NEWS AND NOTES FROM PRESS ROW: Winter season winding down with several playoff positioning games ahead

January 29, 2026

By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X

The winter season for basketball and soccer ends on Tuesday with a potential 605 League third place tiebreaker game in boys basketball scheduled for Wednesday. After this past Wednesday’s action, only two area boys basketball teams, four area girls basketball teams, three area boys soccer teams and two area girls soccer teams have been officially eliminated from playoff contention.

The CIF-Southern Section released its boys and girls wrestling playoff brackets on Jan. 29 and will release the playoff brackets to girls water polo on Friday with the release date for boys and girls basketball and boys and girls soccer slated for Feb. 7. Here’s a look at what’s on tap for the next week.

BOYS BASKETBALL

The 605 League title was on the line this past Wednesday when Cerritos High hosted Pioneer High and the Dons came up short in a 51-41 contest. Cerritos (15-11, 7-1) will visit Artesia High on Friday and end the regular season against Oxford Academy. Pioneer is also 7-1 in league action and faces Oxford Academy on Friday before going to Whitney High on Tuesday.

Artesia kept its slim playoff hopes alive with a 63-53 win over Whitney this past Tuesday, improving to 10-16 overall and 3-5 in the 605 League. The Pioneers will host last place John Glenn High (6-17, 0-8) on Tuesday while the Wildcats (9-17, 3-5) travel to Glenn on Friday before hosting Pioneer on Tuesday.

It’s possible that Artesia, Oxford Academy and Whitney could all finish at 4-6, thus forcing a coin flip to see which two teams will play the tiebreaker game on Wednesday. Oxford Academy will face Pioneer on Friday.

La Mirada High’s 81-65 win over Mayfair High enabled the Matadores to clinch the Gateway League. The Matadores improved to 21-6, 7-0 will host Gahr High on Tuesday.

Gahr defeated Dominguez High 43-36 on the road this past Wednesday to see its record go to 17-8, 3-3 as the Gladiators will entertain Bellflower High on Friday. A Gahr win on Friday will lock up third place in the league.

In the Mid-Cities League, Norwalk High defeated Lynwood High 42-33 this past Wednesday to move its record to 14-11, 4-4. The Lancers will host league-leading Warren High on Friday and Paramount High on Wednesday in what could decide third place. Norwalk has assured itself of a winning record and could be eligible as an at-large representative.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Cerritos knocked off Pioneer 68-44 this past Wednesday, clinching at least a share of the 605 League title for the fourth time in the eight years of the league. The Dons improved to 15-11, 8-0. Norwalk locked itself into at least second place with a 56-37 win over Bellflower this past Wednesday, improving to 14-7, 7-1. The Lancers will host Warren on Friday in a game that will decide the league title. The Bears have not lost a league game yet. Norwalk will then entertain Mayfair on Tuesday.

Valley Christian High was on the short end of a 39-36 affair with Village Christian High this past Tuesday, falling to 14-8 overall, 3-3 in the Olympic League. The Defenders welcome second place Heritage Christian High on Friday and fourth place Whittier Christian High on Tuesday.

BOYS SOCCER

With two games left in the regular season, there is a battle for the top spot in the 605 League. Cerritos, which has not won a league title since the 1999-2000 season, has won seven straight games, all in shutout fashion, and is 11-4-2, 7-1-0. The Dons will visit third place Artesia (9-12-1, 5-2-1) before hosting Oxford Academy while Artesia ends the regular season at second place Glenn (8-6-4, 6-1-1). The Eagles are home to Whitney on Friday.

Norwalk 1-1 draw against Bellflower this past Tuesday left the Lancers (8-5-2, 6-1-1) tied with the Buccaneers for first place in the Mid-Cities League. Norwalk hosted Mayfair on Jan. 29 and will entertain Dominguez on Tuesday.

First place in the Olympic League will be on the line when V.C. (12-3-1, 5-1-0) travels to Whittier Christian (6-0-0 in league) on Tuesday. On Friday, the Defenders go to last place Heritage Christian High.

GIRLS SOCCER

Artesia’s game at Cerritos on Friday will be for the 605 League title as the Pioneers, who edged the Dons 2-1 on Jan. 14, are 14-1-4, 6-0-0 and have not lost since a 2-1 defeat to Century High on Dec. 4. Cerritos began the week at 8-9-1, 5-1-0.

La Mirada is currently in third place in the Gateway League at 5-8-4, 2-4-1 and will host first place Downey on Tuesday.

Gahr tied Firebaugh High 1-1 this past Tuesday to go to 5-12-1, 4-3-1 in the Mid-Cities League, good for third place as it went to Dominguez on Jan. 29 and will host Bellflower on Tuesday.

Just like the boys, V.C. will be squaring off against Whittier Christian for third place in the Olympic League. The Defenders, who blanked Village Christian 4-0 this past Tuesday, improved to 16-3-3, 5-0-1 while the Heralds are 4-1-1 in league action. Those two teams played to a scoreless tie on Jan. 13.

BOYS AND GIRLS DUAL MEET WRESTLING

La Mirada is the top-seeded team in Division 4 for boys wrestling and will face Santa Ana High on Saturday in the first round of the playoffs. The Matadores won the Gateway League. Also in the division, Mid-Cities League at-large representative Norwalk will square off against Downey while Cerritos, the champions of the 605 League, meet South Hills High in the first round.

The Norwalk girls are the second-seeded team in Division 2 and drew Paloma Valley High in the first round while in Division 4, Gahr faces Garey High, also in the first round.