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Ray, Anning power San Carlos in win
- Updated: July 13, 2026
2026 LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL – 10-12 Sectionals
San Carlos holds off Del Mar is Section 6 opener
By Ramon Scott
EastCountySports.com
CLAIREMONT — San Carlos Little League used two mighty swings to build a six-run lead, then survived a five-run Del Mar comeback for a dramatic 6-5 victory Sunday in the opening round of the Section 6 Little League Baseball Tournament at Cadman Park.
District 33 champion San Carlos broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth inning when Aiden Ray launched a grand slam for a 4-0 lead.
Ray, known as “A-Ray” and established as a member of San Carlos’ “Bomb Squad” during its District 33 championship run, was looking for a fastball early in the at-bat.
“I was trying to get a fastball early in the count,” Ray said. “First pitch curveball, I let it go. So then the next pitch was a fastball, and I crushed it over the fence.”
San Carlos went deep again in the top of the fifth.
Derek Anning drove a two-run home run over the left-center-field fence, extending the advantage to 6-0.
Anning entered section play following an outstanding District 33 Tournament both on the mound and at the plate.
Anning struck out 24 batters and allowed only two hits over two pitching appearances during the district tournament.
He also delivered a bases-loaded, two-out walk-off hit against rival Allied Gardens in his final game on the San Carlos home field, helping the league complete its third consecutive District 33 championship season.
A six-run cushion proved to be just enough against Del Mar.
The District 31 champions scored five unanswered runs to get back in the game late. Del Mar entered the latter stages with the momentum and continued closing the gap.
Luca Mohsenian made it a one-run game in the bottom of the sixth when he launched a two-run home run toward the buildings beyond the left-center-field fence, trimming San Carlos’ lead to 6-5.
Del Mar brought the potential tying run to the plate, but San Carlos pitcher Drake Meka responded with the game-ending strikeout to preserve the victory.
San Carlos advanced to Monday’s winners-bracket game against Scripps Ranch, but District 32’s champion turned in the stronger performance and defeated San Carlos, 5-1.
Scripps Ranch improved to 2-0 and moved within one victory of the Section 6 championship. San Carlos dropped into the elimination side of the bracket and will play Wednesday against the winner of Tuesday’s Del Mar-Rancho Buena Vista game.
Scripps Ranch takes control of Section 6 bracket
Scripps Ranch opened section play Sunday with a 5-0 shutout of Rancho Buena Vista before following with Monday’s 5-1 victory over San Carlos.
Against Rancho Buena Vista, Teddy Hanvey helped Scripps Ranch score the game’s first run with a ground ball to second base. Rancho Buena Vista attempted to turn a double play, but Hanvey beat the throw to first, allowing a runner to score for a 1-0 lead.
Luke Koba later drove in two runs with a double as Scripps Ranch added to its advantage. Its pitching and defense handled the rest, completing the shutout and advancing to the winners-bracket meeting with San Carlos.
With consecutive victories over the District 70 and District 33 champions, Scripps Ranch now owns the shortest route to the sectional title. It will await the survivor of the elimination bracket in Thursday’s championship round.
Del Mar and Rancho Buena Vista meet Tuesday at 5 p.m. in an elimination game. The winner advances to face San Carlos on Wednesday, also at 5 p.m. The winner of Wednesday’s game must then defeat Scripps Ranch on Thursday and again Friday in an if-necessary championship game.
Section 6 schedule
Sunday, July 12
Scripps Ranch 5, Rancho Buena Vista 0
San Carlos 6, Del Mar 5
Monday, July 13
Scripps Ranch 5, San Carlos 1
Tuesday, July 14
Rancho Buena Vista 5, Del Mar 3 — (DMLL eliminated)
Wednesday, July 15
San Carlos vs. Rancho Buena Vista, 5 p.m. — elimination
Thursday, July 16
Scripps Ranch vs. Wednesday’s winner, 5 p.m. — championship
Friday, July 17
If-necessary championship game, 5 p.m.
Imperial eliminates Fletcher Hills in Section 7 upset
EastCountySports.com staff report
SPRING VALLEY — District 22 champion Imperial produced one of the biggest early surprises of the Section 7 Little League Tournament, erasing a three-run deficit to eliminate District 41 champion Fletcher Hills, 4-3, at Sweetwater Lane County Park.
Fletcher Hills entered the sectional tournament after an impressive run through the District 41 championship bracket and appeared poised to extend its season with another strong start.
The Hillers struck first when Alex Guardardo scored on a passed ball in the opening inning. Fletcher Hills added two more runs in the second, with Bode Smith delivering an RBI that brought home Nixon Lacy for a 3-0 advantage.
The District 22 champions gradually worked their way back before turning the game on one alert baserunning sequence.
A throw to second base skipped into the outfield, and Liam Sanchez and Nico Regosa immediately recognized the opportunity, racing home with two runs that swung the momentum and ultimately proved to be the difference.
Imperial protected the one-run lead the rest of the way, completing the comeback to keep its postseason alive while bringing Fletcher Hills’ season to an end.
The victory was particularly impressive considering Imperial opened the tournament with a 3-1 loss to Encanto and entered the elimination bracket needing to win out to stay alive.
For Fletcher Hills, the loss closed the curtain on a season that included a District 41 championship.
After dropping its tournament opener to Sweetwater Valley, 10-0, in four innings, the Hillers were unable to recover despite building an early lead against Imperial.
Sweetwater Valley meets Encanto in the winners-bracket game, while Imperial advances to face the loser in Wednesday’s elimination contest. The winner of that game will earn a berth in Thursday’s Section 7 championship.
Section 7 schedule
Saturday, July 11
Sweetwater Valley 10, Fletcher Hills 0 (4 innings)
Encanto 3, Imperial 1
Monday, July 13
Imperial 4, Fletcher Hills 3 — Fletcher Hills eliminated
Tuesday, July 14
Sweetwater Valley 10. Encanto 0 (4 innings)
Wednesday, July 15
Imperial vs. Encanto — elimination
Thursday, July 16
Sweetwater Valley winner vs. Wednesday’s winner — championship
Friday, July 17
If necessary
Section 7 Tournament
Host: Spring Valley Little League, District 66
Site: Sweetwater Lane County Park
District champions
D22 — Imperial
D41 — Fletcher Hills
D42 — Sweetwater Valley
D66 — Encanto
Section 6 Tournament
Host: Clairemont Hilltoppers Little League, District 32
Site: Cadman Park, San Diego
District champions
D31 — Del Mar
D32 — Scripps Ranch
D33 — San Carlos
D70 — Rancho Buena Vista
District 41 champ Fletcher Hills ready for Section 7 tourney
EastCountySports.com staff report
Fletcher Hills already won District 41. Now the Hillers know the heavyweight waiting in the Section 7 opener.
Sweetwater Valley captured the District 42 Little League Division championship Monday night with a 6-0 win over Park View at Park View Little League, one night after Park View forced the if-necessary game with a 7-6, extra-inning walk-off victory.
That sends Sweetwater Valley into Friday’s Section 7 opener against Fletcher Hills, the East County champion and No. 2 team in the EastCountySports.com Section 6/7 12U Major All-Star power rankings.
It is the heavyweight side of the local section bracket.
District 42 has long been the measuring stick in San Diego-area Little League, and its modern Williamsport pedigree runs through three South Bay powers: Park View, the 2009 Little League World Series champion and a 2016 returnee; Eastlake, the 2013 U.S. runner-up; and Sweetwater Valley, which reached South Williamsport in 2015. That gives District 42 three leagues and four Williamsport appearances in its modern run.
Sweetwater Valley now carries that standard into Section 7.
Fletcher Hills, meanwhile, gave District 41 its expected champion after controlling the D41 championship bracket and beating Lakeside National for the title.
Sweetwater Valley had to answer after Park View’s dramatic Sunday win, and it did so with a shutout. Park View forced the winner-take-all game with a 7-6 walk-off victory in extra innings, but Sweetwater Valley responded Monday by scoring first on a home run and finishing off a 6-0 championship win over PVLL.
The result keeps Sweetwater Valley at No. 1 and sends the Bonita league directly into a marquee Section 7 opener against Fletcher Hills.
Sweetwater Valley has one of the most notable individual players in the region in Noah Kirk, a 12U standout who has emerged as one of the biggest San Diego-area Little League names since the Park View group led by Luke Ramirez years ago. Kirk gives Sweetwater Valley the kind of impact player who can shape a district, section or state tournament.
Fletcher Hills checks in at No. 2 as the highest-ranked East County team and the top club outside District 42.
The Hillers were the tournament favorite in D41 and played like it, beating Santee National, Rancho de Oro and Lakeside National in the championship bracket.
Fletcher Hills allowed just seven runs in three championship-bracket games and will enter Section 7 with a chance to make an immediate statement.
Park View is third despite its elimination from the postseason.
San Carlos is fourth after a dominant District 33 title run. The D33 champion separated from the field late, beating Mission Trails twice by a combined 24-1 in the final stages. That makes San Carlos the top-ranked Section 6 qualifier entering next week’s bracket.
Scripps Ranch rounds out the top five after winning District 32 with a 7-2 championship-game victory over Point Loma. That result carries extra value because Point Loma had been one of the teams mentioned in pre-tournament rankings. Scripps Ranch now opens Section 6 against Rancho Buena Vista and gives that side of the bracket another proven district champion behind San Carlos.
Del Mar, Rancho Buena Vista, Eastlake, Lakeside National and Encanto complete the Top 10.
This is not strictly a list of teams still alive. It is a power ranking of the strongest 12U Major All-Star teams in the Section 6 and Section 7 footprint, using district results, district strength, league history, available scoring margins and section-title outlook. That is why Eastlake, Lakeside National and Point Loma remain in the Top 15 despite not winning their districts.
Lakeside National earned its spot by coming through the elimination bracket in D41 and reaching the championship game against Fletcher Hills.
Encanto, the District 66 champion for the second-straight year, takes the final Top 10 spot after winning its district at Spring Valley Little League, including multiple wins over Valley de Oro.
Point Loma, Imperial, Valley de Oro, Mission Trails and Allied Gardens round out the Top 15. Point Loma remains one of the strongest non-qualifiers in the region after reaching the District 32 championship game. Imperial is the District 22 champion, Valley de Oro reached the District 66 final, and Mission Trails and Allied Gardens both made deep District 33 runs before San Carlos separated from the field.
The rankings could shift quickly once District 42 is completed. If Sweetwater Valley wins Sunday, it validates the No. 1 spot and moves into Section 7 as the favorite. If Park View wins Sunday and Monday, Park View likely takes over the top line.
For now, the road still runs through Sweetwater Valley — with Fletcher Hills waiting next.
East County’s World Series appearances
Maybe ironically, Fletcher Hills LL, previously known as El Cajon Northern LL, is the only East County team ever to win the Little League World Series championship, having done so in 1961.
East County’s Williamsport history stretches beyond the 1961 world title.
In 1957, Northern La Mesa Little League reached the Little League World Series championship game and finished as the world runner-up, helping establish San Diego’s East County as an early Little League hotbed.
Two decades later, El Cajon Western Little League carried that legacy back to South Williamsport in 1977, winning the United States championship before falling to Taiwan in the world final.
ECS Section 6/7 12U Preview
1. Sweetwater Valley
Still the standard in the Section 6/7 footprint. Sweetwater Valley has the strongest combination of district pedigree, regional reputation, recent history and high-end talent. Noah Kirk gives SVLL a headline player, and the Bonita league remained No. 1 despite Park View forcing a deciding game.
2. Fletcher Hills
The District 41 champion is the top East County team and the highest-ranked club outside District 42. Fletcher Hills controlled the D41 championship bracket and now gets the ultimate opener in Section 7 against the D42 champion.
3. Park View
Park View defeated SVLL to force a deciding game. The strong entrant from one of the country’s top districts is likely better than many of the other district champions in the county.
4. San Carlos
The District 33 champion had one of the cleanest title runs in the region. San Carlos beat Mission Trails twice by a combined 24-1 in the late stages and enters Section 6 as the top team in that bracket.
5. Scripps Ranch
Scripps Ranch won District 32 with a 7-2 championship-game victory over Point Loma, one of the teams that had drawn outside poll recognition before the tournament. That result gives Scripps Ranch a deserved top-five slot and makes its Section 6 opener against Rancho Buena Vista one of the more interesting early games.
6. Rancho Buena Vista
The District 70 champion opens Section 6 against Scripps Ranch. RBV starts sixth, but a win over the District 32 champion would move it into the upper half of the rankings.
7. Del Mar
The District 31 champion sits just outside the top five. Del Mar has a chance to climb immediately with a Section 6 opener against San Carlos.
8. Eastlake
Eastlake is out, but District 42 depth keeps it in the Top 10. On pure strength, Eastlake is still likely better than several section qualifiers, and its 2013 Williamsport run remains part of D42’s modern résumé.
9. Lakeside National
The District 41 runner-up gives East County a second Top 10 team. Lakeside National battled through the elimination bracket and reached the D41 championship game before falling to Fletcher Hills.
10. Encanto
The District 66 champion won the games it needed to win and deserves Top 10 recognition. Encanto opens Section 7 against Imperial.
11. Point Loma
First team outside the Top 10. Point Loma had outside poll recognition and reached the District 32 championship game before falling to Scripps Ranch, 7-2. That keeps Point Loma in the broader Section 6/7 power conversation even though it did not advance.
12. Imperial
The District 22 champion belongs in the full Section 6/7 rankings. Imperial can move into the Top 10 with a win over Encanto.
13. Valley de Oro
The District 66 runner-up reached the championship round and remains one of the better teams in the D66 field.
14. Mission Trails
Mission Trails reached the final stage in District 33 before running into San Carlos again.
15. Allied Gardens
Allied Gardens earned the final spot after a strong District 33 run that included a late one-run loss to Mission Trails.
