2022-23 Week 13: St. Augustine Boys, Mount Miguel Girls Come Through

First round action in the Southern California regional playoffs saw San Diego’s 36-team Boys and Girls contingent dwindle to 13, which will begin semifinals play tonight.

Wiped out with an 0-8 record in Boys’ Divisions I  & II, it was left to the Open Division’s St. Augustine. The 4 seed Saints rallied to a 63-60 victory over No. 5 Valencia West Hills before a loud, capacity crowd of more than 2,000 and then some.

A drone also floated above the court during pregame warmups and then disappeared as quietly as it arrived.

The host Saints took an early 11-4 lead, fell behind, 19-18, at the end of the first quarter, and then drifted back and forth with deficits up to six points against the tall (University of Texas-bound center Jazz Gardner is 7 feet) Wildcats.  St. Augustine finally went ahead again, 57-56, on Lolo  Rudolph’s basket with 2:50 remaining.

A long looper by Jason Matingou gave the Saints some air at 62-58 and they rode out a tense and scrambling final 1:11.

Most impressive win for San Diego teams  was by coach Robbie Sandoval’s Mount Miguel girls, a 14 seed in D-I.  The Matadors won at No. 3 Los Angeles Windward, 61-60.

La Jolla Country Day’s Open Division No. 2 seed Torreys girls (29-3) will try to repeat a 70-65 victory last month over the Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda Eagles Saturday night at home.

A story about tonight’s semifinals games and seedings will follow.

San Diego Section winners highlighted:

BOYS

DIVISION	TEAM/VISITOR	SEED	OPPONENT/HOME	SEED	SCORE
Open	Valencia West Ranch (29-3)	5	St. Augustine (27-4)	4	63-60
I	Montgomery (25-7)	9	Manhattan Beach Mira Costa (28-3)	8	49-45
	Carlsbad (24-7)	10	Temecula Rancho Christian (24-10)	7	89-72
	San Ysidro (18-13)	11	Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda (26-5)	6	63-53
	La Costa Canyon (16-13)	12	Santa Ana Mater Dei (28-6)	5	70-66
	Santa Fe Christian (24-6)	13	Playa del Rey St. Bernard (22-8)	4	75-73
	Torrey Pines (18-12)	15	Torrance Bishop Montgomery (27-4)	2	81-53
II	San Gabriel Academy (20-14)	10	Mater Dei (21-9)	7	75-72
III	Del Norte (20-11)	9	Ventura Buena (28-5)	8	72-66
	Lincoln (30-2)	10	Whittier La Serna (27-7)	7	53-52
	Camarillo (20-13)	12	San Diego (20-13)	5	67-61
	Otay Ranch (21-11)	13	North Hollywood Oakwood (21-9)	4	78-53
	Ontario Christian (19-11)	14	Mission Bay (24-9)	3	75-55
	La Verne Bonita (19-14)	16	La Jolla Country Day (24-7)	1	55-52
IV	Long Beach Wilson (21-12)	11	Victory Christian (24-8)	6	71-64
V	Imperial (20-9)	9	Torrance North (25-6)	8	83-55
	Classical (17-10)	10	Littlerock (20-6)	7	55-41
	Irvine Tarbut V’Torah (14-8)	14	Ramona (21-10)	3	75-38

GIRLS

DIVISION	TEAM/VISITOR	SEED	TEAM/HOME	SEED	SCORE
Open	Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda (29-3)	3	La Jolla Country Day (29-3)	2	Bye
I	L.A. Marlborough (22-10)	12	Del Norte (21-10)	5	55-37
	Fullerton Rosary (23-8)	13	Mission Hills (20-11)	4	57-54
	Mount Miguel (23-7)	14	L.A. Windward (18-10)	3	61-60
	Westview (25-6)	15	Corona Santiago (23-9)	2	49-48
II	Scripps Ranch (20-7)	9	La Canada Flintridge (30-2)	8	55-44
	Poway (24-5)	10	Sun Valley Village (26-6)	7	49-36
	Mater Dei (21-10)	11	San Juan Capistrano San Juan Hills (25-6)	6	60-49
	Imperial (26-6)	12	Newhall Hart (28-4)	5	59-43
	Rancho Bernardo (22-10)	14	Pasadena La Salle (31-3)	3	56-45
	Lake Balboa Birmingham (17-13)	16	Bonita Vista (20-9)	1	63-49
III	Buena Park (25-7)	13	Torrey Pines (25-8)	4	71-57
	Moreno Valley (23-9)	14	Cathedral (15-14)	3	60-53
IV	North Hollywood Oakwood (18-12)	12	Oceanside (22-7)	5	47-40
	Montgomery (24-7)	13	Victorville Silverado (21-3)	4	71-62
	Granite Hills (26-7)	14	North Hollywood Campbell Hall (16-12)	3	48-45
V	Mar Vista (13-14)	11	Santa Monica St. Monica (23-4)	6	65-34
	Santa Barbara Bishop Diego (23-4)	13	Blythe Palo Verde (21-10)	4	53-40