fry217

SoCal High School & Prep Report

Orange County Report: Steve Fryer's
Pre-Playoff Prognostications--(February 17, 1998)

Everyone is trying to predict what will happen in the playoffs starting tomorrow in the Southern Section. The Times has published notes, the Daily News is not really making predictions, just complaining about how the Valley teams don't get any respect, as in why is Grant, which won a share of the league title with North Hollywood, forced to play a road game against Crenshaw? I suppose the answer is that somebody has to, so why not Grant?

The Long Beach Press-Telegram's Frank Burlison has his predictions. We've had ourse. West Coast Hoops has put out their predictions too (in the form of Mike's opinions, and they're pretty well thought out, we might add). Just to add to the mix, the Orange County Register's Steve Fryer put out his own predictions, in each division. Here they are. Tell us whether you agree or disagree:

DIVISION I-AA

This probably won't be a good division for Orange County teams.

Artesia of Lakewood, which moved up from II-A to play here, is loaded. As for county teams, Los Alamitos might have the best chance to advance. Newport Harbor has beaten Ocean View, Santa Margarita and Magnolia, so the Sailors have shown they can play with anyone. But with only one senior among its top seven players, Newport Harbor might be a year away.

DIVISION I-A

Top-seeded Glendora is big and has shooters, and Mike LeDuc is one of the Southern Section's best
coaches. The Tartans will be tough to beat.

Two all-Orange County matchups occur in the first round. I'll take Dana Hills over Edison, and University to beat San Clemente. The mystery team here is, of all teams, Mater Dei. So young, but so good lately with clutch victories over Dana Hills, Trabuco Hills and, in the Nike Extravaganza, over St. Patrick's of Elizabeth, N.J., which was ranked third in the nation at the time. The Monarchs should get to the quarterfinals, but it might be too much to ask of them to go further ... this season, anyway.

DIVISION II-AA

Santa Margarita finally lost a couple of games, having been taken down by Servite and Newport Harbor the past couple of weeks. But if everyone is healthy, the Eagles will win this division. Look for them to play Compton in the final. But Brea Olinda, not Compton, might be that opponent in the championship game. The Wildcats would play Compton in the semis.

DIVISION II-A

Can anyone beat Dominguez of Compton? Uh, probably not. The county's best hopes here are Sonora and Servite. Put Sonora senior Jeffrey Berokoff among this division's best players. Servite has no individual stars, but the Friars battle as hard as anyone. Watch out for Pacifica. The Mariners play tough defense and have guys who are adept at three-pointers, which can keep a team in a game against more-talented opponents.

DIVISION III-AA

Ocean View is the favorite. The Seahawks might see Bolsa Grande in the quarterfinals, should win that and then probably take on Magnolia in the semifinals. That would be an outstanding game, but the pick here is Ocean View wins that and the championship game.

DIVISION III-A

Estancia is the only Orange County team here. The Eagles just battled their way through the Pacific Coast League, which is the county's second-best circuit behind the South Coast.

Look for the Eagles to make it to the finals. Don't look for them to beat Chaminade of West Hills there, though.

DIVISION IV-AA

Two county squads here: Calvary Chapel and Laguna Beach. Calvary Chapel got to the IV-A championship game
last season. The Eagles aren't as good this year, but still are formidable. Guard Joe Ortiz is an excellent scorer and Craig Falconer an excellent coach. They likely would face the other county entrant, Laguna Beach, in the quarterfinals. Take Laguna Beach to win the game, but Twentynine Palms to win the division.

DIVISION IV-A

Two county entrants here: Orange Lutheran and Whittier Christian, both from the Olympic League. It would be fun to see them hook up in the championship game, but that is unlikely. Orange Lutheran would have to get by Crossroads of Santa Monica in the semis, and Whittier Christian would have a similarly difficult challenge against Bellarmine-Jefferson of Burbank in the other semifinal.

DIVISION V-AA

St. Margaret's is the only county team in this group. The Tartars open with a wild-card game Wednesday at Riverside Christian, and would have to play second-seeded Chadwick in the first round Friday. It doesn't look too promising.

DIVISION V-A

A team in these small-school divisions can succeed if they have one big scorer. Orangewood Academy, the lone county entrant, has one. Starly Alvarado, a 6-4 forward, is averaging 25.9 points a game. He could lead the Spartans to the semifinals, where top-seeded Rolling Hills Prep, which is 17-1, likely would present a challenge too difficult to overcome.