Eastvale, Sweetwater lead loaded SoCal

2026 LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL

Sweetwater Valley, Scripps Ranch carry San Diego County’s hopes into 10-team SoCal tournament filled with powerful lineups, dominant pitching, legitimate Williamsport contenders

By Ramon Scott
East County Sports

ALISO VIEJO — Ten section champions, two San Diego County contenders and a collection of Southern California’s most highly regarded 12-, 11-, and 10-year-old players will assemble Saturday at Woodfield Park for one of the deepest Southern California Little League tournaments in recent memory.

Eastvale enters as the narrow favorite after one of the most overwhelming district and sectional runs imaginable.

District 42 powerhouse Sweetwater Valley, however, may have done more than any team to improve its standing during sectionals, winning three consecutive games by the run rule behind two-way standouts Noah Kirk and Isaac Ramirez.

Encino brings a lineup filled with established power hitters. Glendora American survived the elimination bracket and arrives with a deep offensive résumé.

Defending Southern California champion Golden Hill is back after winning four consecutive elimination games, while unbeaten Goleta Valley South, Scripps Ranch and Rolling Hills have demonstrated the pitching necessary to survive a double-elimination tournament.

Vineyard scored more sectional runs than any unbeaten qualifier, and Ladera Ranch National combined on a no-hitter before surviving a tense championship game.

There may not be an easy assignment anywhere in the bracket.

The tournament begins Saturday with games at Woodfield Park in Aliso Viejo.

The championship series will move to Little League Baseball’s Western Region Headquarters and Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Sunday, Aug. 2.

The Southern California champion will then return to San Bernardino for the Western Region tournament and an opportunity to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

ECS RANKINGS: THE 10 TOURNAMENT QUALIFIERS

These rankings evaluate the 10 teams that qualified for the Southern California tournament. They are not intended as a definitive ranking of every Southern California team that participated in district and sectional competition.

1. EASTVALE

District 72 · Section 9 champion

Eastvale’s postseason numbers border on the unbelievable.

The District 72 champions outscored their district opponents 81-0, then swept three sectional games by a combined 18-1. That produces a cumulative 99-1 scoring advantage entering the Southern California tournament.

The quality of competition will increase dramatically in Aliso Viejo, but Eastvale possesses more than inflated team totals. It features two of the tournament’s premier players in Thomas Coleman and Joel Ibarra, along with a deep collection of power hitters and pitchers.

Coleman and Jake Daly each hit five home runs during district play, while Dylan Tondre and Ibarra added three apiece; Easton Poe and Levi Cortez also homered.

Coleman and Tondre contribute on the mound as part of a pitching group that includes Jacob Ornelas, Poe, Cortez and Colgan Ackles.

Eastvale defeated Temecula 6-1 and Orangecrest 7-0 before shutting out Temecula 5-0 in the Section 9 championship game. It opens the state tournament against Scripps Ranch, meaning the tournament favorite will be tested immediately.

Players to watch: Thomas Coleman, Joel Ibarra, Jake Daly, Dylan Tondre, Easton Poe, Levi Cortez, Coglan Ackles.

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2. SWEETWATER VALLEY

District 42 · Section 7 champion

No team was more impressive during sectional play than Sweetwater Valley.

The three-time defending Section 7 champions defeated Fletcher Hills 10-0, Encanto 10-0 and Imperial 11-1, ending all three games by the run rule. They outscored three district champions 31-1.

Kirk, one of the most highly regarded youth players in the region, has matched his reputation with extraordinary postseason production. He hit two home runs and drove in five runs in the championship victory over Imperial.

Ramirez added a home run and three RBIs before striking out eight over four innings.

Kirk, the nephew of Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk, also starred in the semifinal win over Encanto, pitching 3⅓ scoreless innings of one-hit ball with six strikeouts and no walks. He went 3-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and a run.

Ramirez contributed a two-run homer, Sebastian Pino had two hits, a run and an RBI, and Leo Gonzales struck out both hitters he faced in relief.

In the opening victory over Fletcher Hills, Kirk pitched three innings of one-hit ball with six strikeouts.

Ramirez completed the shutout with a hitless fourth and two strikeouts.

Templeton Tran drove home Kirk with the opening run, and Gonzales singled home Jesus Cuadra.

James Griffin and Grant Mielke added two hits apiece in the sectional final, while Julian Sevilla closed the victory by recording two strikeouts and inducing the final groundout.

Sweetwater Valley’s reward is a difficult opening game against defending champion Golden Hill. The winner advances to face Goleta Valley South.

SVLL made its only trip to the Little League World Series in 2015. That team won the West Region and went on to finish third in the United States, reaching the U.S. Semifinals.

Players to watch: Noah Kirk, Isaac Ramirez, Sebastian Pino, Leo Gonzales, Julian Sevilla, Grant Mielke, Templeton Tran.

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3. ENCINO

District 40 · Section 2 champion

Encino entered sectionals as one of Southern California’s most highly rated teams and did nothing to diminish that reputation.

The District 40 champions defeated Quartz Hill 3-1, Crescenta Valley 10-0 and Quartz Hill 10-1. They finished 3-0 with a 23-2 scoring advantage, winning their final two games by a combined 20-1.

The center of the lineup features substantial power.

Asher Sonnier hit 10 regular-season home runs, while Liam Martinez and Matt Lazo hit five apiece.

Sonnier’s power places him among the tournament’s most dangerous hitters, but Encino’s sectional results indicate that this is far more than a one-player lineup.

Encino begins against Vineyard in one of Saturday’s two winner’s-bracket quarterfinals. The matchup places the third-ranked team in the ECS field against a Vineyard club that scored 34 runs in three sectional games.

Players to watch: Asher Sonnier, Liam Martinez, Matt Lazo, Lorenzo Aguilar, Vander Lins, Anthony Jones.

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4. GLENDORA AMERICAN

District 20 · Section 3 champion

Glendora American took the longest route of any of the tournament’s leading contenders.

After opening with an 11-1 victory over South Pasadena, Glendora fell 9-1 to West Covina American. Facing elimination, it responded by defeating Upland Foothill 21-3, then beat West Covina twice—15-10 and 6-0—to capture the Section 3 championship.

Glendora scored 42 runs over its final three games and finished the sectional tournament with 54 runs in five contests.

Jackson Gonzalez leads an established group of power hitters. Gonzalez hit four regular-season home runs, including two in one game and a three-run shot later in the season.

Matthew Marquez homered twice, while Owen Albert, Jose Ballesteros, Dominic Jacalone and Remington “Remy” Maloof also went deep.

Glendora’s ability to rebound from its loss was impressive, but the 6-0 championship shutout may have been even more important. The offense is established; championship-level pitching would make Glendora one of the most complete teams in Aliso Viejo.

Glendora opens against rapidly rising Rolling Hills.

Players to watch: Jackson Gonzalez, Matthew Marquez, Owen Albert, Jose Ballesteros, Dominic Jacalone, Remington Maloof.

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5. GOLETA VALLEY SOUTH

District 63 · Section 1 champion

Goleta Valley South may be the tournament’s most intriguing pitching team.

Listed as the sixth seed in its District 63 bracket, Goleta won four consecutive games, defeating Santa Paula 10-0, Foothill 10-0 and No. 1-seeded Dos Pueblos twice, 6-0 and 4-2. Goleta outscored its district opponents 30-2.

Benn Hause delivered a two-way performance in the district championship game, allowing three hits and striking out seven over five innings.

Brooks Caldwell collected two hits, scored a run, drove in another and struck out all three hitters he faced to earn the save.

The pitching continued at sectionals.

Hause went 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBIs while throwing a five-hit complete game with five strikeouts in an 8-3 victory over Orcutt National White.

Liam Anderson then pitched a four-hit shutout in the 1-0 sectional championship victory over Conejo Valley.

Ethan Sierra drove home Caldwell with the game’s only run in the bottom of the first inning.

Goleta is 6-0 across district and sectional play with a 39-5 scoring margin. It receives an opening-round bye and will face the winner between Sweetwater Valley and Golden Hill.

Players to watch: Benn Hause, Brooks Caldwell, Liam Anderson, Ethan Sierra, Calvin Firestone, Dylan Corlett, Walker Torres.

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6. GOLDEN HILL

District 56 · Section 5 champion

The defending Southern California champion is back—and once again it took an elimination-bracket route to get there.

Golden Hill lost its sectional opener to Long Beach 1-0, leaving it one defeat from elimination. It responded by beating La Mirada 11-0, surviving Long Beach 11-10 and defeating previously highly regarded Villa Park twice, 12-1 and 5-1.

Luke Daly pitched a complete-game two-hitter with four strikeouts in the 12-1 victory.

William Chung doubled, drove in two runs and scored twice, then returned in the championship game to throw a scoreless sixth inning with two strikeouts.

The final score disguises the tension of the championship game. Golden Hill led only 2-1 entering the sixth before scoring three insurance runs.

Golden Hill’s 4-1 sectional record and four consecutive elimination victories reflect a team already comfortable playing under pressure. Its program also owns the institutional experience of winning this tournament last year, when Golden Hill defeated Eastvale for the Southern California championship.

The title defense begins against Sweetwater Valley in perhaps the most compelling opening-round game.

Players to watch: Luke Daly, William Chung, Jase Perez, Micah Mankiewicz, Bradley Fleming.

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7. SCRIPPS RANCH

District 32 · Section 6 champion

Scripps Ranch earned its position by navigating one of the deepest sectional fields without losing.

The District 32 champions opened with a 5-0 victory over Rancho Buena Vista, then defeated San Carlos 5-1 in the winner’s-bracket game.

Ethan Lum homered, Luke Koba delivered an RBI double and Lucas Morton also drove in a run.

San Carlos fought through the elimination bracket to earn another opportunity, but Scripps Ranch prevailed 3-2 in the Section 6 championship game.

Scripps Ranch finished 3-0 and outscored Rancho Buena Vista and San Carlos 13-3. The margin was not as overwhelming as those posted by Eastvale, Sweetwater or Rolling Hills, but Scripps repeatedly proved itself against accomplished competition.

Its pitching and defense will need to be at their best immediately. Scripps faces No. 1 Eastvale in Saturday’s opening round, with Ladera Ranch National awaiting the winner.

Players to watch: Ethan Lum, Luke Koba, Lucas Morton, Joshua Hornyak, Daxton Barnhardt, Johnathan Cornelissen, Evan Mandalia.

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8. ROLLING HILLS

District 36 · Section 4 champion

No qualifier improved its profile more dramatically than Rolling Hills.

The District 36 champions went 3-0 in district play, outscoring their opponents 32-0. They hit six home runs from six different batters—and did not allow a hit during the entire three-game tournament.

Rolling Hills remained dominant at sectionals, defeating North Venice 10-2, Torrance 6-1 and Del Rey American 13-0 in a four-inning championship game.

Across districts and sectionals, Rolling Hills is 6-0 with a 61-3 scoring advantage.

Sullivan “Sully” Hamilton supplies significant power after hitting 11 regular-season home runs.

Zachary Mardesich hit four, John “Bubba” Hulett added three, and Lucas Craig also were among the league’s regular-season home-run hitters.

Carter Oldham and Cole Pappas join that group among Rolling Hills’ recognized postseason standouts.

The primary question is how Rolling Hills’ dominant results translate against one of Southern California’s most established programs. Its opening game against Glendora American will provide the answer quickly.

Players to watch: Sullivan Hamilton, Zachary Mardesich, John Hulett, Lucas Craig, Carter Oldham, Cole Pappas.

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9. VINEYARD

District 71 · Section 8 champion

Vineyard may be ranked ninth here, but its offense is capable of wrecking the bracket.

The District 71 champions defeated Civitan 5-2, Hesperia National 14-0 and Hesperia again 15-6 in the Section 8 championship game. Vineyard’s 34 runs were the most scored by any unbeaten sectional champion.

The lineup includes several players with demonstrated home-run power.

Aiden Magaña led the identified group with four regular-season home runs.

Wyatt McAninch hit three, including two in one game, while Jackson Meadows hit two.

Maverick Richardson and Matthew Watson also homered.

Vineyard allowed eight runs in sectionals, more than the other leading qualifiers, but it possesses enough offense to survive games that become high-scoring.

Its opening assignment against Encino creates one of the tournament’s best offensive matchups. The winner advances to face the winner between Goleta Valley South and the Sweetwater Valley–Golden Hill survivor.

Players to watch: Aiden Magaña, Wyatt McAninch, Jackson Meadows, Maverick Richardson, Matthew Watson.

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10. LADERA RANCH NATIONAL

District 68 · Section 10 champion

Being ranked 10th in this field should not be confused with being a routine opponent.

Ladera Ranch National survived a fierce district rivalry with Ladera Ranch American, winning two of their three postseason meetings. National’s only loss was an 8-7 decision against American.

At sectionals, Ladera Ranch National defeated East Anaheim 14-4, blanked host Aliso Viejo 6-0 and beat Aliso Viejo again 7-5 for the championship.

Sterling Hartley pitched 5⅔ hitless innings in the 6-0 victory, striking out six and walking one.

Cameron Siderius recorded the final out to complete the combined no-hitter and also doubled, scored and drove in a run.

Tate Silberberg collected two hits and two RBIs in that victory. He had three hits and three RBIs against East Anaheim, then doubled and drove in three more runs in the sectional championship game.

Ladera receives an opening-round bye and will face the winner between Eastvale and Scripps Ranch.

Players to watch: Sterling Hartley, Cameron Siderius, Tate Silberberg, Reeve Julisanel, Blake Burnett, Gavin Weber.

CHAMPIONSHIP OUTLOOK

Eastvale deserves the top ranking, but the margin separating the leading contenders is much smaller than its 99-1 postseason scoring advantage might suggest.

The tournament’s opening round represents a sharp increase in competition, and the double-elimination format rewards pitching depth as much as offensive explosiveness.

Championship tier

Eastvale, Sweetwater Valley, Encino and Glendora American

Eastvale owns the deepest combination of power and pitching. Sweetwater Valley may have delivered the strongest sectional performance. Encino possesses established home-run power, and Glendora has already demonstrated that it can survive an early loss.

Established challengers

Goleta Valley South, Golden Hill and Scripps Ranch

Goleta’s pitching gives it the profile of a team built for tournament baseball. Golden Hill is the defending champion and has already won four elimination games. Scripps Ranch may be more battle-tested than its scoring differential indicates.

Bracket breakers

Rolling Hills, Vineyard and Ladera Ranch National

Rolling Hills has been statistically dominant, Vineyard can score with anyone, and Ladera has already produced a combined no-hitter. None should be viewed as a comfortable draw.

The bracket itself creates immediate pressure. Eastvale must open against unbeaten Scripps Ranch. Sweetwater Valley faces the defending champion. Glendora meets a Rolling Hills team that has outscored its postseason opponents 61-3, and Encino draws the most productive undefeated sectional offense in Vineyard.

Eastvale enters as the narrow favorite, but this tournament appears far more likely to produce close games, bracket disruption and pitching-driven surprises than a procession by any one team.

Chandler (Ariz.) National is the only one of four teams that has already punched its ticket to San Bernardino for the West Region Tournament.

On another local note, Tijuana Municipal Little League has already qualified for the Little League World Series championship tournament in South Williamsport. It is the third time in 13 years the league has advanced to the world championship tournament in the 10-12 division.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

Host: Aliso Viejo Little League, District 55
Primary venue: Woodfield Park, 26800 Woodfield Drive, Aliso Viejo
Championship venue: Al Houghton Stadium, 6707 Little League Drive, San Bernardino

PARTICIPATING TEAMS

• Section 1: Goleta Valley South, District 63
• Section 2: Encino, District 40
• Section 3: Glendora American, District 20
• Section 4: Rolling Hills, District 36
• Section 5: Golden Hill, District 56
• Section 6: Scripps Ranch, District 32
• Section 7: Sweetwater Valley, District 42
• Section 8: Vineyard, District 71
• Section 9: Eastvale, District 72
• Section 10: Ladera Ranch National, District 68

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Saturday, July 25

Opening round

• Game 1: Scripps Ranch vs. Eastvale, 1 p.m.
• Game 2: Golden Hill vs. Sweetwater Valley, 1 p.m.

Winner’s-bracket quarterfinals

• Game 3: Rolling Hills vs. Glendora American, 4 p.m.
• Game 4: Encino vs. Vineyard, 4 p.m.

Sunday, July 26

Elimination bracket

• Game 7: Loser of Golden Hill–Sweetwater Valley vs. loser of Rolling Hills–Glendora American, 1 p.m.
• Game 8: Loser of Scripps Ranch–Eastvale vs. loser of Encino–Vineyard, 1 p.m.

Winner’s-bracket quarterfinals

• Game 5: Ladera Ranch National vs. winner of Scripps Ranch–Eastvale, 4 p.m.
• Game 6: Goleta Valley South vs. winner of Golden Hill–Sweetwater Valley, 4 p.m.

Monday, July 27

Elimination bracket

• Game 9: Loser of Game 5 vs. winner of Game 7, 6:30 p.m.
• Game 10: Loser of Game 6 vs. winner of Game 8, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 28

Winner’s-bracket semifinals

• Game 11: Winner of Game 3 vs. winner of Game 5, 6:30 p.m.
• Game 12: Winner of Game 4 vs. winner of Game 6, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 29

Elimination-bracket quarterfinals

• Game 13: Winner of Game 9 vs. loser of Game 12, 6:30 p.m.
• Game 14: Winner of Game 10 vs. loser of Game 11, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 30

Winner’s-bracket final

• Game 15: Winner of Game 11 vs. winner of Game 12, 6:30 p.m.

Elimination-bracket semifinal

• Game 16: Winner of Game 13 vs. winner of Game 14, 6:30 p.m.

Friday, July 31

Elimination-bracket final

• Game 17: Loser of Game 15 vs. winner of Game 16, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 2 — Al Houghton Stadium

Championship series

• Game 18: Winner of Game 15 vs. winner of Game 17, 4 p.m.
• Game 19: If necessary, 7 p.m.

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