There were more than a few surprises when the seedings were announced last Sunday by the committee of commissioners for Division I, with most everyone expecting North Coast Section Division II runner-up Miramonte and NCS Division IV champion St. Joseph Notre Dame to get the top two seeds.
Instead it went to the Central Coast Section with Presentation and Eastside College Prep drawing seeds No. 1 and 2, respectively. St. Joseph Notre Dame drew the No. 3 seed, and a Miramonte team that many felt was a lead pipe cinch to go the Open Division had they beaten Bishop O’Dowd for the NCS D2 title, fell all the way down to a fourth seed.
Here is a look at the Wednesday night 7 pm matchups.
#1 Presentation (21-5) hosting #16 James Logan (24-3)
In most instances a first round game is a lead pipe cinch for the No. 1 seed but Logan is no slouch and fell way down in the seedings after getting upset in the NCS D1 opening round when the No. 5 seed fell to twelfth-seeded San Leandro. Because of that the Colts have not played a game since February 20 and that could be a factor against a Panthers team that made it to the Central Coast Section Open Division semifinals before bowing out to Pinewood. We’re not going to predict an upset but if one occurred it would not be a huge surprise.
#2 Eastside Prep (20-6) hosting #15 Oak Ridge (16-13)
On paper this looks like an Eastside win but the two-time defending CIF Division V team is no longer in a small division and Oak Ridge has played as tough a schedule as Eastside has but not with anywhere near the same success. Oak Ridge has the size advantage but Coach Donovan Blythe and his girls have seen size. The difference in this game may be the backcourt play of Eastside senior star Kayla Tahaafe.
#3 St. Joseph Notre Dame (27-4) hosting #13 McClatchy (23-6)
The seeding committee didn’t do St. Joseph Notre Dame any favors by sending a previously state-ranked McClatchy to Alameda on Wednesday. The host Pilots have seen a lot of good teams and have a win over a Carondelet team that has a win over McClatchy, and they have played a tough non-league schedule, but their league is very weak and they were an overwhelming favorite win the NCS D4 title. McClatchy has fallen off after beating Heritage in the West Coast Jamboree and Sierra Canyon on MLK Day, after having Edison-Stockton beat them for a second time this season in the Sac-Joaquin Section D1 quarterfinals. This is another game that would not be a shocker if McClatchy won.
#4 Miramonte (25-5) hosting #13 Edison-Stockton (23-7)
Some analysts thought Miramonte would be in the Open Division even after losing to Bishop O’Dowd and no one expected them to drop this low, but it looks like the commissioners just looked at the computer power rankings which have the Mats as the fourth team in the pecking order. Somehow the power rankings and the committee missed the Mats 28-point win at Eastside Prep or an 11-point win over a Valley Christian team that split with Presentation. Edison is formidable but Miramonte has been made a sleeper with the seedings as they are.
#5 Antelope (25-5) hosting #12 St. Ignatius (15-11)
Antelope took care of business with a 66-58 victory over Bear Creek inn the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs and will be hard to handle for a St. Ignatius team that wasn’t expected to challenge in the West Catholic Athletic League. The Wildcats do have a win over Bishop O’Dowd and Antelope hasn’t played anyone near that caliber, but Coach Sean Chambers has a talented young team with some size and will be hard for the visitors to handle.
#6 Bear Creek (28-3) hosting #11 St. Francis (14-12)
Bear Creek boasts one of the state’s top freshmen in point guard Mya Blake and a slew of solid players around her. The Bruins were seeded No. 2 to Antelope in the SJS D2 playoffs but during the season they posted a 95-52 victory at Edison where McClatchy lost twice. St. Francis has seen some the state’s top teams and playing in the WCAL and the CCS, but they haven’t seen anyone like Blake and her quickness. Bear Creek could be the sleeper in this division.
#7 Heritage (23-7) hosting #10 Sacred Heart Cathedral (11-14)
Heritage is favored, and in fact they have a 62-54 victory over Eastside Prep the computer botched and the commissioners overlooked, but never count out the Fighting Irish and coach LyRyan Russell. Despite a losing record the Irish split with Presentation, winning by 20 points at home and losing by 12 on the road, and they tied with Presentation at 6-4 in the WCAL. This could be a very interesting game that Heritage should win, but it won’t be a total shocker if the Irish knock them off.
#8 Castro Valley (23-5) hosting #9 Cosumnes Oaks (24-5)
Castro Valley was rolling in the beginning of the season against large-school competition until getting de-railed by California in the title game of the Emerald Division of the West Coast Jamboree, but that was after they beat Antelope, 67-63 in overtime in the semifinals. Somehow that got lost in the seedings mix. Cosumnes Oaks was in a lower division of the Jamboree and was the consolation winner, and they do have a win over Oak Ridge. Castro Valley should be the winner but when its No. 8 against No. 9 there are really no upsets.
