Water Polo Doubleheaders Highlight Playoffs

Today’s Southern Section water polo semifinals feature doubleheaders in Divisions II and VI.

In Division II games at Newport Harbor High, top-seeded Servite plays University at 1 p.m., followed by second-seeded Marina against third-seeded Laguna Beach.

In the Division VI doubleheader at Citrus College in Azusa, Brea Olinda will play second-seeded La Verne Bonita at 12:30 p.m., followed by Western’s matchup against top-seeded Rowland, the defending champion.

In the Division I semifinals, fourth-seeded San Clemente hosts top-seeded and defending champion Long Beach Wilson at noon at Saddleback College. Foothill travels to Pepperdine for a 3:30 game against third-seeded North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake.

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The Esperanza girls’ cross-country team, the favorite to win the Division I state title, takes the next step toward that goal today at the Southern Section finals at Mt. San Antonio College.

The Aztecs, who won the Orange County Championships and the Stanford Invitational, will be joined in the Division I title hunt by Irvine, Mission Viejo and University.

In the boys’ competition, Santa Ana, led by Alfonso Leon, who turned in the second-best time at last Saturday’s prelims, is the top qualifier for the Division I title. Dana Hills, Mission Viejo and Santa Ana Valley are the county’s other Division I qualifiers.

Competition, which takes place in five divisions for boys and girls, begins at 7:30 a.m. The last race begins at 10:30 a.m.

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The Southern Section girls’ individual tennis championship prelims will be held today at three locations.

Huntington Beach High hosts athletes from Calvary Chapel, Canyon, Capistrano Valley, Cypress, Esperanza, Foothill, Garden Grove, Laguna Hills, Loara, Los Alamitos (doubles), Los Amigos, Mater Dei, Newport Harbor, Ocean View, Orange, Orange Lutheran, Rancho Alamitos, Rosary, Saddleback, St. Margaret’s, Sunny Hills, Troy, University, Villa Park and Woodbridge.

The other sites will be the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Long Beach and Long Beach Wilson High, which hosts athletes from Brea Olinda, Corona del Mar, Dana Hills, Fountain Valley, Laguna Beach, Los Alamitos (singles) and Valencia.