REGIONAL PREVIEWS:
RIVERSIDE LANDS TOP SEED IN SOUTH; SIERRA IS TOPS IN NORTH

NORTH- Sierra won the Big 7 title over Diablo Valley and will have the top spot at this weekend’s Northern California Regional Playoffs. Diablo Valley has spent most of the year trying to overtake the Wolverines in the Poll, while beating them in the pool, but fell back behind them last week. The Vikings are hosting the regional, so they will have a chance to move back to reclaim the top seed in front of their home faithful. Santa Rosa meets Coast Conference Champion Ohlone on Friday. The Bear Cubs have put together one of their best campaigns ever and should reach Saturday’s semi-finals. Merced won the Highway 99 title over Delta last week, but they will have to beat them again if they want to reach the State Tournament in nearby Fresno.

SOUTH- Riverside, as expected, claimed the top seed in this week’s playoffs and won the Orange Empire title. The Tigers had pulled out a couple of close wins against #2-seed Orange Coast in recent weeks, but at home in Sippy Woodhead Pool this weekend they cruised to a 10-4 victory over the Pirates in the OEC title game. Orange Coast has proven that they can play with Riverside and hope that they can get over the hump against their rivals in a neutral pool, namely Cypress this weekend. Defending State Champion Long Beach was not as dominant as Riverside in winning the South Coast title, but solid wins over Chaffey and Mt San Antonio kept them near the front of the pack. The Vikings will face #6-seed Saddleback in Friday’s elimination game. The Gauchos have a reputation for knocking off higher ranked teams, however Long Beach beat them 8-4 in their only meeting this year. Chaffey and Fullerton always seem to be close in the Poll and this Friday the two teams will meet to settle the question. Chaffey has the higher seed, but the Hornets haven’t lost the swagger that made them this season’s last unbeaten team. They lost their OEC semi-final to Orange Coast by only one-goal and have plenty of post-season experience on their roster. SD Mesa and Mt San Antonio will playoff on Wednesday in San Diego for the right to face Orange Coast on Friday. The Olympians broke Grossmont’s hold of the Pacific Coast Conference, while the Mounties are coming off a solid performance at the South Coast Tournament. Golden West and Ventura will also match up on Wednesday, but in Huntington Beach. The Rustlers have only missed one of the previous nine State Tournaments and the quest for a trip to Fresno will begin at home against Ventura. Ventura won its second straight Western State Conference title and, in doing so, claimed the loop’s automatic berth. The Pirates received the ninth seed, but are matched up against the only team to reach the post-season with a losing record.