cardinals appear to have no shot at a divisional title. Yes, they’ll be competitive and coach George Zedan will say its an honor to be placed in such a group, but a team should be placed in a group where it has some sense of winning the division if it plays well. Realistically, Cantwell has no shot. You could say the same for St. Paul girls basketball, which moves up from 4AA to 1AA? Yes, they’ve been successful, but that seems like a large jump.
Here are the winter placements for area teams:
BOYS BASKETBALL
IAA — Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary, La Mirada, Sonora
2AA — Whittier
3AA — Pioneer, La Serna, Whittier Chr., Schurr, Santa Fe
3A —, St. Paul, Califonria, El Rancho
4AA — La Habra, Montebello
GIRLS BASKETBALL
IAA — Sonora, St. Paul
1A — Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary, El Rancho
2A — Schurr, La Habra, Whittier
3A — La Serna, Montebello
4AA — Whittier Christian, California, Santa Fe, La Mirada,
4A — Pioneer
BOYS SOCCER
1 — Montebello
2 — El Rancho, La Serna, Schurr
3 — Sonora, California, Santa Fe
4 — La Habra, Whittier, La Mirada
5 — Pioneer
6 — St. Paul, Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary
7 — Whittier Christian
GIRLS SOCCER
2 — La Mirada, La Habra
3 — La Serna, Sonora
4 — California, Schurr
5 — Santa Fe, Pioneer
6 — Montebello, El Rancho
7 — Whittier, Whittier Christian, St. Paul, Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary
GIRLS WATER POLO
2 — Schurr
3 — La Habra, La Serna
4 — California, Montebello
5 — El Rancho
6 — Sonora
7 — La Mirada, Pioneer, Whittier, Santa Fe