Dons are playing regional game Monday

Santa Barbara drew a home game for the first round CIF Southern California Regional Boys Soccer Championships.

The Dons (19-6-3), runners-up in the Southern Section Division 1 final, will play Canoga Park of the L.A. City Section on Monday at 4 p.m. in the Division 2 Tournament.

The three eight-team divisions for the regionals are determined by school enrollment.
Carpinteria, runner-up in Division 5 of the Southern Section, is playing in Division 3 for the regional. The Warriors (20-4-3) travel to Mendota (26-1-1), the Central Valley Section Division 4 champion, on Tuesday.

Cate School, which won the Southern Section Division 7 title, declined to participate in the regionals because the school is on spring break.

Santa Barbara received the No. 3 seed in Division 2. The Dons advanced to the regional final last year and lost to Corona del Mar.

Santa Barbara will be facing a Canoga Park team that upset No. 2 seeded Birmingham in the first round of the L.A. City Section playoffs and then lost to Fremont in overtime.

Canoga Park (11-9-6) is a perennial power in the City Section. The Hunters won the City title in 2004.

Monday’s winner plays either Perris-Citrus Hill or No. 2 San Diego-University City in Wednesday’s semifinals.

Claremont is the top seed in Division 2.

Carpinteria will be playing the No. 2 team in Division 3. Mendota ended a three-year string of runner-up section finishes, beating McFarland for its first title last week.

Annenberg of the L.A. City Section is the top seed.

Carpinteria suffered a tough 1-0 loss to Baldwin Park in the Division 5 title match, with the winning goal coming in the 70th minute. It was the first section crown for Baldwin Park, which was placed in Division 1 for the regionals.

In his post-game talk, Carpinteria coach Daniel Torres told his players they’re making history by becoming the first Carpinteria team to play in the regionals.