As one of the top teams in CIF’s Division II, the Santa Barbara girls tennis team was rewarded in a playoff draw that won’t have the Dons facing a league champion until the semifinals.
Santa Barbara, once again the top team from the Channel League, opens up its title-push in Thursday’s first round with a home match against a wild-card winner.
San Marcos, second to Santa Barbara in league and holder of a 10-4 overall record, will take on the Pacific League’s Arcadia, the division’s No. 8 team. If the Royals win, they will have to face another league champion in the second round, No. 9 Newport Harbor.
The Channel League’s third-place team, Dos Pueblos, must travel to Santa Monica to face the No. 4-ranked Vikings.
Condor League-champion Cate earned a home match on Thursday and will face the winner of a wild-card match between Santa Ynez and Knight.
All matches on Thursday begin at 2 p.m.
Laguna Blanca, the No. 2 team from the Condor League, defeated Lancaster on Tuesday in a wild-card match to advance to play Rio Mesa, the Pacific View League champ.
