CIF NorCal soccer 2024: Top storylines heading into regional playoffs

CIF NorCal regional championships

Boys: Top storylines

Archbishop Mitty is playing its best soccer at the right time. After winning the Central Coast Section Division I title against St. Francis on Saturday, Mitty was awarded the No. 2 seed in the CIF Northern California Division I regional and will play host to No. 7 McClatchy-Sacramento on Tuesday. The Monarchs are 10-0-3 in their last 13 matches and have not lost since Jan. 11. Mitty lost to Jesuit-Carmichael — the No. 1 seed in Division I — last year in the Division II NorCal regional. If the seeds hold, the two will meet in this year’s Division I championship match. The trio of Jaxson Bettencourt, Guiseppe Sigala and Isaac Castillo are trying to lead the Monarchs to their first CIF NorCal championship in school history. … St. Francis was given the No. 4 seed in Division I and will have an interesting matchup with No. 5 Berkeley. The Yellowjackets were the Cinderella team of the North Coast Section Division I bracket, beating Monte Vista and Dougherty Valley en route to the section title. St. Francis has been dominant all year, but will seek to bounce back after losing its first match of the season to Mitty in the section title. … Dougherty Valley earned the No. 1 seed in Division II. Tristan Casella’s 16 goals have helped the Wildcats become one of the hottest teams in Northern California. Now, they have a clear path to the Division II regional crown. They are one of the NCS’s top teams, beating the likes of De La Salle, Clayton Valley and Granada in the past month … After winning the NCS Division II crown, Las Lomas received the No. 6 seed in NorCal Division II. The Knights haven’t lost since Dec. 22 and won the Diablo Athletic League title this season. … After being upset in the NCS Division II semifinal by Maria Carrillo, Newark Memorial will get a shot to win the CIF NorCal Division III title as it was awarded the No. 1 seed. The Cougars will be the favorite, having home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. They will face No. 8 Everett Alvarez at home Tuesday. 

Girls: Top storylines

Kamryn Rosa and No. 1 seed St. Francis will look to capture the program’s second consecutive CIF Division I NorCal championship. Rosa has been on a tear, scoring eight goals in the Lancers’ last three matches, including a midfield shot that helped lift St. Francis over Mitty in the CCS Division I championship match Saturday. The Lancers’ first-round matchup will be against No. 8 Carondelet, whom the Lancers beat in the CIF NorCal championship last year. … Mitty was given the No. 4 seed and will play Davis Senior in its first round matchup on Tuesday at Valley Christian. If St. Francis and Mitty win on Tuesday, it will set up a rematch between the rivals in the second round on Thursday. … Three East Bay Athletic League schools made it to NorCals — San Ramon Valley, Amador Valley and Carondelet, all in Division I. No. 3 San Ramon Valley, which won the NCS Division I title over Carondelet in double OT on Saturday, will play host to No. 6 Leigh. The Wolves are led by Ella Beardslee, who scored the winning goal in the section final against Carondelet. Amador Valley was given the No. 7 seed and will play at second-seeded Del Oro-Loomis on Tuesday. NCS Division II runner-up Las Lomas is the No. 6 seed in Division II. The Knights will travel to No. 3 Sequoia for their first-round matchup.

On tap for Tuesday

No. 6 Mountain View will travel to No. 3 Clovis-North and No. 8 Monte Vista will play No. 1 Jesuit on the road in two Division I boys first-round matchups. … Burlingame, a surprise team in the CCS Division I boys bracket, was seeded No. 2 seed in Division II for NorCal and has a matchup with No. 7 Maria Carrillo in the first round. … On the girls side, No. 2 Los Gatos will play host to No. 7 Cardinal Newman in a Division III matchup. In Division V, No. 5 Oakland Tech will go on the road to play No. 4 University Prep.