Santa Barbara High’s boys soccer team and Dos Pueblos’ girls water polo team had little trouble holding on to their respective No. 1 CIF rankings, which were released on Monday.
After two weeks of inaction, the Dons got back to action with two Channel League wins by a combined 6-1 score. Santa Barbara, unbeaten on the season at 21-0-1, is ranked No. 3 in the country by the NCSAA.
Dos Pueblos water polo is also undefeated on the season at 20-0, as the defending CIF champions haven’t lost since an 8-7 setback to Corona del Mar in the final of last year’s SoCal Challenge, which is where the Chargers will be this weekend. First, DP travels to crosstown rival and No. 6-ranked Santa Barbara for a Channel League game on Tuesday.
BOYS BASKETBALL *** GIRLS BASKETBALL *** GIRLS WATER POLO
BOYS SOCCER *** GIRLS SOCCER
Dos Pueblos’ boys basketball team found its way into the Div. II-A rankings at No. 16 after a big 51-45 Channel League defeat of Ventura on Friday night. The Chargers got a boost from the return of 6-foot-9 center Malik Heptot, who had sat out the entire season recovering from a fractured foot.
Channel League rival San Marcos, which is tied with Ventura for the league lead, is No. 12 in Div. III-A. Bishop Diego is the only other area boys basketball team ranked at No. 12 in Div. IV-A.
Santa Barbara’s girls basketball team, holder of a three-game win streak, is No. 7 in Div. III-A. Bishop Diego and Laguna Blanca are also in the polls, with the Cardinals holding the No. 9 spot in Div. V-A and the Owls the No. 14 spot in Div. VI-AA.
In girls soccer, Laguna Blanca made the polls at No. 9 in Div. VII.
In boys soccer, Carpinteria, which tied Santa Barbara in a preseason scrimmage, fell out of the Div. IV polls after a 2-1 week that included a 2-0 loss to Tri-Valley League-leading Oaks Christian.
