AREA SOFTBALL: AND THERE WERE THREE LOCAL TEAMS TRYING TO SURVIVE, ADVANCE IN SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS.

Byline: Gerry Gittelson Staff Writer

Three local teams still alive in the Southern Section softball semifinals? Don't look now, but perhaps the Santa Clarita Valley is replacing south Orange County as the prep softball capital of the world.

Valencia (28-3) and Saugus (22-4) have advanced to the Div. I tournament, while surprising Santa Clarita Christian (14-10) - a team nobody expected to get past the first round - is still alive in Div. VII.

All of the area's baseball teams have been eliminated, but girl power reigns.

Valencia must defeat host Mater Dei (23-7) of Santa Ana at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday at Thorton Park in Santa Ana - the game was switched from Tuesday because of a schedule conflict with Valencia's graduation ceremony - and the second-seeded Vikings are a solid favorite after allowing only one run total in their past nine games.

Saugus and Santa Clarita Christian also play on the road. The Centurions face fourth-seeded Royal (27-2) in Simi Valley, while Santa Clarita Christian plays at top-seeded Cantwell Sacred-Heart (15-9) of Montebello.

For Valencia, the past four seasons have ended with disappointing playoff losses against opponents from the south - 3-1 to Rosary of Fullerton last year, 2-1 to Lakewood in 2003, 1-0 to Etiwanda in 2002 and 1-0 to Esperanza of Anaheim in 2001.

On Wednesday, it's Mater Dei standing in the way of Valencia's first appearance in a softball final. Valencia leadoff hitter Kristen Aidem didn't want to make any Joe Namath-style predictions, but the sophomore right fielder believes there's something different about the team this season.

``We are just so pumped up for this game,'' Aidem said. ``This is a totally different team, we're a lot younger than last year, and we've got a lot more heart than any Valencia team in the past.''

Saugus remains the Santa Clarita Valley's only team to win a Southern Section softball title - beating Woodbridge of Irvine 1-0 in the 1996 Div. II championship - and this year's team has enough firepower in its lineup to defeat anyone on any given day.

Most important, Saugus, which reached the quarterfinals last year, has more unity and team spirit this season, and those qualities can carry the Centurions to the top, according to slugger Tiffany Huff.

``I think the reason we're playing so well is because we're really playing as a team,'' said Huff, who's batting .482 with six home runs and 31 RBI. ``The whole team is together more than ever, not just a few people. We cheer each other on.''

The fact Santa Clarita Christian has survived this long is a shock. During the regular season, seven of the Cardinals' 10 losses were by 10 runs or more. Yet the team pulled together during the playoffs with one-run victories in its past two games.

``It's amazing. We're the talk of the school right now,'' said sore-armed pitcher Shayna Montgomery, who's hoping she's got a few good innings left in her right arm after pitching all but one game this season.

Prior to this season, Santa Clarita Christian had never won a softball playoff game.

``We've just kept focusing on the positive this year, and it's been a good experience,'' coach Darcy Brown said. ``This has been a huge turnaround for our team, and Shayna has pitched amazing. Her arm is hurting, but she doesn't want to get it checked out until after the season. I don't think she wants anyone to tell her she can't pitch anymore.''

Even if Santa Clarita Christian is a team of destiny, a road victory over high-powered Cantwell Sacred-Heart would be a minor miracle. Cantwell Sacred-Heart, which has played much stronger competition throughout the season, has won 11 in a row, outscoring opponents by an average of 14.1 runs over the past 10 games.

Gerry Gittelson, [phone]

gerry.gittelson(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Alyssa Ishibashi, left photo, and Breanne Javier (6), right, and the Valencia softball team plays Mater Dei of Santa Ana in the semifinals on Wednesday.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer