A new playoff system, one that does away with predetermined divisions based on a team’s record over the previous three seasons, was supposed to solve a lot of problems when it comes to the CIF San Diego Section’s football pairings.

Instead, the CalPreps.com computer rankings have opened the playoff door to winless teams and teams with losing records, creating discussions among coaches, players and fans of high school football.

Playoff brackets were unveiled on Sunday.  There was no drama at the top, where No. 1 Lincoln, No. 2 La Costa Canyon, No. 3 Cathedral Catholic and No. 4 Mission Hills will play in the four-team Open Division playoffs starting Nov. 15.

However, the Division 1 through 5 playoffs come with some controversy. Of the 64 teams placed into those brackets, 21 have losing records. Three teams — St. Augustine, Mira Mesa and Fallbrook — are winless. Ramona has two wins. Six teams are .500.

Fallbrook coach Ross Johnson said he isn’t quite sure of what to make of the playoff system, but wasn’t about to opt out after his team was seeded No. 5 in Division 5 and awarded a home game against Monte Vista.

“Having a playoff game after going winless is a little ridiculous,” Johnson said. “It’s still an opportunity for competitive football games for the kids. And we get an opportunity to see how some of our better JV players stack up against varsity competition in practice.

“I really enjoy working more closely with those kids during these weeks.”

San Diego Section coaches were the ones who recommended using the CalPreps.com system, one that puts a premium on strength of schedule instead of wins and losses.

With computers doing the work, Sunday’s seeding meeting took less than 30 minutes. The resulting brackets included some surprises.

Monte Vista finished 5-5, but was initially the last team in as the lowest seed in the Division 5 bracket.

Mar Vista finished 3-6, but per CIF rules earned an automatic entry into the playoffs by winning its league. Initially, that meant Monte Vista would not make the playoffs. But then 1-9 Rancho Buena Vista opted out, and the teams below RBV all moved up one spot.

Palo Verde Valley, then, was the team left out.

‘”The CIF told us about this new system in the spring when our schedules were already set,” said Monte Vista coach Ron Hamamoto, one of the most respected coaches in the county. “We have most of our games on two-year contracts, so the same will probably happen to us again next season.”

Some will argue that Monte Vista created its own problems. A school with an enrollment of more than 1,500 students scheduled Coastal Academy (enrollment: 673) and Vincent Memorial (enrollment: 245) this season, splitting the two games.

Ramona finished 2-8, yet made the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in Division 4. The Bulldogs even received a first-round bye.

Ramona coach Damon Baldwin, who is also a member of the Football Advistory Committee, said he was among the coaches who pushed for the new system.

“I was never a fan of divisions based on what kids did three, four or five years ago. That wasn’t equitable,” he said. “We were a Division 1 team a year ago, but had a tough season. We played seven teams that were in the Top 10 at some point in the season. CalPreps values strength of schedule.”

Vista, which went 3-7 in the regular season, is seeded No. 1 in Division 5 and gets a first-round bye. St. Augustine (0-10) is seeded No. 7 in the Division 3 bracket; the Saints get a home game against La Jolla Country Day.

The San Diego Section still values head-to-head games.  In Division 1, Torrey Pines jumped Rancho Bernardo and is seeded No. 7 because the Falcons beat RB 3-0 on Sept. 20. Point Loma is seeded fifth and La Jolla in Division 2 sixth after the Pointers beat the Vikings 34-20 on Oct. 25.

Crawford moved from No. 4 to No. 3 in the Division 5 bracket after beating Hoover 29-27 on Friday. The Cardinals are now seeded fourth.

There was initially a matchup of league opponents in Division 4, something the San Diego Section tries to avoid. So No. 10 Sweetwater was dropped to No. 11 and will play at Mira Mesa, while Chula Vista hosts Classical Academy.

CIF San Diego Section Commissioner Joe Heinz said setting the brackets “wasn’t quite as easy at it would appear.” CalPreps.com had to wait on the results of Saturday night’s games, meaning the final rankings weren’t ready until after 8 a.m. Sunday.

“This is our first year doing CalPreps,” Heinz said. “We’ll review things after the season — just like we do after every season. The Advisory Committee will go over everything.”

CIF San Diego Section Football Playoffs

Open Division

All games at 7 p.m., unless noted

Semifinals

Nov. 15

(4) Mission Hills at (1) Lincoln

(3) Cathedral Catholic at (2) La Costa Canyon

Championship

Nov. 13 at Snapdragon Stadium

Division 1

All games at 7 p.m., unless noted

First round

Friday

(1) San Marcos, bye

(9) Del Norte at (8) Oceanside

(4) El Camino, bye

(12) Santa Fe Christian at (5) Mount Miguel

(11) Scripps Ranch at (6) Torrey Pines

(3) Granite Hills, bye

(10) Brawley at (7) Rancho Bernardo

(2) Carlsbad, bye

Quarterfinals

Nov. 15 at higher seeds

Semifinals

Nov. 22 at higher seeds

Championship

Nov. 30 at Southwestern College, 7:30 p.m.

Division 2

All games at 7 p.m., unless noted

First round

Friday

(1) University City, bye

(9) Imperial vs. Christian at Granite Hills High School

(4) Poway, bye

(12) Valley Center at (5) Point Loma

(11) Madison at (6) La Jolla

(3) Helix, bye

(10) Mt. Carmel at (7) Bishop’s

(2) Mater Dei Catholic, bye

Quarterfinals 

Nov. 15 at higher seeds

Semifinals

Nov. 22 at higher seeds

Championship

Nov. 29 at Southwestern College, 7:30 p.m.

Division 3 

All games at 7 p.m., unless noted

First round

Friday

(1) Central Union, bye

(9) Otay Ranch at (8) Patrick Henry

(4) San Pasqual, bye

(12) Army-Navy at (5) Eastlake

(11) Steele Canyon at (6) Escondido

(3) San Diego, bye

(10) La Jolla Country Day vs. (7) St. Augustine at Mesa College

(2) Holtville, bye

Quarterfinals

Nov. 15 at higher seeds

Semifinals

Nov. 22 at higher seeds

Championship

Nov. 30 at Southwestern College, 3 p.m.

Division 4

All games at 7 p.m., unless noted

First round

Friday

(1) Ramona, bye

(9) Calexico at (8) Montgomery

(4) Mission Bay, bye

(12) Vincent Memorial at (5) Westview

(11) Sweetwater at (6) Mira Mesa

(3) Grossmont, bye

(10) Classical Academy at (7) Chula Vista

(2) El Capitan, bye

Quarterfinals

Nov. 15  at higher seeds

Semifinals

Nov. 22 at higher seeds

Championship

Nov. 29 At Southwestern College, 3 p.m.

Division 5

All games at 7 p.m., unless noted

First round

Friday

(1) Vista, bye

(9) Francis Parker at (8) Coronado

(4) Hoover, bye

(12) Monte Vista at (5) Fallbrook

(11) Mar Vista at (6) West Hills

(3) Crawford, bye

(10) Kearny at (7) Santana

(2) Bonita Vista, bye

Quarterfinals

Nov. 15 at higher seeds

Semifinals

Nov. 22 at higher seeds

Championship

Nov. 30 at Southwestern College, 1 p.m.

Division 5AA

All games at 7 p.m., unless noted

Quarterfinals

Friday

(1) Calipatria, bye

(5) Victory Christian at (4) Maranatha Christian

(6) O’Farrell Charter at (3) Coastal Academy

(2) Tri-City Christian, bye

Semifinals

Nov. 15 at higher seeds

Championship

Nov. 21 at Palomar College

8-man

All games at 7 p.m., unless noted

Quarterfinals 

Friday

1) St. Joseph Academy, bye

(5) Borrego Springs at (4) Horizon Prep

(6) Ocean View Christian at (3) Calvin Christian

(2) Foothills Christian, bye

Semifinals

Nov. 15 at higher seeds

Championship

Nov. 22 at Palomar College

Originally Published: November 3, 2024 at 3:18 PM PST