Football: Trinity and Serra League teams are each a combined 14-1

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If you want to know how tough it’s going to be to make the Pac-5 Division playoffs, take a look at the Trinity and Serra leagues. Trinity teams are 14-1. So are Serra teams.

There will be some very good teams not making the playoffs. The Trinity is guaranteed three spots. The Serra has two spots. There will be two at-large berths.

Who’s not going to make it among Trinity teams Orange Lutheran (3-0), Santa Margarita (3-0), St. John Bosco (3-0), Mater Dei (2-0), JSerra (2-0) and Servite (1-1)?

Who’s not going to make it among Serra teams Crespi (4-0), Alemany (3-0), Loyola (3-0), Bishop Amat (2-0-1) and Notre Dame (2-1)?

Now you begin to understand why teams celebrating early in the season could be left out at the end once the brutal league schedule begins. Going 5-0 in nonleague games won’t guarantee a playoff berth.

But winning nonleague games that truly matter can help when the Southern Section decides who gets an at-large berth. That makes Friday’s St. John Bosco-Loyola game important and makes Bishop Amat’s win over Servite important.

The other league off to a terrific start is the Marmonte, where St. Bonaventure (3-0), Oaks Christian (3-0) and Westlake (3-0) are playing like they belong in the Pac-5.

-- Eric Sondheimer