Two of the area’s top high school softball programs, coming off league races that pushed them to the brink, have received an imposing new obstacle.Each other.Camarillo (20-4) will visit Oaks Christian (20-4) in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 playoffs later this week.That was the marquee all-local matchup when 17 local teams were included the CIF-SS softball playoff field on Monday, May 12. All first-round games are set for Thursday, May 15.It will be the third time in the past decade the powers have faced each other in the postseason. Oaks Christian eliminated Camarillo in 2016 (6-1) and 2019 (10-4).Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

“It is what it is,” Camarillo coach Nichole Pinedo said.

The Scorpions are powered by a lineup that has slugged 52 home runs, including a team-high nine each by sophomore Jadyn Claycamp and freshman Khloie Hartman.

“We’re just solid all the way around,” Pinedo said. “I think we’re solid in the circle. We’re pretty good defensively. We have a pretty good hitting lineup.”

Camarillo is also 4-0 in one-run games, including several walk-offs.

“We’ve been able to clutch up at the end,” Pinedo said.

It will need it against an Oaks Christian program that survived a real challenge to share the Marmonte League title with Agoura.

“There was some learning challenges early in the year,” said Oaks Christian coach Cheyenne Coyle. “Right now, we’re playing some really good softball. They’ve gotten in a groove at the right time and hopefully we can continue that in the postseason.”

Junior Terrianna Kelley is hitting .443 with four home runs, 34 runs scored and 26 RBIs for the Lions. Junior Giabella Otani is hitting .450 with five home runs and 27 RBIs.

This is the first season CIF-SS is using in-season ratings to seed its postseason divisions. Both Pinedo and Coyle were surprised Division 1 included 30 teams, rather than the traditional 16.

That means the winner will be hit the road to face top-seeded Norco in the second round.

“I don’t understand the system,” Pinedo said.

Said Coyle: “I never know how any of it works.”

The CIF-SS included 252 teams across eight divisions. All are vying for a chance to play for sectional titles at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine on May 30 or 31.

Agoura was the lone local team to earn a top-4 seed. The Marmonte League co-champion is seeded third in Division 2.

Westlake (15-12) and Royal (12-11), both in Division 2 as well, were the two local teams to earn at-large berths.

Coastal Canyon League champion Moorpark (16-5) will host Millikan (19-8), Thousand Oaks (19-7-1) will host Capistrano Valley (17-10), Agoura (16-11) will host Ganesha (21-5-1), and Simi Valley (17-8-1) will visit Vista Murrieta (17-11) in Division 2.

In Division 3, Channel League champion Oxnard (17-9-1) will visit San Clemente (20-7-1), Royal (12-11) will visit Citrus Valley (17-10), Rio Mesa (16-9) will visit Aquinas (17-10), and Westlake (15-13) will host Schurr (21-5-1).

Ventura (17-5) will host Quartz Hill (17-7) in Division 4.

Tri-Valley co-champions St. Bonaventure (13-11) and Grace (13-4) will host Riverside Prep (16-9) and University Prep (18-5), respectively, in Division 5.

Citrus Coast League co-champion Santa Paula (10-11) will visit Katella (12-13) and Santa Clara (8-5) will visit San Jacinto (10-12) in Division 6.

Citrus Coast League co-champion Fillmore (11-8) will host Santa Ana (17-4-2) in Division 7.

Hueneme (6-15) will host Pomona Catholic (5-9) in Division 8.

Joe Curley covers softball for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcspreps on Twitter/X, Instagram/Threads, Facebook and Bluesky.

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Benet Academy girls soccer celebrated Senior Night in style with a 5-0 shutout over Montini — but it was freshman, Ashley Polanco, who delivered our Girls Play of the Week! This play is presented by Trunnell Insurance.

Ashley Polanco scores from 30 yards out for Benet Academy Soccer

Audrey Eiseman attacks the Bronco defense and dishes it off to freshman Ashley Polanco, who weaves through multiple defenders and fires a leaning cross-body shot into the back of the net! It gives the Redwings a 2-0 lead — and this one’s worth slowing down for another look!

Benet would go on to clinch the ESCC title with the 5-0 victory.

Where to find more NSW Content

For more prep sports highlights and community sports, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page and follow us on Twitter and Instagram!

You can also subscribe to our NCTV17 High School Sports Updates to be notified of all new sports highlights and feature stories.

The Simi Valley High baseball team has been impatiently awaiting the CIF-Southern Section playoffs.As hot the Pioneers were to end the regular season, when they won the final 14 games to come from behind and edge rival Royal in an unforgettable Coastal Canyon League race, rest was the last thing on their mind this week.“I wish we didn’t have such a big layoff,” Simi Valley coach Scott Vermette said.Simi Valley was the second seed and Marmonte League co-champion Oaks Christian was the third seed in the Division 2 baseball field, which included five local teams, when CIF-SS announced its postseason pairings on Monday, May 12.“We feel like we can deal with anybody,” Vermette said before the pairings were announced. “We’re feeling really good going into this thing, obviously with a 14-game winning streak.Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

“But you know it’s just a start for us. We’re not looking just to go to the first round of the playoffs. We’re looking to continue our winning streak and you know just play good baseball.”

Simi Valley enters the postseason with a pair of junior aces in Kyle Casey (8-0, 1.02 ERA) and Jackson Goshorn (8-2, 1.49).

The Pioneers have been led offensively by Evan Rodriguez, who is hitting .432 with 10 doubles and a triple. The sophomore delivered the walk-off hit in the 3-2, title-deciding win over Royal.

Simi Valley (22-5) will host Ventura (21-6-1) in an all-county first-round matchup on Friday, May 16.

The Cougars also finished the regular season hot, winning their last 10 and 15 of their last 16 to split the Channel League title with Santa Barbara.

Senior Josh Woodworth is hitting .380 with five home runs and 22 RBIs. Senior Wylan Nelson is hitting .388 with five home runs and 35 runs scored. Both are big cogs in a pitching staff that boasts a 1.33 ERA.

Pacifica was seeded fourth in Division 4. Channel Islands was the top seed in Division 7.

Thousand Oaks (15-12) and Grace (11-11-2) were the two local teams to earn at-large berth berths in Divisions 4 and 7, respectively.

The CIF-SS seeded 280 teams across nine divisions. First-round games are Thursday, May 15, for Divisions 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 and Friday, May 16, for Divisions 2, 4, 6 and 8.

Section finals are scheduled for May 30-31 at Cal State Fullerton’s Goodwin Field and Blair Field in Long Beach.

In the other three local games in Division 2, Royal (22-6) will host Sultana (21-3-1), Oaks Christian (19-8) will host Redlands East Valley (20-8), and Westlake (20-8) will visit San Clemente (18-10).

Calabasas (17-11) will host San Dimas (15-10) in Division 3.

In Division 4, Pacifica (19-9) will host California (20-8) and Thousand Oaks (15-12) will host La Quinta (16-12).

In Division 5, Citrus Coast League champion Santa Paula (14-11) will visit Liberty (11-11), Camarillo (12-16) will host Orange Vista (14-12), and Hueneme (17-8) will visit Riverside Poly (14-11).

Tri-Valley League champion St. Bonaventure (14-14) will host Pasadena (10-13-1) and Foothill Tech (14-13) will host South El Monte (19-7) in Division 6.

In Division 7, Channel Islands (12-13) will host Coachella Valley (11-8), Grace (11-11-2) will visit Vasquez (16-8), and Thacher (9-7) will visit Riverside-Notre Dame (17-9)

Fillmore’s $4.4 million Booty Sanchez Varsity Baseball Field will host the postseason in its inaugural season. The Flashes (9-17) will play San Maria-Valley Christian (9-6) in Division 8.

CIF-SS expanded its postseason to a ninth division this spring and two local teams are part of that bracket.

Beacon Hill (4-3) will visit Twentynine Palm (9-8) and Ojai Valley (10-6) will visit Animo Leadership (13-13) in the first Division 9 playoffs.

Joe Curley covers baseball for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcspreps on Twitter/X, Instagram/Threads, Facebook and Bluesky.

After a 5-0 upset loss to Eagle on Friday, the Storm responded with three consecutive wins Saturday to secure the 6A baseball regional title.

Neuqua Valley badminton plays host to another round of sectional championships with six schools hoping to qualify players to state. The Wildcats have won nine consecutive sectional titles. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.

Neuqua Valley starts strong in the doubles bracket

Starting with the doubles semifinals where Katherine He and Amber Shi from Neuqua Valley take on Thornton Fractional South seniors Azuri Akbar and Deisy Salto. Neuqua holds the early lead but Akbar and Salto battle hard throughout the match. After several nice returns, Salto lobs a long range return that lands just inside the back line for the point.

Near the end of the first set, Salto with a lob closer to the net, but she quickly realizes she did not send it far back enough as Katherine Ye smashes the point down. The Wildcats win the first set 21-10.

In the second set, a quick rally goes back and forth until Amber Shi pushes her return to the back corner and down for the point. Shi and Ye are heading to the doubles championship and to state after a 21-13 second set win. Akbar and Salto eventually earn a spot at state as well after winning the third place match.

The champs are here! 2024 state doubles champions Kanyanat Vajworarat and Luna Han from Neuqua Valley compete in the other doubles semifinal against Ashika Anand and Iniya Mani from Plainfield North.

There are no easy ways to attack this Wildcat duo. Off the serve from Vajworarat, Han slams down a smash as Neuqua rolls in the first set 21-7.

The Tigers try to stay alive in the second set, sending back several returns until Han flips a backhand out of reach as Neuqua moves on to the sectional finals after a 21-2 second set. It’s not all bad news for Plainfield North as Mani and Anand punch their tickets to state with a fourth place finish.

That sets up an all Neuqua Valley doubles championship. In a friendly rivalry matchup for first place, Vajworarat and Han are able to take down their teammates in straight sets to win a second straight doubles sectional championship.

Hannah George cruises into the sectional final

Jumping to the singles semifinal round where three-time state medalist Hannah George takes on Sahasra Vempati from Plainfield North. George looks ready for another deep postseason run in her final high school season, calmly driving down a line drive smash for the first set point.

In the second set, Vempati is driven towards the back and goes for the drop shot return, it’s well placed but George lunges forward and delivers a backhand scoop shot and drops it right back over the net to win in straight sets. Vempati is heading to state by finishing in fourth place, but Hannah George heads to the sectional final.

One of the top freshman in the area this spring is Wildcat Ishi Reddy, she competes in the other singles semifinal against Nisitha Sree Gadhi from Plainfield North. In the first set a lengthy rally goes back-and-forth as Gadhi is able to keep pace. By the end of the point, Reddy hits a hard liner back over to put away the point and a first set win.

Gadhi is doing what she can to remain in each point. In the second set she does a nice job getting low to dig out a return and Reddy gets over eager on the smash as she finds the net as the point goes to the Tiger.

Looking to put things away, Reddy sends a lob on her serve which gets sent back over, the freshman then slams a smash to the right side and in for the point. The victory sets up another all-Neuqua championship match in singles. Gadhi defeats her teammate Vempati to win the singles third-place medal.

Ishi Reddy pulls the upset to win the singles championship

A competitive first set between the veteran and the rookie, Hannah George shows her experience early on as Reddy makes a nice return, but George pounces with a smash for the point.

However, as the championship match goes on, Reddy is able to gain the edge, showing impressive quickness, power and savvy. She puts away this point with a drop shot just out of George’s reach as Ishi Reddy is the singles sectional champ after a 21-18, 21-15 win. Neuqua Valley badminton wins a tenth consecutive sectional championship with Plainfield North in second and Sandburg in third as Coach Benson and his team heads to state next weekend on a high note.