HOW ARE YOU guys doing? It's been a while since we last talked in this space.

Since we've last talked, I have had someone break into my car, my investments have taken a bit of a plunge because of a market that seems to be getting worse and I've gained a few pounds.

But on a positive note, Santa Margarita and La Habra claimed the CIF-Southern Section Division I and III titles, respectively. And the Eagles also claimed the inaugural CIF Southern California Regional Division II title.

With the season done and over that meant only one thing was left to do: publish our Register All-County teams and player and coach of the year.

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THE HIGH SCHOOL boys soccer season has come to an end, and the Santa Margarita boys soccer team was the last one left standing.

The top-seeded Eagles defeated Cathedral Catholic of San Diego, 1-0, to claim the inaugural CIF Division II Southern California championship on Saturday afternoon at Warren High in Downey.

I thought the match was actually a good one, but both coaches said it wasn't pretty soccer and I can see why they would say that, too.

"It wasn't pretty soccer but it was effective," Santa Margarita coach Curt Bauer said. "They had a long throw, we had a long throw, they had some big guys up front and we had big guys up front.

"So there were good one-on-one battles throughout the match, but as far as pretty, slow-passing and that type of soccer you didn't see a whole lot of that."

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 (UPDATED, 3/7/2008, 3:13 a.m.)

THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE posted the Cathedral Catholic-Arlington of Riverside boys soccer story on its Website. I have provided the story below so you Eagles soccer freaks can read it. And while you're at it, you can also see how other papers cover their sports. I'm like Progressive Insurance, I bring you the best rates.

This time I mean it ... good night (or should I say, good morning?)

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SANTA MARGARITA DEFEATED Coronado of San Diego, 2-0, on goals from Austin McAnena and Casey Wootan.

My buddy who writes for the competition on the other side of the town said McAnena's goal was a beauty, volleyed from outside the 18-yard box. I was told Wootan scored in simlar fashion, from outside the box.

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SANTA MARGARITA AND Saddleback earned invitations to the new CIF Southern California Regionals, which begin on Tuesday.

The top-seeded Eagles will play in Division II while the second-seeded Roadrunners play in Division I. The divisions are based on school enrollment.

Santa Margarita will take on Coronado (15-3-4) of the San Diego Section at 7 p.m. at St. Margaret's High. The winners moves on to Thursday's semifinals against the winner of the Canoga Park-West Torrance match.

Here's how the brackets look:

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I WAS SURPRISED by the rain when I woke up Saturday morning.

 But when the rain stopped here in Downey, it made for perfect soccer weather. On an overcast Saturday afternoon, Santa Margarita and La Habra (playing one mile apart) each were victorious and claimed a CIF-Southern Section championship.

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COME SATURDAY, SOME of you will drive from your respective homes in Orange County to Downey - my neck of the woods =)

The CIF-Southern Section Division I and III finals will feature county teams as I'm sure you all know by now. Newbury Park takes on top-seed Santa Margarita and top-seed Saddleback and third-seed La Habra square off in a rematch of last year's Division III final.

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A QUICK UPDATE: La Habra will play host to El Rancho of Pico Rivera in Tuesday's semifinal of the CIF-Southern Section Division III playoffs. The game is slated for 3 p.m.

 Coach Steve Aanderud crossed his fingers and looked up to the sky, hoping his team would win the coin flip and get the home site. At Thursday's match against Santa Ana Valley, La Habra fans attended in strong numbers and no doubt having home advantage helped the Highlanders.

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THE CIF-SOUTHERN Section playoffs have are quickly winding down, and only Division I and III have Orange County teams still alive.

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I HAVE TURNEDin my Web-only playoffs predictions for Thursday's quarterfinals matches. They should show up on the boys soccer page pretty soon.

Thanks for the comments Coach, Horacio!, and Pundit my man, lets tone it down with the Servite bashing. Nobody likes a hater =D

MIGUEL A. MELENDEZ/The Register (2:46 p.m.)

***

I CALLED IN sick Tuesday. The flu seems to be spreading and it hit me pretty hard Sunday night. I spent all of Monday in bed but with my laptop on my lap and typing away my notebook, playoffs schedule and analysis/predictions.

But when I woke up Tuesday morning I could barely talk, my eyes were watery and my body was aching. So as much as I wanted to cover Loara at Foothill I sent my editor a message and took a sick day.

But after a few uncomfortable naps I woke up and logged on to OCVarsity.com and saw a score that shocked me:

San Clemente 2, Servite 1.

Which brings me to our new buddy 'Pundit'. He has left several comments in several of my stories and in my last blog. He wrote:

 Lousy reporting with more opinion than fact as in the Academy slam by Melendez merits more opinion as in the article was a piece of garbage

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I KNOW IT'S been a while since I've chimed but forgive me as I've been battling the flu for almost two weeks. I'm still pretty bad but I will come through because it's playoffs time. Oh and because I like having my story being the most viewed story in OCVarsity and fourth-most viewed story in sports last week.

I have just submitted my Web-only playoffs analysis and predictions. It's being edited as I write this and it'll be up on the Website very soon so be sure to look for that.

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I KNOW, I know, I know ... Where the heck have I been you're asking. To be honest, I think I just needed to take a few days off.

Anybody notice there was no byline of mine in Saturday's paper? Well, I'm back and have burned my fingers on this nifty company laptop and wrote my playoffs analysis and predictions of Friday's first round.

You can find them by clicking on the link below (the playoffs analysis did not run in the paper, only on the Web for my Internet freeks). Read the rest of this entry »