Santa Barbara High, Dos Pueblos and Cate drew home games for the first round of the CIF boys soccer playoffs on Thursday.
In the girls soccer playoffs, Santa Barbara and Bishop Diego play first-round matches on the road on Friday. San Marcos received an at-large berth and plays a wild-card game on Wednesday at West Ranch.
The Channel League-champion Santa Barbara boys (18-5-1) play host to Newport Harbor (8-8-4), the No. 3 team from the Sunset League, in a Division 1 opener. Surprisingly, it will be the Dons’ first match against an opponent from Orange County this season.
Also in Division 1, Dos Pueblos (15-3-3) takes on Chino Hills (5-9-4), the No. 3 team from the Sierra League. The Chargers are unbeaten in their last eight matches.
Cate, which had been ranked fourth in the Division 6 poll over the last few weeks, dropped to fifth in the final rankings. The Rams (9-2-4), champions of the Condor League, will host Orcutt Academy (10-8-1) in a Thursday first-round match.
Bishop Diego (7-7-3) received a wild-card playoff berth in Division 7 and will play host to Mary Star (10-5-3) on Tuesday. The winner plays at Milken Community in the first round on Thursday.
Santa Barbara High’s girls, which finished Channel League play with two wins and a tie against league champion Buena, travels to Valencia (18-3-2), the No. 2 team from the tough Foothill League.
Bishop Diego which enjoyed one of its best seasons with a 12-5-3 mark, makes the journey to Lynwood to face Firebaugh, (11-7-4), the champion of the Harbor League.
