Spring has officially arrived and so have high school spring sports. Baseball and softball, boys and girls lacrosse, boys volleyball, beach volleyball, swim and dive and track and field are now on display on local playing fields to fuel interest.
Returning San Diego Section baseball champions include La Costa Canyon (Open Division), Santana (Division I), Sage Creek (Division II), Fallbrook (Division III), Calexico (Division IV) and Lincoln (Division V).
Last year’s runner-up teams in the championship playoffs included Eastlake (Open Division), Patrick Henry (Division I), Cathedral Catholic (Division II), Maranatha Christian (Division III), Bishop’s (Division IV) and St. Joseph Academy (Division V).
Closer to home, Valhalla (Division III), El Capitan (Division IV) and Liberty Charter (Division V) all finished one win short of advancing to the championship game in their respective divisions.
Returning San Diego Section softball champions include Poway (Open Division), Otay Ranch (Division I), Holtville (Division II), Imperial (Division III), Madison (Division IV) and Coastal Academy (Division V).
Last year’s runner-up teams in the championship playoffs included Rancho Bernardo (Open Division), Mater Dei Catholic (Division I), Santana (Division II), Christian (Division III), Palo Verde Valley (Division IV) and Liberty Charter (Division V).
Falling just short of advancing to the championship game were El Capitan (Open Division) and Foothills Christian (Division IV).
Fresh start
The opening three weeks of the new season have rewarded several teams with strong starts in tournament and non-league play.
A rundown of the Grossmont Hills League baseball circuit features Granite Hills at 7-1, Helix and Steele Canyon, both at 4-5, Grossmont at 3-6 and Santana at 1-8.
The Grossmont Valley League’s early season baseball honor roll includes El Capitan and Monte Vista, both off to 6-3 starts, and Valhalla and Mt. Miguel, both off to 5-3 starts. El Cajon Valley follows at 3-3 while West Hills is 3-5.
Christian, which competes in the City Western League, is 5-4 to start the season while Foothills Christian, is off to a 1-0 start in Pacific League play, 6-4 overall.
Mountain Empire and Liberty Charter both compete in the Summit League. Though non-league play, Mountain Empire was 2-0 while Liberty Charter was 2-6-1.
Among the early season East County hitting leaders are Mt. Miguel senior Alex Sandoval (0.565 average, 11 RBI), Granite Hills junior Phillip Jones (0.500 average, 11 RBI, two home runs), Foothills Christian sophomore Jack Morgan (0.423 average, 10 RBI), Helix senior Walker Laub (0.391 average), Foothills Christian senior Andrew Burke (0.387 average, 14 RBI), Monte Vista senior Gavin Daley (0.385 average, two home runs) and Mt. Miguel senior Junior Ettleman (0.371 average, 19 RBI).
El Capitan senior Gerald War¬rick and Santana junior Noah Lewis both possess 0.364 hitting averages.
Among the early season East County pitching leaders are Monte Vista senior Jacob Schweitzer (3-0 record, 0.40 ERA, 30 strikeouts in 17.2 innings), Christian senior Brody Gundert (2-0 record, 0.93 ERA, 23 strikeouts in 15 innings), Granite Hills senior Chandler Henry (2-0 record, 0.93 ERA, 17 strikeouts in 15 innings), Granite Hills junior Brenden Lewis (3-1 record, 1.20 ERA, 21 strikeouts in 23.1 innings), Helix junior Antoin Simpson (2-1 record, 1.34 ERA), Mt. Miguel senior Charlie Sandoval (2-0 record, 1.88 ERA, 16 strikeouts in 22.1 innings), Valhalla junior Mathew Ibrahim (2.49 ERA, 28 strikeouts in 19.2 innings), Liberty Charter senior Jaxon Adrain (2.71 ERA, 41 strikeouts in 20.2 innings) and El Capitan senior Brody McAuliffe (2.74 ERA, 27 strikeouts in 15.1 innings).
The early season shakedown among Grossmont Hills League softball teams feature Steele Canyon (6-3-1), Santana (6-5), Granite Hills (4-4), Helix (5-6), El Capitan (3-5-4) and Valhalla (1-8).
Grossmont Valley League softball teams appear competitive, led by Mt. Miguel (4-3), Grossmont (4-4-1), El Cajon Valley (4- 4), West Hills (4-5-1) and Monte Vista (2-10).
Christian, which competes in the City Eastern League, tops all East County softball teams with an impressive 8-0-1 record to start the season.
Junior Kaitlyn Moody ranks as the top hitter for the Lady Patriots with a 0.556 hitting average, 14 RBI and two home runs in nine games while sophomore Ava Barrios owns a 7-0 pitching record with a 0.68 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 41 innings.
SAN DIEGO SECTION BASEBALL RANKINGS
(MaxPreps through March 25)
1. Torrey Pines 8-1
2. St. Augustine 8-1
3. Granite Hills 7-2
4. University City 9-1
5. San Marcos 7-1
6. Patrick Henry 9-2
7. Cathedral Catholic 8-2
8. Carlsbad 4-1
9. Rancho Bernardo 4-1
10. Sage Creek 6-3
11. Eastlake 7-3
12. Bonita Vista 6-2-1
13. Mater Dei Catholic 8-4
14. La Jolla Country Day 6-4
15. Southwest El Centro 11-3
16. Clairemont 8-2-1
17. Maranatha Christian 7-2
18. Mission Bay 9-4
19. Brawley 7-2-2
20. Coronado 7-4
21. San Ysidro 7-4
22. Pt. Loma 5-3-2
23. Monte Vista 7-3
24. El Capitan 7-4
25. Madison 6-4
26. Christian 6-4
27. Calvin Christian 6-0
28. Santa Fe Christian 5-4
29. Valley Center 5-3
30. Mission Hills 4-5
31. Del Norte 5-4
32. Steele Canyon 4-6
33. Morse 6-3
34. Mt. Carmel 4-5
35. Mt. Miguel 7-3
36. El Camino 5-4
37. Lincoln 6-3-1
38. Grossmont 4-6
39. Mission Vista 5-4
40. Poway 4-5
41. Helix 4-6
42. La Jolla 6-4
43. Imperial 8-7
44. Valhalla 5-5
45. Scripps Ranch 4-6
46. Oceanside 4-4-1
47. High Tech High Chula Vista 4-3-1
48. Chula Vista 8-5
49. Calexico 6-5-1
50. Montgomery 4-5
SAN DIEGO SECTION SOFTBALL RANKINGS
(MaxPreps through March 25)
1. Del Norte 11-0
2. Mater Dei Catholic 11-1
3. Torrey Pines 9-2-2
4. Christian 10-1-1
5. Poway 9-2-1
6. Cathedral Catholic 8-2
7. Imperial 12-2-1
8. La Costa Canyon 10-3
9. Eastlake 7-3
10. Santa Fe Christian 6-0-1
11. Mission Hills 7-2-2
12. Rancho Bernardo 7-4-1
13. Carlsbad 6-5
14. Rancho Buena Vista 8-3
15. Morse 13-2
16. Pt. Loma 6-3
17. Bonita Vista 6-6-1
18. San Marcos 8-7
19. Santana 7-6
20. Clairemont 6-3-1
21. Classical Academy 7-1
22. Mt. Carmel 7-5
23. Francis Parker 7-1
24. Oceanside 7-2-1
25. El Capitan 4-6-4
26. Steele Canyon 8-3-1
27. Sage Creek 6-4
28. Our Lady of Peace 4-4-1
29. Westview 6-4
30. Helix 6-6
31. Scripps Ranch 7-3
32. Granite Hills 4-6
33. Calexico 6-5-1
34. Patrick Henry 5-5
35. Escondido Charter 7-4
36. West Hills 5-5-1
37. Mission Vista 7-5
38. Sweetwater 10-3
39. San Pasqual 5-4
40. Olympian 5-8
41. Maranatha Christian 3-3
42. Grossmont 4-4-2
43. Mar Vista 3-5-1
44. Liberty Charter 8-4
45. Chula Vista 7-7
46. Ocean View Christian Academy 5-0
47. Mira Mesa 4-9
48. Brawley 4-6
49. Bishop’s 4-3
50. Otay Ranch 2-6
San Diego Section
Boys Volleyball Rankings
(MaxPreps through March 21)
1. Torrey Pines 10-1
2. Carlsbad 13-6
3. Cathedral Catholic 11-6
4. Westview 13-5
5. Del Norte 11-7
6. Poway 14-8
7. Mission Vista 20-4
8. Classical Academy 18-4
9. Bonita Vista 16-4
10. Sage Creek 25-6
11. Eastlake 12-6
12. La Jolla 13-4
13. Bishop’s 21-3
14. Scripps Ranch 8-6
15. Otay Ranch 12-3
16. Granite Hills 15-7
17. Santa Fe Christian 11-8
18. Clairemont 11-5
19. Canyon Crest Academy 9-10
20. La Costa Canyon 5-10
BOYS LACROSSE RANKINGS
1. La Costa Canyon 2-1, 2. Fallbrook 5-0, 3. Pacific Ridge 3-0, 4. Torrey Pines 2-1, 5. Olympian 4-0, 6. San Dieguito Academy 3-1, 7. Grossmont 2-1, 8. Eastlake 6-2, 9. Bonita Vista 4-2, 10. Pt. Loma 4-3, 11. West Hills 4-3, 12. Carlsbad 2-1, 13. Cathedral Catholic 3-4, 14. Foothills Christian 5-3, 15. Canyon Crest Academy 2-1, 16. San Diego 4-3, 17. Bishop’s 1-2, 18. Mater Dei Catholic 4-2, 19. Mission Hills 3-4, 20. San Marcos 2-2
GIRLS LACROSSE RANKINGS
1. Coronado 6-0, 2. Torrey Pines 7-1, 3. Bishop’s 8-0, 4. Cathedral Catholic 4-4, 5. San Marcos 5-3, 6. Del Norte 6-2, 7. Carlsbad 7-3, 8. Scripps Ranch 3-3, 9. Pt. Loma 5-1, 10. Sage Creek 8-1, 11. University City 6-3, 12. San Ysidro 6-1, 13. Poway 4-4, 14. Fallbrook 8-2, 15. La Jolla 3-3, 16. Patrick Henry 3-3, 17. El Capitan 6-2, 18. Mater Dei Catholic 8-3, 19. Classical Academy 6-1, 20. Eastlake 4-2
