Cif

PROVIDENCE HIGH — Playing solid defense is not just a game plan for the Providence High girls' basketball team, it's a mission. In a CIF Southern Section Division VAA second-round playoff game against Boron Saturday at Providence, the Pioneer defensive effort was in full force. Every time a Bobcat player touched the ball, a Providence defender was there to hound her. And the Boron shooters had a tough time with the Pioneers contesting almost every shot. The fine effort led to a historic 43-28 victory by the Pioneers.

BOYS' BASKETBALL Burbank 55, Loara 43 : The Bulldogs pulled off an upset Friday, earning a win on the road against the No. 15 seed in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division I-A playoffs. Burbank (16-12) limited the Saxons (20-8) to just four baskets and 15 points in the second half. The Bulldogs also converted 14 of 15 free-throw attempts. Sarkis Karian led the way for Burbank, scoring 17 points. Burbank will take on either No. 2 Santa Monica or Alhambra in a second-round game at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

BELLARMINE-JEFFERSON HIGH — As a freshman with the Bellarmine-Jefferson High baseball team, Philip Diaz-McTague was an All-CIF Southern Section second-team selection. As a sophomore, Diaz-McTague had another fine season, earning All-Santa Fe League first-team accolades, although he did not make any All-CIF teams. His quest to earn his second All-CIF selection of his tenure with the Guards was quashed during his junior campaign, when a severe ankle injury ended his season.

Jim Riggio The Burbank and Burroughs high swim teams have moved up this season, and that might not be a good thing. With the Foothill League schools competing in Division I in CIF Southern Section postseason competition, earning qualifying times for the premier division has been difficult for local athletes. So difficult, in fact, not one Bulldog or Indian swimmer -- in any event -- has met the time standard needed to qualify for the Division I preliminaries That dry spell continued Monday in the league preliminaries at Burroughs.

PROVIDENCE HIGH — Providence High girls' basketball Coach Andrew Bencze was disappointed Wednesday following his team's ouster from the postseason. However, the coach's feelings weren't directed at his squad's 42-33 CIF Southern Section Division VAA quarterfinal loss to Villanova Prep at Providence, ending the Pioneers' season. Instead, his sadness about something else took precedence over his emotions concerning the loss. "I'm not as disappointed with losing the game than I am with the fact that I won't see this group of players in practice [Thursday]

HUNTINGTON BEACH ? The Bellarmine-Jefferson High boys? volleyball team was hoping for a repeat of its postseason success last season when it advanced to the quarterfinals. Those hopes were still intact prior to Bell-Jeff meeting host Sage Hill Tuesday in a Division V second-round match. However, when the match ended, the Guards? playoff run ? as well as their season ? came to a close, as the Lightning came away with a 25-17, 25-10, 25-10 victory. The Lightning (20-9), beneficiaries of a first-round bye, swept the Guards to advance to the third round, and surprised them in the process.

BURBANK — There was likely no sneaking up on opponents this season for Burbank resident and Village Christian pitcher Emily Seidel. Coming into her senior softball campaign, Seidel was already a perennial All-CIF Southern Section selection and a previous All-State honoree who had signed with the University of Nevada Reno. The same can't be said for Burbank second baseman Katie Hooper, who came into her sophomore season with little funfair. When the season came to an end for Seidel and Hooper, they both enjoyed their share of recognition, as the two were honored with All-CIF awards.

BURBANK ? Ginny English isn't about to crunch the numbers. The Burbank High senior doesn't want to make a prediction or set a particular goal of which height she would like to reach in the girls' pole event at the CIF Southern Section Division II preliminaries. English and a group of Bulldogs, as well as athletes from Burroughs, will take part in the event today at Moorpark High. The athletes will be trying to qualify for the CIF Southern Section Finals May 20 at Cerritos College.

The Providence High boys' volleyball team did all it could to let Whitney High hang around in its CIF Southern Section Division V playoff match. The Pioneers came out a little shaky Wednesday in the second-round contest, and made their share of mistakes that allowed the Wildcats to stay in the match. However, Providence finally got its act together, overcoming its early woes, and was able to dispose of the visitors, 25-18, 19-25, 25-16, 25-17.

Cavan Ewing didn't know if he would be a contributor on a L.A. Loyola boys' track and field team that had a legitimate shot to win a CIF Southern Section championship. However, in the Division II final Saturday at Falcon Stadium at Cerritos College in Norwalk, the Burbank resident placed sixth in the triple jump with a 42-foot-8 effort, scoring a point for the Cubs. Loyola easily won the championship with 42 points, outdistancing Compton Dominguez, which finished with 34. "I'm proud to represent Loyola High School, and the city of Burbank, in the CIF finals" said Ewing, a senior.

BURBANK - Monique Landini was focused on one thing this season: Helping her Bellarmine-Jefferson High softball team capture the CIF Southern Section Division VI championship. The senior shortstop saw that wish come to fruition June 1 when the Guards defeated Mary Star of the Sea, 8-4, to secure the title at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine. Landini contributed mightily to the win, hitting two home runs - one a three-run shot - to power Bell-Jeff to the victory. With her focus on the ultimate team goal, Landini said she wasn't even thinking about individual accolades.

BURBANK - Daniel Jacobs cemented himself as one of the most successful players in Burroughs High boys' volleyball history. The recent graduate and accomplished outside hitter helped put the Indians on the CIF Southern Section map the last three years with his talent and spirited play. With impressive statistics and two co-Pacific League Player of the Year awards under belt, Jacobs can now walk away from his high school career with another bit of hardware after earning All-CIF Southern Section recognition.

IRVINE - Bellarmine-Jefferson High softball player Monique Landini had felt the sting of losing two straight CIF Southern championship games. She wasn't going to endure a third. The previous two years, the Guards advanced to the championship contest in Division VII, only to walk off the field at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine heartbroken after suffering one-run losses both years. Saturday brought new hope for Bell-Jeff, which was trying to break its losing string in another division - VI. Landini did her share to make that happen.

Most of the Bellarmine-Jefferson High softball players don't have fond memories of Deanna Manning Stadium. The previous two seasons, the venue in Irvine has been the stage of two disappointing losses for the Guards. In 2011, Bell-Jeff appeared in its first-ever softball championship game, only to lose to powerful Pomona Catholic, 7-6, in the Division VII final. It was another disappointing loss in 2012, as the Guards again fell short of a Division VII championship in a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Pomona Catholic again.

Monique Landini paced around the softball diamond clutching her right hand, wishing the pain would go away. Landini, a senior shortstop and four-year starter for Bellarmine-Jefferson High, suffered an injury to the ring finger of her throwing hand Tuesday in a CIF Southern Section Division VI semifinal game against host Santa Paula at Harding Park. Landini was taking infield practice in between innings and looking in another direction when a teammate rifled a ball her way. The ball struck her hard in the hand.

SANTA PAULA - Different division, same result. When the Bellarmine-Jefferson High softball team made the jump from CIF Southern Section Division VII to Division VI this season, some questioned whether the Guards would be able to compete on the higher level and maintain the level of success the program had enjoyed the previous two years in the playoffs. Bell-Jeff advanced to the Division VII championship the two previous seasons before being moved up. All those doubts were put to rest Tuesday, as the Guards punched their ticket to their third consecutive postseason title contest.

BURBANK - The Bellarmine-Jefferson High softball team moved through the first two rounds of the CIF Southern Section Division VI playoffs with relative ease. With wins against Frazier Mountain and Pasadena Poly, the Guards scored 18 combined runs and surrendered just one. But in a quarterfinal contest Thursday against Cantwell Sacred Heart, Bell-Jeff found itself in a close contest. Fortunately for the Guards, they were able to receive a clutch hit in the third inning by Sofia Palacios to lift them to a 3-1 victory at Gross Park.

There was some controversy involving one the local boys' tennis entries in Thursday's CIF Southern Section Individual Tournament at the University of Redlands. The No. 1 doubles team from Burroughs High, senior Michael Whelan and junior Calvin Fox, were supposed to arrive at the venue at 10 a.m. to begin their competition. But the duo was a no-show. Burroughs Coach Roy Bernhardt said the pair had to default after Whelan wasn't able to attend because of a function at the school.

Ben Allen couldn't catch a break early on while competing Monday in the CIF Southern Section Individual Championship at La Purisima Golf Course in Lompoc. The San Marino High boys' senior golfer found himself in immediate trouble, as he began his 18-hole round with a double-bogey. He later had a triple-bogey, putting him in a bigger jam. Allen eventually recovered, but his stellar season came up just short as he carded a seven-over-par 79. "It's tough right now," said Allen, who finished one stroke shy of qualifying for the Southern California Golf Assn.

A two-run lead was nice to have, but not comfortable enough for Katie Hooper and her teammates on the Burbank High softball team. Hooper made sure her team was comfortable in the final inning of Thursday's CIF Southern Section Division III first-round playoff game against El Rancho. PHOTOS: Burbank High softball advances in playoffs by beating El Rancho High The senior blasted a three-home home run over the left-field fence in the bottom of the sixth inning and sophomore pitcher Caitlyn Brooks shut down the Dons in the seventh inning with her 13th, 14th and 15th strikeouts, giving the Bulldogs a 7-2 victory at McCambridge Park.