Watsonville High will have a week off to prepare for its biggest test of the year.
The Wildcatz received the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Central Coast Section Open Division playoffs and will be off until Saturday’s quarterfinal round.
The co-Monterey Bay League Gabilan division champion, Watsonville (22-3) will play No. 6 Los Gatos High at a time and place still to be determined.
The two teams met earlier this season in a weekend tournament at Watsonville. The ‘Catz rallied to beat the Wildcats, 3-1.
Watsonville also beat Los Gatos (19-7-1) by the same score in the CCS Division I quarterfinals last season en route to the program’s first-ever section crown.
The winner of Saturday’s quarterfinal will see the winner of No. 7 Valley Christian (19-6) and No. 2 St. Francis-Mountain View (20-6) at PAL Stadium in San Jose on either May 22, 23 or 24.
On the other side of the bracket, Carlmont High (23-1) garnered the top seed and will play No. 8 Archbishop Mitty (17-7) on Saturday. The winner of that game will advance to play the winner of No. 4 Silver Creek High (16-6) and No. 5 St. Ignatius (18-5).
In the D-II ranks, Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League champion Aptos High picked up the No. 12 seed and will travel to play No. 5 Carmel High at Carmel Middle School on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
The Mariners (14-9) are making a return to the postseason after missing out last season.
