After going unbeaten in the Channel League and winning the league’s post-season tournament, the Santa Barbara High boys water polo team received a challenging draw in the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs on Saturday.
The Dons (25-6) will face Servite (18-8), the No. 4 team from the rugged Trinity League, for a first-round game at home on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Servite finished fourth in its league behind Open Division playoff teams JSerra and Mater Dei and Division 1 third-seed Orange Lutheran.
The winner of the first-round game could face top-seeded Laguna Beach in the quarterfinal round of the 16-team bracket on Saturday.
Santa Barbara advanced to the Division 1 semifinals last season.
“There is no good draw in D1,” said Santa Barbara coach Mark Walsh. “Everyone is very good. I consider us being ranked in the top 10 in D1 a huge accomplishment.
“We feel very fortunate to have a home game. We are excited for the opportunity to compete against a team as good as Servite.”
Three local teams received berths in the 31-team Division 2 playoff bracket and begin competition on Tuesday.
San Marcos (17-9) was seeded fourth and will play at Camarillo (15-7), the Coastal Canyon League champion. The Royals are traveling because they finished third in the Channel League.
Dos Pueblos, (19-9), the No. 4 team from the Channel League, is on the road to Troy (23-4, Freeway League No. 1) for a first-round game. Carpinteria, the Citrus Coast League champion, got a home game against Newbury Park (14-9), the No. 3 team from the Marmonte League. The game begins at 4 p.m. at the Carpinteria Community Pool.
Carpinteria won the Division 5 title last year.
The second-round games are slated for Thursday.
Cate is entered in the Division 4 playoffs after finishing third in the Tri-Valley League. The Rams (10-7) open Tuesday at Cerritos (2-14). The two wins came in the five-team 605 League, which was good enough for second place.