Top eight teams hold spots in the latest CCCMBCA poll
RIVERSIDE - We have reached the final week of the regular season and there is still a lot in play, a few conference/division titles as well as some key matchup for seeding purposes. There wasn't a whole lot of moment in this week's CCCMBCA poll. The top 8 remained the same, with Citrus making a move into the top 10 after winning its division title.
Next week's poll will be the regional seedings. Matching seed ties will be broken using the Massey Rankings and conference/division finish.
State Poll
1. San Francisco City (24-1) — Winners of 10 straight, San Francisco is on the verge of winning its 14th Coast-North championship under head coach Justin Labagh. The Rams had its road contest at Foothill last week postponed and there has been no word on if the game will be played. So, the Rams begin the week with a 1 ½-game led on Las Positas. San Francisco is scheduled to host Chabot on Wednesday and then travel to Ohlone on Friday to close out the season.
2. Fullerton (24-2) — The Orange Empire Conference title appears headed to a Friday showdown with Saddleback in Mission Viejo. The Hornets begin the week tied with Saddleback. However, there is other work to attend to first, such as Copper Mountain on Wednesday. The Fightin' Cacti stopped Fullerton's 17-game win streak earlier this season.
3. Fresno City (23-3) — This should come as a shock. Fresno City won its state and national record 18th consecutive conference title last week. The Rams, winners of 14 straight games, is undefeated in conference. Fresno will close out the regular season hosting Merced and Reedley.
4. East Los Angeles (22-4) — If East Los Angeles is to win the South Coast-North title outright the Huskies will need to beat 4-22 Rio Hondo on Wednesday and then LA Trade Tech (17-8) on Friday. Both games are at home where the Huskies are 7-0.
5. Southwestern (22-4) — Southwestern can wrap up the Pacific Coast-South title with a win on Wednesday when Grossmont comes to town or on Friday at San Diego Mesa. The Jaguars hold a two-game lead on San Diego City. The crown will be Southwestern's first since 2015.
6. Gavilan (24-2) — Gavilan has clinched a share of the Coast-South title. A victory on Wednesday versus third-place West Valley or Friday at last-place San Jose or a Cabrillo lost would wrap up the division title.
7. San Bernardino Valley (21-5) — San Bernardino Valley has wrapped up the Pacific Coast-North title. The Wolverines, winners of 14 straight games, closes out the regular season at Mt. San Jacinto on Wednesday and then at home on Friday against MiraCosta.
8. San Joaquin Delta (22-5) — San Joaquin Delta wins its first Big 8 Conference title in 10 years. The Mustangs have won 14 straight and will close out the regular season on Friday at Sacramento City.
9. Citrus (20-6) — Citrus has easily captured the Western State-East title. The Owls, winners of nine straight, hold a four-game lead over three teams. Citrus concludes the season with a home game on Wednesday versus Antelope Valley and then a road game at Victor Valley on Friday.
10. Long Beach City (22-4) — The South Coast-South comes down to the final week of the season as the Vikings and Cerritos begin the week deadlocked. Long Beach closes out the season at El Camino (Wednesday) and at home versus LA Southwest (Friday). It will take a team stepping up to break this tie.
11. Cerritos (20-6) — The South Coast-South comes down to the final week of the season as the Falcons and Long Beach City begin the week deadlocked. Cerritos hosts LA Southwest on Wednesday and then travels to square off against LA Harbor. It will take a team stepping up to break this tie.
12. Yuba (23-4) — Yuba won its third straight Bay Valley Conference title, 11 of the last 12, and is currently riding a 12-game win streak. Finishes the season at Contra Costa on Wednesday.
13. Mt. San Jacinto (20-5) — Mt. San Jacinto faces another big week and test — hosting San Bernardino on Wednesday and then Desert on Friday. The Eagles are just a game ahead of San Diego Miramar for second place. Miramar finishes the week on the road at Desert and Palomar. So, realistically Mt. San Jacinto needs a sweep this week to maintain sole possession of second place. The Eagles and Miramar split their regular season games.
14. Las Positas (20-5) — Las Positas conclude the regular season on the road, visiting Skyline on Wednesday and then Canada on Friday. The Hawks trail San Francisco by 1 ½ games, so while they are mathematically a live, realistically Las Positas needs a win this week to secure second place.
15. Saddleback (18-8) — Winners of seven straight, Saddleback takes on fourth-place Riverside on Wednesday before taking a shot at Fullerton on Friday for what could be for the Orange Empire Conference title. Saddleback begins the week in a deadlock Fullerton. The Saddleback-Riverside meeting is the first between these two programs this season.
16. West Los Angeles (20-7) — West Los Angeles has clinched with Wester State-South division. In its only game this week, West LA hosts Canyons on Tuesday.
17. Chaffey (19-7) — Chaffey remains in the hunt for the division crown, but it would take a complete East LA meltdown for the Panthers to even capture a share of the division crown. Chaffey, this week, travels to LA Trade Tech, losers four straight, and then returns home to host Pasadena City, a team still fighting for a post-season berth.
18. Santa Rosa (19-7) — Santa Rosa will begin the week clinging to a ½-game lead on Cosumnes River for second place in the Big 8 Conference. The Cubs host Diablo Valley on Tuesday and then travel to Folsom Lake on Friday for its season finale. Santa Rosa would need a sweep this week to clinch second place. While every conference has different tiebreakers, Santa Rosa does have the worse lost — should the Cubs and Cosumnes River tie — after falling to Diablo Valley in their first meeting.
19. Cabrillo (19-6) — Cabrillo opens the week holding a one-game lead on third-place West Valley. While Cabrillo still has hopes of a share of the division crown we are sure the Seahawks on focused on beating Monterey on Wednesday, securing third place. Cabrillo closes out the season at West Valley, however, it doesn't appear second-place will be in play come Friday.
20. Columbia (20-6) — Columbia is in a dead heat with Sequoias for second place in the Central Valley Conference. This race could down to Saturday when Columbia hosts Sequoias. The Claim Jumpers also host four-place Porterville on Wednesday. The Claim Jumpers are 12-1 at home.
21. Sequoias (18-8) — Sequoias is at Cerro Coso on Wednesday where Giants head coach Rusty Smith will meet once again meet his former assistant. And there will be a lot at stake for Sequoias who begins the week deadlocked with Columbia for second place in the Central Valley Conference. The Giants close out the regular season at Columbia on Saturday.
22. Butte (14-11) — Butte has clinched a share of the Golden Valley Conference. The Roadrunners hold a 2 ½ -game lead over Lassen, which has three games remaining. So, a Lassen loss or a Butte victory wraps up the title for the Roadrunners. Butte has a home game on Wednesday versus Redwoods and then is at Lassen on Friday.
23. Ventura (16-10) — Ventura begins the week clinging to a one-game lead over Allan Hancock. The Pirates visit Cuesta on Wednesday and then returns home to host Moorpark. While Allan Hancock finishes at Santa Barbara and then home to Cuesta. Ventura figures to need a sweep this week if the Pirates want to win the title outright.
24. Canada (20-7) — Canada is one of eight northern teams to enter the week with 20 wins. Yet, Canada figures to finish in third place in the tough Coast-North division. Mathematically, Canada could still rundown Las Positas for a share of second place, but that appears unlikely. This week, the Colts meet Las Positas on Friday. Canada will be routing for Skyline on Wednesday (see Las Positas cap).
(tie)
25. Santiago Canyon (18-8) — There is a lot of ways the season could end for Santiago Canyon. Wining the conference title isn't one of them. And finishing second is probably out of equation as well (although, mathematically, the Hawks begin the week eligible for both). The Hawks are two games behind Fullerton and Saddleback (and since neither can lose both games this week, the conference title is out). With all of that said, Santiago Canyon is only a game ahead of fourth-Place Riverside. This week, the Hawks are the road for their final two games — Cypress on Wednesday and Orange Coast on Friday.
25. Allan Hancock (21-5) — Allan Hancock avenged its previous loss to Ventura last week. And, by doing so, the Bulldogs kept their title hopes alive. Allan Hancock, which finishes at Santa Barbara and then home to Cuesta, needs either Cuesta or Moorpark to knock off Ventura this week, while taking care of its own business.
25. Los Medanos (17-9) — Currently riding a five-game win streak and a game lead on Merritt for second place in the Bay Valley Conference. Los Medanos travels to Napa on Wednesday and hosts Contra Costa on Friday.
Northern California
1. San Francisco City
2. Fresno City
3. Gavilan
4. San Joaquin Delta
5. Yuba
6. Las Positas
7. Santa Rosa
8. Cabrillo
9. Columbia
10. Sequoias
11. Butte
12. Canada
13. Los Medanos
14. Cosumnes River
15. (tie) Merritt/West Valley
Southern California
1. Fullerton
2. East Los Angeles
3. Southwestern
4. San Bernardino Valley
5. Citrus
6. Long Beach City
7. Cerritos
8. Mt. San Jacinto
9. Saddleback
10. West Los Angeles
11. Chaffey
12. Ventura
13. Santiago Canyon
14. Allan Hancock
15. (tie) San Diego Miramar, Riverside, Cuesta
(Robert Schmidt, CCCMBCA)