East County Sports

Ray, Anning power San Carlos in win

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 over their final two at-bats. 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 vs. Del Mar, 5 p.m. — elimination

Wednesday, July 15

San Carlos vs. Rancho Buena Vista-Del Mar winner, 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

SPRING VALLEY — District 22 champion Imperial produced one of the early surprises of the local sectional tournaments, eliminating District 41 champion Fletcher Hills with a 4-3 victory at Sweetwater Lane County Park.

Fletcher Hills entered Section 7 after controlling the District 41 championship bracket, but its sectional stay lasted only two games.

Sweetwater Valley defeated Fletcher Hills, 10-0, in four innings in Friday’s opening round. Imperial then ended the Hillers’ postseason with Monday’s one-run elimination-game victory.

The result represented a significant upset after Fletcher Hills entered the tournament as one of the more highly regarded East County clubs and Imperial had lost its opener to Encanto, 3-1.

Fletcher Hills finished the Section 7 Tournament 0-2, leaving Sweetwater Valley as the remaining team in the bracket with direct ties to the East County coverage area.

Sweetwater Valley and Encanto meet Tuesday in the winners-bracket game. Imperial will face the loser Wednesday in an elimination contest, while the winner advances directly to Thursday’s championship round.

Section 7 schedule

Saturday, July 11

Sweetwater Valley 10, Fletcher Hills 0
Encanto 3, Imperial 1

Monday, July 13

Imperial 4, Fletcher Hills 3 — Fletcher Hills eliminated

Tuesday, July 14

Sweetwater Valley vs. Encanto

Wednesday, July 15

Imperial vs. Sweetwater Valley-Encanto loser — elimination

Thursday, July 16

Sweetwater Valley-Encanto 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

Schedule

Friday, July 11
Game 1 — Sweetwater Valley 10, Fletcher Hills 0
Game 2 — Encanto 3, Imperial 1

Sunday, July 13
Game 3 — Imperial 4, Fletcher Hills 3 (FHLL eliminated)

Monday, July 14
Game 4 — Sweetwater Valley vs. Encanto

Tuesday, July 15
Game 5 — Loser Game 4 vs. Imperial, elimination

Wednesday, July 16
Game 6 — Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, championship

Thursday, July 17
Game 7 — If necessary


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

Schedule

Sunday, July 12

Game 1 — Scripps Ranch 5, Rancho Buena Vista 0
Game 2 — San Carlos 6, Del Mar 5

Monday, July 13
Game 3 — Scripps Ranch 5, San Carlos 1

Tuesday, July 15
Game 4 — Rancho Buena Vista vs. Del Mar, elimination

Wednesday, July 16
Game 5 — San Carlos vs. Winner Game 4, elimination

Wednesday, July 16
Game 6 — Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, championship

Thursday, July 17
Game 7 — If necessary


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.

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