Mater Dei Is No. 1 for Third Season

Mater Dei High School became the first team to finish No. 1 in the Orange County Sportswriters’ Assn. prep basketball poll for three consecutive seasons.

The Monarchs (25-0) gathered all nine first-place votes and became the first county school to finish the regular season with a perfect record since Corona del Mar in 1976. The Monarchs open play in the Southern Section 5-A playoffs against Verbum Dei at Chapman College on Friday night.

Katella, which finished eighth in the poll, will make its 19th straight postseason appearance under Coach Tom Danley.

The writers’ poll:

Pos. Team (League) Record 1. Mater Dei (Angelus) 25-0

2. Ocean View (Sunset) 22-3

3. Newport Harbor (Sea View) 22-3

4. Estancia (Sea View) 24-3

5. Mission Viejo (South Coast) 22-4

6. El Dorado (Empire) 21-3

7. Brea-Olinda (Orange) 22-4

8. Katella (Empire) 19-4

9. Corona del Mar (Sea View) 19-6

10. Kennedy (Empire) 19-5

Others Receiving Votes: Dana Hills and Capistrano Valley.