
Notable this week: San Clemente continues its late-season rise in the rankings by advancing to No. 2 behind Mater Dei at the end of the regular season. … The CIF-SS playoff pairings will be released Saturday at noon. … The season’s final rankings will be released after the CIF-SS Finals. … Fairmont Prep climbs one spot to No. 3.
(Records through Thursday)
1. Mater Dei (26-2): The Trinity League champion appears bound for the Open Division in the CIF-SS playoffs. The Monarchs are No. 3 in the section rankings and have won 15 consecutive games.
Previous ranking: 1
2. San Clemente (23-5): The South Coast League champion seems primed for the Division 1 playoffs with a No. 19 ranking in the section.
Previous ranking: 5
3. Fairmont Prep (20-8): Sarah Aldeguer had 15 points and 15 rebounds and Adyra Rajan scored 22 points as the Huskies got back on track with a 55-39 win against Westlake.
Previous ranking: 6
4. Sage Hill (19-8): The Pacific Coast League champion is ranked ninth in the section and could be a high seed in Division 1. The last time Sage Hill wasn’t in the Open Division was 2021-22, and it finished as the Division 2-AA runner-up and Division II state champion.
Previous ranking: 2
5. Villa Park (24-4): The Freeway League champion is ranked 28th in the section and could be headed to a loaded Division 1 playoff bracket.
Previous ranking: 3
6. JSerra (17-10): The Lions made strides by finishing second in the Trinity League for the first time since 2014-15.
Previous ranking: 7
7. Crean Lutheran (22-5): The Crestview League champion is 27th in the section rankings and looks like a Division 1 candidate.
Previous ranking: 4
8. Orange Lutheran (13-11): The Lancers bolstered their resume with late-season wins against Beckman and Santa Margarita.
Previous ranking: 10
9. Santa Margarita (17-10): The Eagles, who are ranked 20th in the section, lost their final three Trinity League games to tie for third place.
Previous ranking: 8
10. Buena Park (20-6): Gloria Barrera enters the playoffs having scored at least 30 points in five consecutive games for the Empire League champion.
Previous ranking: 9
11. Beckman (21-7)
Previous ranking: 11
12. San Juan Hills (17-11)
Previous ranking: 12
13. El Dorado (18-9)
Previous ranking: 13
14. Portola (14-14)
Previous ranking: 14
15. Esperanza (18-10)
Previous ranking: 17
16. Fountain Valley (18-9)
Previous ranking: 20
17. St. Margaret’s (19-9)
Previous ranking: 15
18. Rosary (14-12)
Previous ranking: 18
19. Corona del Mar (17-10)
Previous ranking: 25
20. Los Alamitos (19-8)
Previous ranking: 16
21. Brea Olinda (15-10)
Previous ranking: 19
22. Canyon (14-14)
Previous ranking: 21
23. Yorba Linda (12-13)
Previous ranking: 22
24. Marina (17-11)
Previous ranking: 24
25. Sonora (15-12)
Previous ranking: 23
—Dan Albano


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