The Sports Informant

Two rounds down and six teams remain in the 2010 CIF State Girls Basketball Championships Presented by Farmers. With better-seeded teams hosting first, second and third-round games, a few local teams had to travel for matchups, while others hosted. All encountered tough battles along the way, and while many local teams went home after a fantastic season, some are still alive for that coveted state championship.

Division I

Section champion Oak Ridge and runner-up Kennedy High may get a chance to meet again this season. After victories, both advanced to the NorCal Regional semifinals, and if they win again, they’ll meet in the finals for a chance to advance to the state championship.

Oak Ridge earned a first-round bye with its No. 2 seed, and on March 11, the Trojans took care of business against visiting Oakland Tech in El Dorado Hills, 76-46.

Kennedy, meanwhile, is the No. 4 seed, but was forced to host a first-round game. There the squad took care of business against a visiting Skyline on March 9, 59-29. In Round 2, Kennedy did much of the same, hosting a visiting Lowell, winning, 54-39.

Oak Ridge now faces Deer Valley on March 13 in El Dorado Hills, while Kennedy travels to face Berkeley the same night.

Other section teams in the bracket had a harder time. McClatchy beat Heritage in Round 1 on March 9, 64-38, but fell short to Berkeley on March 11, 69-56. Franklin, meanwhile, lost to Deer Valley on March 9, 87-26.

Division II

No section teams made it past the second round in Division II. Champ Vallejo earned a first-round bye with its No. 4 seed, but on March 11 fell short to a visiting Northgate, 68-52. Runner-up St. Francis meanwhile won its first round game on March 9 over Montgomery in Sacramento, 62-31, but couldn’t overcome No. 2 seeded Carondelet on March 11 away, losing, 74-43.

Bella Vista won its first-round game at Dublin, 52-49, on March 9, but on March 11 fell short to Archbishop Mitty, 78-51. Woodcreek won its first-round game at Chico on March 9, 56-51, but couldn’t win at No. 3 seeded Presentation on March 11, losing, 65-42.

Division III

No. 1 seeded St. Mary’s continued its fantastic season by easily advancing to the NorCal Regional semifinals with a first-round bye and a second round victory over visiting Miramonte on March 11, 75-53. The Sac-Joaquin Section champ will now host a visiting Valley Christian on March 13 at Lincoln High School in Stockton.

No. 2 seeded Sacramento followed suit, riding a first-round bye into its second-round matchup with St. Ignatius on March 11. Sacramento won, 45-41, earning a trip to the semifinals, where it will face No. 3 seeded Bishop O’Dowd at 6 p.m. on March 13.

Vanden, meanwhile, hosted a first-round matchup with Paradise and emerged victorious on March 9, 74-56, but fell short to Bishop O’Dowd on March 11, 70-53. Del Oro traveled to and beat Daugherty Valley on March 9, 52-46, but couldn’t beat Valley Christian on March 11, 68-63.

Division IV

Section champ Modesto Christian is still alive in the bracket, earning a first-round bye with its No. 2 seed and winning its second-round matchup with Justin Siena on March 11, 57-47. It will now host McKinleyville on March 13 in the NorCal Regional semifinals.

Runner-up Argonaut, meanwhile, earned a No. 4 seed and a first-round bye, but fell short to a visiting Piedmont on March 11, 46-26.

Christian Brothers traveled to face Mercy on March 9, but lost, 66-59, while Colfax won its first-round game at Central Valley on March 9, 57-46, but couldn’t overcome McKinleyville on March 11, losing, 57-30.

Division V

Section champ Bradshaw Christian earned a No. 2 seed and a first-round bye, and with a 62-28 win over visiting University San Francisco on March 11 in the second round, advanced to the NorCal Regional semifinals, where it will face Head Royce on March 13 at home.

Runner-up Turlock Christian lost its first-round game, hosting a visiting St. Joseph Notre Dame on March 9 and losing, 74-36. Ripon Christian lost its first-round game at Head Royce, 59-36, while Sacramento Waldorf lost its first-round game at Durham, 52-27.