Locals seeking CIF invitations

Barry Faulkner

There are few certainties for Newport-Mesa girls basketball teams

heading into the final week of league play, but all five local squads

may find themselves headed for the CIF Southern Section Playoffs.

Estancia High (16-8, 11-0 in the Golden West League), ranked No. 9

in CIF Division III-A, has already wrapped up the outright league

crown, with only a playoff tuneup Thursday at Ocean View on tap this

week.

A league title is still within reach for Pacific Coast League

representative Corona del Mar, which has already clinched one of the

league’s guaranteed postseason berths.

The Sea Kings (11-11, 6-2 in league) are tied with Northwood for

second place, one game behind Calvary Chapel. Coach James Barkalow’s

unit can pull even with Calvary Chapel with a victory over the Eagles

Tuesday at CdM, then can earn at least a share of the crown by

handling host Northwood Thursday.

Should the Sea Kings stumble against either opponent this week --

and their two league losses are to Calvary Chapel and Northwood --

they could do no worse than third place.

Should CdM wind up tied with either Calvary (for first) or

Northwood (for second), both schools in the deadlock would receive

the highest possible playoff designation from the PCL, since all

three are in different playoff divisions. CdM is in Division III-A,

Calvary is IV-AA and Northwood is III-AA. Should CdM tie Northwood in

second, even two league losses to Northwood would not prevent the Sea

Kings from the No. 2 playoff designation from the league.

Northwood plays fourth-place University Tuesday, while Calvary

meets last-place Tesoro Thursday.

Costa Mesa (13-11, 6-4 in the Golden West League) enters the week

in third place and controls its own destiny. Coach Jim Weeks’

Mustangs can wrap up third with victories at Santa Ana (Tuesday) and

at home against Saddleback (Thursday). Mesa defeated both in the

first round.

Saddleback (4-6 in league), Ocean View (4-7) and Santa Ana (3-7)

could all catch the Mustangs, should Mesa lose both chances to wrap

up an automatic berth, though Tuesday’s Saddleback-Ocean View loser

would fall out of that equation.

Should Mesa wind up tied with Ocean View and Santa Ana, Santa Ana

would get the No. 3 playoff spot and Ocean View and Mesa would play

Friday to decide the No. 4 qualifier.

Should Mesa wind up tied with Saddleback and Santa Ana, Weeks

believes a coin flip would determine the No. 3 qualifier and the

other two teams would play Friday for the fourth spot. A seven-team

league gets four automatic playoff berths.

Costa Mesa, however, is eligible for at-large consideration,

having earned the minimum 11 wins.

Sage Hill (12-5, 4-4 in the Academy League) is also in the mix for

one of three automatic berths in the six-team circuit. The Lightning

play at Whitney Tuesday and finish at home against Oxford Academy.

The unavailability of Academy League standings as of Sunday night,

however, renders exact scenarios impossible.

Newport Harbor (13-12, 3-5 in the Sea View League) can finish no

higher than fourth in the six-team league. But with just one game

remaining, Tuesday against visiting Woodbridge, the Sailors are

assured their first .500 regular-season since 1999 and will be considered for an at-large berth in CIF Division II-AA.