The Arlington High boys soccer program has been selected for the CIF Southern Section playoffs for the second consecutive season.
The Lions were the No. 1-seeded team last season and finished as the Open Division runners-up. This season, Arlington finished eighth in the final in-season rankings, which are being used for the first time to determine playoff division placement.
The first two rounds of the Open Division playoffs consists of two fixtures, with each team hosting a match and aggregate scoring determining who advances. Arlington hosts the opener against No. 1 JSerra on Thursday. The Lions head to JSerra for the second leg on Feb. 15.
Matches in Divisions 1-8 are single-elimination with first-round matches on Thursday.
Inland schools had 10 boys teams finish with rankings high enough to place them in the Division 1 bracket.
Ayala is seeded fifth in Division 1 and hosts Etiwanda in a first-round match Thursday.
Here are the other Division 1 openers involving area teams: Millikan at Chino Hills, Bonita at Vista Murrieta, Placentia Valencia at Upland, Fontana at Pasadena, Arroyo Valley at Redondo, Villa Park at Corona, and San Gorgonio at North Torrance.
Four other Inland boys soccer teams received a top-four seeding in their respective playoff divisions.
Norte Vista is the No. 2 seed in the Division 3 bracket and hosts Troy in a first-round match. Banning is seeded No. 4 in the Division 3 bracket and opens at home against Chino.
Ramona is the No. 1 seed in the Division 4 bracket and hosts Long Beach Poly.
Summit is the No. 3 seed in the Division 5 bracket and opens at home against Laguna Hills.
CIF SOUTEHRN SECTION BOYS SOCCER PLAYOFFS
OPEN DIVISION
First round, first leg (Thursday)
JSerra at Arlington
First round, second leg (Feb. 15)
Arlington at JSerra
(Divisions 1-8 are single-elimination with all first-round matches scheduled for Thursday.)
DIVISION 1
Millikan at Chino Hills
Bonita at Vista Murrieta
Etiwanda at Ayala
Placentia Valencia at Upland
Fontana at Pasadena
Arroyo Valley at Redondo
Villa Park at Corona
San Gorgonio at North Torrance
DIVISION 2
Patriot at Moorpark
Kaiser at South El Monte
Anaheim Canyon at Riverside Poly
Palmdale at Rancho Cucamonga
Harvard-Westlake at Great Oak
Valley View at Redlands East Valley
Rialto at Artesia
Cajon at Calabasas
Santiago at Norco
Jurupa Hills at Walnut
DIVISION 3
Beaumont at Rancho Mirage
Elsinore at Paramount
Chino at Banning
Perris at Saugus
San Jacinto at Katella
Moreno Valley at Montclair
Colony at Palmdale Aerospace Academy
Troy at Norte Vista
DIVISION 4
Long Beach Poly at Ramona
La Quinta at Indian Springs
West Valley at Lakeside
Garden Grove Pacifica at Temecula Valley
Dos Pueblos at Yucaipa
DIVISION 5
Orange Vista at Garey
Laguna Hills at Summit
Highland at Diamond Ranch
DIVISION 6
Linfield Christian at Pioneer
Liberty at Canoga Park AGBU
Western at Woodcrest Christian
Ontario Christian at Miller
California Military Institute at University Prep
Coast Union at Hillcrest
Hacienda Heights Wilson at North
Ganesha at Animo Leadership
DIVISION 7
San Jacinto Valley Academy at Rim of the World
Temecula Prep at Flintridge Prep
Village Christian at Nuview Bridge
St. Pail at Western Christian
Big Bear at Westminster La Quinta
DIVISION 8
Cornerstone Christian at Oakwood
Don Bosco Tech at Redlands Adventist Academy
Public Safety Academy at Environmental Charter
Loma Linda Academy at Rio Hondo Prep
La Sierra Academy at Magnolia Science
Compton Early College at Webb
Pilgrim at Santa Rosa Academy
Grove at Vasquez
