14 local teams qualify for Northern Section playoffs

The Northern Section released its playoff brackets for both boys and girls basketball on Saturday with 14 Mid-Valley programs in the hunt for a section crown.

Earning the highest seed of any local team, boys or girls, was the Colusa High girls squad. The RedHawks are the No. 3 team in Division V.

The RedHawks (18-6) finished in a three-way tie for second place in the Sacramento Valley League this season with a 6-4 league record.

They will host No. 14 Los Molinos in the first round on Tuesday night. The RedHawks fell one game short of playing for the section title last season.

Joining Colusa in D-V is No. 4 East Nicolaus (20-6), which hosts No. 13 Modoc (Alturas). The Spartans finished second in the Mid-Valley League — South behind Portola.

No. 5 Biggs (17-8, 4-2) will host the SVL's Durham, the No. 12 seed, and will face the winner of East Nicolaus-Modoc in the second round on Thursday. Hamilton (25-0) earned the No. 1 seed in D-V.

Leading the local teams in Division IV is the Sutter girls team.

The No. 5-seeded Huskies finished in third place in the Butte View League and host No. 12 Corning on Tuesday night. No. 10 Live Oak goes to No. 7 Central Valley in another first-round matchup. West Valley earned the top seed. Rounding out the local girls squads is No. 12 Maxwell, which opens the Division VI bracket at Loyalton on Wednesday.

On the boys' side, the Gridley Bulldogs earned a first-round bye and a home game on Friday night in the D-IV bracket. The No. 4-seeded Bulldogs will face the winner of Wednesday's matchup between No. 12 Sutter and No. 5 Willows.

No. 9 Live Oak travels to No. 8 Winters on Wednesday as well.

Earning the top two seeds in D-IV were BVL-champion Orland and Northern Athletic League co-champion Corning.

In Division V, all four local squads will open the postseason with lengthy road trips.

No. 11 Pierce travels to Alturas on Wednesday night to face No. 6 Modoc, while No. 13 Colusa will make the journey up the hill to take on No. 4 Quincy.

No. 16 Biggs has the tall task of taking on No. 1 seed Liberty Christian in Redding and No. 14 East Nicolaus travels to take on No. 3 Durham.

The only Mid-Valley boys team to earn a first-round home game, No. 7 Maxwell, will host No. 10 Butte Valley in the D-VI opener on Tuesday night.

All section championship games will be played at Chico State on Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3.