More Sports Hoopla: In local high school...

More Sports Hoopla: In local high school sports, March has nothing on May when it comes to madness. By the end of this month, the CIF City Section will award championships in seven sports. . . . Several may go to Valley-area schools.

Take 2: When softball playoffs begin Tuesday, Kennedy and El Camino Real will be seeded 1-2 in the 4-A, or large schools, division--just like last year. . . . Only this time, Kennedy hopes to make its top rating stick. The Golden Cougars last year were upset by El Camino Real in the final, 6-0. The title game is May 27 at UCLA.

Local Ownership: The Valley has produced the 4-A division baseball champion in 23 of the past 24 years. Fourteen times during that span, it’s been an all-Valley final. Kennedy, led by pitching ace Jon Garland, above, will be seeking its third consecutive title when playoffs open May 20. The final is May 28 at Dodger Stadium.

Spike This! Granada Hills has advanced to the 4-A final in boys’ volleyball three times this decade and lost each time. . . . This year, the Highlanders are top seeded as they seek to become the first Valley team to capture the title since Taft in 1990. Granada Hills took second in 1991, ’94 and ’96.

Making Title Runs: In track and field, the Birmingham boys’ team and the Taft girls’ team could provide the Valley its first-ever championship sweep. Birmingham is paced by sprinter Demetrus Patterson. Taft is led by Frances Santin, the defending champion in the 300-meter low hurdles. . . . The finals are May 29 at Birmingham High.