No. 2 Crespi Could Still Miss Playoffs

Crespi High, despite an 8-1 record and a No. 2 ranking in The Times Valley poll, may not make the Southern Section Big Five Conference football playoffs when bids are announced Sunday.

A Crespi loss to St. Francis on Saturday night, coupled with an Alemany win over first-place St. John Bosco and a Loyola victory over last-place Notre Dame on Friday, would leave Crespi, Alemany and Loyola all tied for second place in the Del Rey League with 3-2 records.

Because only three teams from each league are guaranteed playoff berths, a three-way coin toss between Crespi, Alemany and Loyola would decide which two would qualify. St. John Bosco is the only team in the league already guaranteed a playoff spot.

Crespi Athletic Director Paul Muff said the coin toss would take place either today or Saturday, after Friday’s Alemany-St. John Bosco and Notre Dame-Loyola games and before the Crespi-St. Francis contest on Saturday night.

Moreover, if St. Francis defeats Crespi, Alemany loses to St. John Bosco and Loyola loses to Notre Dame, St. Francis, Alemany and Loyola would be tied for third at 2-3. St. John Bosco would still win the league championship and Crespi would qualify for the playoffs as the second-place team.

A three-way tie for third also will be settled by a coin flip.

Two-way ties will be decided by head-to-head competition.

The Big Five Conference also grants one wild-card berth, awarded to the team the Southern Section believes is the best fourth-place team. If Crespi loses the flip, officially being declared the fourth-place team in the Del Rey, it would still have an 8-2 overall record. The best possible record any of the other leagues’ fourth-place teams could have is 6-4. If Alemany defeats St. John Bosco but loses the coin toss, it would have only a 4-6 record and out of consideration for a wild-card berth.

Meanwhile, Chaminade High has overcome a midseason slump and is back in the playoff picture in the Santa Fe League.

If Chaminade (4-4-1 overall, 4-1 in Santa Fe League) beats Harvard on Friday, it could force a three-way tie for first place between Chaminade, Harvard and Bell-Jeff.

“That one win is a long way from a league championship,” Coach Rich Montanio said.