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What to Know About JSerra Catholic Before the CIF Southern Section Division 1 Softball Final

Led by Florida commit Liliana Escobar, the Lions will face La Mirada on Friday night for the program’s first CIF Southern Section Division 1 title.
Edith Noriega|
Liliana Escobar and JSerra will compete in the CIF-SS D1 championship game on May 29.
Liliana Escobar and JSerra will compete in the CIF-SS D1 championship game on May 29. | Dylan Stewart, JSerra Athletics

The JSerra Catholic Lions punched their ticket to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 softball championship game after defeating last season's champion Norco 2-0 Saturday afternoon at Norco High School.

The Lions are one win away from making history against another program seeking its second division title.

Here’s what to know about JSerra Catholic ahead of the CIF Southern Section Division 1 final.

Where is JSerra High School located?

The school is located in San Juan Capistrano in Orange County.

What is JSerra's record?

JSerra enters the CIF SS Division 1 championship game with a 24-8 record. They defeated La Mirada, also in the championship game, 5-2 in the semifinals of the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions in Bullhead City, Arizona on March 6.

Who is JSerra's head coach?

Katelyn Stith is in her eighth season as JSerra's head coach and has compiled a record of 130-83 with the Lions. Stith played for the University of Nevada softball program as a catcher from 2006-09. She helped the Wolfpack to three Western Athletic Conference championships (2006, 2008, 2009).

Who are JSerra’s top players?

Annabel Raftery and JSerra will compete for a CIF SS D1 title on May 29.
Annabel Raftery and JSerra will compete for a CIF SS D1 title on May 29. | Dylan Stewart, JSerra Athletics

Liliana Escobar, a senior Florida commit, has dominated in the circle this season for the Lions She is 17-5 with 252 strikeouts and a 1.247 ERA in 146 innings pitched.

Sophomore catcher Annabel Raftery is one of the Lions’ top offensive threats with a .429 batting average, 12 home runs and 15 doubles. She has a .933 slugging percentage.

Where is JSerra ranked in the High School on SI National Softball Top 25?

JSerra is currently ranked No. 20 in the High School On SI National Softball Top 25. The Lions were unranked the previous week.

As of May 7, the Lions were ranked No. 4 in the final edition of the CIF SSTop 25 Computer Rankings, which determined the playoff placement for qualified softball teams.

Has JSerra won a division title before?

This marks JSerra’s first CIF SS Division 1 championship game appearance after getting knocked out by Pacifica 1-0 in the semifinals in 2024. The Lions lost to Los Alamitos 3-0 in the Division 2 final last year.

Who is JSerra playing for the CIF SS Division 1 title?

JSerra is slated to play against La Mirada - the second meeting of the season - on Friday at 7 p.m. at Bill Barber Memorial Park in Irvine. La Mirada is seeking its second division title and first since 1991.

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Edith Noriega
EDITH NORIEGA

Edith Noriega is an award-winning sports journalist who came to the Seattle area after three years in Oregon with the Eugene Register-Guard and its sister newspaper, Salem Statesman Journal, where her focus was high schools and local colleges. Noriega previously covered high schools with the Southern California News Group. She also worked as a Tokyo Olympic Games researcher for NBC Sports, focusing on baseball and softball. She is a proud two-time graduate of Arizona State University’s Cronkite School and Riverside City College. She’s also a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. When not writing, she enjoys playing tennis, yoga, concerts and is currently reading “The Last of His Kind: Clayton Kershaw.” She began contributing to High School On SI in 2025.

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