Some changes recommended for football playoff groupings
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The Southern Section has recommended no changes to the Pac-5 Division for football playoffs under its playoff league groupings proposal that was sent to schools on Friday. The playoff groupings are for the next two years.
The Moore, Serra, South Coast, Sunset and Trinity leagues make up the Pac-5. There was consideration given to moving the new Big 8 League based in Riverside to the Pac-5, but that would have meant no at-large berths. The Big 8 was placed in the Inland Division.
The major change occurred in the Southwest Division, which would be composed entirely of Orange County schools, and the Southeast Division, which would be an all-San Gabriel Valley division.
The Southwest would be made up of the Century, Empire, Freeway, Orange and Sea View leagues. The Southeast would be composed of the Almont, Del Rio, Miramonte, Pacific and San Antonio leagues.
Moving into the Southern Division would be the Golden West League from the Southeast Division and the Suburban League from the Southwest.
The Southern Section also refused to elevate the Tri-Valley League, featuring five-time division champion Westlake Village Oaks Christian. The Tri-Valley will remain in the Northwest Division. Last week, representatives from the Tri-Counties Athletic Assn. recommended that Oaks Christian join another league for all sports, though the 8-4 vote it is not binding.
There is an appeal process for playoff groupings, and a vote is scheduled at the section’s next meeting, April 24.
The proposed football playoff groupings:
Pac-5 Division: Moore, Serra, South Coast, Sunset, Trinity.
Inland Division: Big 8, Citrus Belt, Inland Valley, Southwestern.
Western Division: Bay, Golden, Mission, Ocean, San Gabriel.
Northern Division: Channel, Foothill, Marmonte, Pac-7, Pacific View.
Central Division: Baseline, Mt. Baldy, San Andreas, Sierra, Sunbelt.
Southwest Division: Century, Empire, Freeway, Orange, Sea View.
Southeast Division: Almont, Del Rio, Miramonte, Pacific, San Antonio.
Eastern Division: Desert Sky, Desert Valley, Mojave River, Mountain Pass, Sunkist.
Southern Division: Garden Grove, Golden West, Orange Coast, Pacific Coast, Suburban.
Northwest Division: Camino Real, Del Rey, Los Padres, Pioneer, Tri-Valley.
Mid-Valley Division: Mission Valley, Montview, Olympic, Rio Hondo, Valle Vista.
East Valley Division: Academy, Alpha, Christian, De Anza, Frontier, High Desert.
Northeast Division: Big Sky, Desert Mountain, Prep, San Joaquin, Santa Fe.
-- Eric Sondheimer
-- Image from www.eroundlake.com