If there is one sport in San Pedro that has brought about the most success in the Prep Sports world, it's definitely softball.

San Pedro has won 16 CIF-Los Angeles City Section titles, in only five years, Port Of Los Angeles has won three CIF-LACS titles, while Mary Star has claimed 17 league titles and reached their first and only CIF-Southern Section final appearance just two years ago.

The landscape changed dramatically in 2015 as San Pedro welcomed a new coach, POLA joined a new league, and Mary Star won their first regular season tournament (Duarte).

All three schools combined to go 74-23 overall, with the Polar Bears winning their fifth straight undefeated league title (first Coliseum League crown) and reached the CIF-LACS Division I semifinals, the Stars claiming their fourth Camino Real League title in five years, and the Pirates repeating as Whittier Tournament champions and win 21 games.

Also POLA pitching legend Nicolle Miranda (Eastern Michigan), Mary Star pitching great Marina Vitalich (George Mason), San Pedro infielder Johnie Cortez (Marymount California) and POLA infielder Savana Ramirez (Yavapai JC) all hosted signing day ceremonies, while POLA's Laura Leos (York College; Nebraska) and San Pedro catcher Alexa Ponce (Boston University) eventually walked on.

How will the 2016 counterparts follow a great collective season like 2015?

Well, the last two Fridays in April will provide the town with two rare crosstown nonleague battles, as POLA will travel to Mary Star on April 22, and then the Polar Bears will also take the short drive and face host San Pedro on April 29.

Now it's time for an in-depth look on all three schools.

POLA (31-5 overall in 2015) - Last year was truly remarkable for the Polar Bears, as they reached the finals of the El Segundo and Las Vegas Spring Jamboree Tournaments, claiming the Silver Division championship of the Torrance National Tournament, and reaching the CIF-LACS Division I semifinals, where it lost an 8-6 slugfest to eventual champion Chatsworth.

Longtime coach Jesse Espinoza is now the head man once again, after previous coaching stops at Mary Star, Banning of Wilmington and Los Angeles Harbor College, taking over for his brother Moses and sister-in-law Melissa, who both combined to coach POLA to their three City Division III crowns and two straight D-I semifinal appearances.

Arizona State verbal commit, and All-City junior pitcher Analise De La Roca will be poised to shine as the top pitcher in the circle after being a great tag team partner with Miranda for two seasons. De La Roca may be the focus of attention for POLA, but the Polar Bears also return senior OF/P Vanessa Munoz, the lone remaining member of the 2013 championship team.

Sophomore INF/OF/P Sienna Valencia, sophomore 3B/P Angie Vargas, sophomore infielder Brittany Mercado and junior INF/OF Destiny Sambrano also returns for POLA, and catcher Allison Torstensen will look to contribute right away as an impact freshman for the Polar Bears. Junior outfielder Celeste Gutierrez also makes a return to softball after a year absence.

POLA is still the Crosstown League favorite, but Harbor Teacher Prep of Wilmington will provide stiff competition, while King-Drew and Crenshaw also boast teams with speed on the bases that may frustrate the Polar Bears.

SAN PEDRO (21-12 in 2015) - Now in his second season, there is some promise for coach Robert Whitney after a solid first year where the Pirates placed third in the killer Marine League, where defending league champion CIF-LACS runner-up Carson and Banning will likely jockey for the top spot yet again.

However, both would be foolish to underestimate the Pirates.

Junior INF/C Andrea Cline, a two-time All-Marine League returning player, will be ready for a breakthrough season along with an experienced group of fellow juniors such as All-Marine League pitcher Cindy Robles, All-Marine League outfielder Andrea Trejo, P/INF Deanna Gonzalez, and infielders Ricki Justiniano and Mackenzie Winkle. Cline is the only Pirate back with a home run in her career, so the offense must find a way to back up Robles early on.

Sophomore pitcher Quincy Greenwood and sophomore INF/C Taiya Reyna both have massive potential, while sophomore C/OF Anessa Quiroz, a transfer from nearby POLA, will be able to contribute in a mighty way once she's eligible to play on April 4.

Quiroz made a spectacular diving catch against Redondo that made national news when the video went viral on MaxPreps, and she also hit a game-winning walk-off single to beat Edison of Huntington Beach last year for POLA.

MARY STAR (22-4 in 2015) - Caitlin Colvin is in her first year as head coach for Mary Star, who went 8-1 in winning their fourth Camino Real League championship in five years, but the Stars will have a pitcher-by-committee after the 1,100-plus strikeouts Marina Vitalich provided for four years will be greatly missed.

Two-time All-Camino Real League selection in junior shortstop Amanda Vitalich, along with incoming freshman Amanda Rojas, will both see action in the circle. 

Mary Star does return four more All-CRL selections in junior catcher Gianna Fletcher, senior infielder Isabella Samperio, sophomore infielder Miranda Marquez and junior first baseman Gigi Gentile as the Stars will play a full season of having all their home games on their campus field after all those years of having home field advantage at the San Pedro Softball Complex, which ended last year on May 21 when the on-campus field made its debut with a CIF-SS Division 5 first round game.

In that inaugural game on campus, Gentile christened the new field with a first-inning two-run home run to help the Stars win 4-0 over Morro Bay.

Also returning for the Stars with valuable experience is senior outfielders Krislyn Vara and Sarah Rodriguez.

THE 'SENSATIONAL SEVEN' GAMES TO WATCH IN 2016

Peninsula at San Pedro (March 17 Doubleheader, 2 & 4 pm)

POLA at Mary Star (April 22; 3:15 pm)

St. Monica at Mary Star (April 26; 3:15 pm)

POLA at San Pedro (April 29; 3:30 pm)

Harbor Teacher Prep at POLA (May 2 @ Leland Park; 2:30 pm)

Carson at San Pedro (May 3; 3:15 pm)

Banning at San Pedro (May 5; 3:15 pm)