Valley Center tennis team heads to CIF final; San Pasqual falls short

Valley Center will compete for a state title on Saturday, while San Pasqual's season ended in the semifinals. The CIF San Diego Section concludes its team championships this weekend at three different venues. The final matches will determine the top ranks for the region's high school tennis programs.

In Division III, Valley Center, ranked sixth, faces Francis Parker, ranked eighth, for the championship. The match is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, October 31, at the Balboa Tennis Club. The Jaguars advanced to the final after winning three consecutive matches. They defeated University City in the opening round, beating them 79 to 73 in games after the set score tied at 9 to 9. Valley Center then won 16 to 2 against El Camino and 11 to 6 against Mira Mesa.

San Pasqual, the fifth seed, lost its semifinal match to Francis Parker on October 29. The score was 17 to 1. San Pasqual had earlier defeated Pacific Ridge, winning 77 to 75 in games after a 9 to 9 set tie. They also beat Mission Hills 12 to 6 in the quarterfinals. Mission Hills had previously beaten Horizon Prep 10 to 8. El Camino, from Oceanside, won two matches before losing to Valley Center. The Wildcats beat Chula Vista 18 to 0 and Valhalla 13 to 5.

In Division I, San Marcos came close to advancing further before losing in the quarterfinals. The Knights beat Steele Canyon 14 to 4 in the first round. They then faced Mt. Carmel, the fourth seed. The two teams tied 9 to 9 in sets. Mt. Carmel won 78 to 72 in games. Mt. Carmel will play La Jolla Country Day for the title on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Balboa. La Costa Canyon reached the quarterfinals but lost to Eastlake 11 to 7. Rancho Bernardo lost to La Jolla Country Day 78 to 67 in games after a 9 to 9 set tie.

In Division II, Classical Academy lost its opening match to Otay Ranch 12 to 6 on October 27. Fallbrook, the second seed, won two close matches before losing in the semifinals. The Warriors beat Canyon Hills 86 to 76 in games and Mission Bay 65 to 62. They lost to Mater Dei Catholic 10 to 8. Poway, the top seed, lost to Patrick Henry 11 to 7 in the semifinals. Patrick Henry and Mater Dei Catholic will play for the Division II title at 1 p.m. Saturday at Southwestern College.

The Open Division final takes place on Friday, October 30, at 6 p.m. at the Barnes Tennis Center. Canyon Crest Academy, the top seed, plays Westview, the second seed. Canyon Crest won its first two matches, beating Our Lady of Peace 12 to 6 and Del Norte 17 to 1. Westview defeated La Jolla 15 to 3. Westview also advanced past Cathedral Catholic after a 9 to 9 set tie, winning 73 to 71 in games.