By Christine Jinbo

The Redondo Power Classic, hosted by Redondo Union High School, gets underway this weekend with a top-notch field from along the California coastline.  In that group is the ESPN RISE FAB 50 No. 1 team La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, who is in pursuit of perfection.  The Mavericks look to maintain their perfect record and go three for three in tournament titles after winning the Durango Classic (Las Vegas, Nev.) and the California Challenge (Torrey Pines, Calif.).

	Leonard Xu/ESPN RISE
	La Costa Canyon team wins the California Challenge.

Standing in the way of the Mavs' quest for perfection is a new tournament format and a field of teams with finals appearance potential. 

Because of a recent memo from the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) that outlined maximum number of games for tournament participants, Redondo Head Coach Tommy Chaffins was forced to reorganize the tournament to maintain compliance.  Chaffins changed the tournament from a 32-team field with pool play and playoffs into a two-tiered bracket play tournament with best of five match play.  The event will host a top division (Red) and bottom division (White) each seeded one through 16 without a crossover.

With the two divisions evenly seeded, the disparity between teams in the early rounds is reduced, so each match will test these California teams.  The seeding of a tournament can affect the tournament outcome.  Chaffins commented on the tournament seeding, 

"Although seeding is never perfect, I did put in a lot of time trying to seed it No. 1 through No. 32 and seeded my own team [Redondo] at No. 11 although we have been in the finals the past four years.

	Leonard Xu/ESPN RISE
	Natalie Haglund springs to the attack.

In the white bracket, the winner will automatically be invited to the red division the following year."

Despite the change in tournament format, Redondo High School, which has won the tournament three of four years, No. 42 Santa Margarita, No. 44 Orange Lutheran and a host of others knocking on the door, La Costa Canyon is heads and shoulders above the crowd.  Behind an all star cast of senior setter Kendal Polan, Princeton bound outside Lydia Rudnick, and USC bound 6-foot-2 Katie Fuller, the powerful Maverick offense riddles other team's defenses.  Junior outside Natalie Haglund, often horse after a long day of competition, is looked to as a leader on the court.  This team is unbeaten for a reason, they have found a way to be at their best at the end of long grinding tournaments, when other teams falter.

Game Schedule: Red Division
Friday, 2:00 pm games held at Redondo Union High School
- Winners and losers of 2:00 games to play at 5:45 pm
(1) La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad) vs. (16) La Canada (La Canada)
(8) South Torrance (Torrance) vs. (9) Poway (Poway)
(5) El Dorado (Placentia) vs. (12) Peninsula (Rolling Hills Estates)
(4) Orange Lutheran (Orange) vs. (13) Bakersfield Christian (Bakersfield)

Friday, 3:45 pm games held at Redondo Union High School
- Winners and losers of 3:45 pm games to play at 7:15 pm
(3) Thousand Oaks (Thousand Oaks) vs. (14) Valencia (Valencia)
(6) Rosary (Fullerton) vs. (11) Redondo (Redondo)s
(7) Sacred Heart (Flintridge) vs. (10) Palos Verdes (Palos Verdes Penninsula)
(2) Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) vs. (15) Cathedral Catholic Academy (San Diego)

Game Schedule: White division

Friday, 2:00 pm games held at South Torrance
- Winners and losers playing next round at 5:30 pm
(17) San Marcos (San Marcos) vs. (32) Vista (Vista)
(24) Burroughs vs. (25) Foothill

Friday, 3:45 pm games held at South Torrance
- Winners and losers playing next round at 7:15 pm
(21) Oxnard (Oxnard) vs. (28) Palisades (Palisades)
(20) Torrance (Torrance) vs. (29) San Pedro (SanPedro)

Friday, 2:00 pm games held at West Torrance
- Winners and losers playing next round at 5:30 pm
(19) West Ranch (Valencia) vs. (30) Carson (Carson)
(22) Santa Monica (Santa Monica) vs. (27) Frontier (Bakersfield)

Friday, 3:45 pm games held at West Torrance
- Winners and losers playing next round at 7:15 pm
(23) L.B. Millikan (Long Beach) vs. (26) Serra (Gardena)
(18) Pacific Christian (Los Angeles) vs. (31) West Torrance (Torrance)