High School Review : Playoff Scramble Enters Final Week

As the final week of the high-school regular football season begins, only two of the nine 2-A and 3-A league races have been decided, meaning several teams’ fate will be determined Friday night.

To prolong the wait, some schools will not know if their season has ended until the San Diego Section seeding committee selects the four at-large teams in each division Saturday at 8 a.m.

The top two teams from each league, except the Grossmont 2-A League, will automatically advance to the playoffs. The Grossmont 2-A League will send only its top team because it is a four-team league.

The section seeding committee will select four at-large teams from each division based on the teams’ record and common opponents.

A look at the playoff picture:

3-A Division

City Eastern League: Point Loma (9-0, 4-0) and Morse (7-2, 4-0) meet for the league title Friday. Both teams will make the playoffs as the league gets two automatic qualifiers. The winner gets a first-round bye and the loser has to play in the first round.

Grossmont 3-A League: Mount Miguel (9-0, 3-0) and Helix (7-1-1, 3-0) also meet for the league title Friday with the same consequences as the Eastern League.

Metro-Mesa League: Sweetwater (7-2, 3-0) can clinch the league title with a victory over Bonita Vista (4-4-1, 2-1). Chula Vista (5-1-3, 2-1) can finish second with a win at Montgomery (4-5, 1-2). If Bonita Vista and Chula Vista win, there would be a three-way tie for first. Chula Vista has defeated Bonita Vista (14-6) and Sweetwater beat Chula Vista (20-0).

Palomar League: Mt. Carmel (8-0, 5-0) clinched the title with a 21-7 victory over San Dieguito last week. The battle is for second place with Fallbrook (6-3, 3-2), Vista (6-3, 3-2) and Orange Glen (6-2-1, 3-2) all tied. This week, Mt. Carmel plays host to Fallbrook, Orange Glen is at Poway (3-5-1, 1-4) and Vista is at San Dieguito (5-4, 1-4). Orange Glen has the edge, having beaten Vista (30-18) and Fallbrook (42-27). Vista defeated Fallbrook, 50-19.

At Large: The Palomar League figures to get at least two at-large teams because of its strength. Those two will come from Vista, Fallbrook and Orange Glen--whichever teams fail to finish second. This would leave two more openings with leading candidates being Granite Hills (4-5), Chula Vista (5-1-3) if it finishes third in the Metro-South Bay League, San Dieguito (5-4) or Torrey Pines (4-4-1).

2-A Division

City Central League: Lincoln (7-2, 4-0) can clinch the title outright with a victory at San Diego (1-8, 1-3). Even with a loss, Lincoln would go as the league’s top seeded team, having beaten Crawford (48-14) and Christian (27-12). Christian (5-4, 3-1) and Crawford (6-3, 3-1) meet to decide the league’s No. 2 spot Friday at Patrick Henry.

City Western League: La Jolla is in position to win the title with a victory against Clairemont (4-4-1, 1-2-1). Even with a loss, La Jolla has a good chance to be the league’s No. 1 team, having defeated second-place University of San Diego High School (10-7). USDHS (8-1, 3-1) has clinched no less than second place because third-place Clairemont is 1 1/2 games back.

Grossmont 2-A League: Valhalla (2-6, 1-1) could win its first league title with a victory at Grossmont (3-5-1, 1-1). If Valhalla wins, it will receive the league’s one guaranteed playoff spot because it defeated first-place El Capitan (12-7). If Grossmont wins, El Capitan (6-3, 2-1) will advance as the league’s entry, having defeated the Foothillers (17-6).

Metro-South Bay League: Mar Vista (7-2, 4-0) already clinched the title. Coronado (6-3, 1-2) looked as if it would finish second, but lost to Hilltop, 21-19. Hilltop (2-6, 2-1) can take the league’s No. 2 spot with a win against Castle Park (1-5-2, 1-2). If Coronado defeats last-place Marian (2-6, 0-4) and Castle Park defeats Hilltop, there would be a three-way tie for second. Coronado defeated Castle Park, 10-7.

Avocado League: Three teams have a chance to win the title but Oceanside (4-3-2, 4-1-1) has a half-game edge entering its game at Escondido (2-7, 2-4). San Pasqual (4-5, 4-2) plays at San Marcos (4-3-2, 4-2) with the winner guaranteed no less than second place.

At-Large: There is a possibility that as many as three of the five at-large teams could have losing records. Schools with a good chance at an at-large berth are the Christian-Crawford loser and the loser of the San Marcos-San Pasqual game. If Coronado finishes third in the Metro-South Bay League, it could go with its winning record although three of its victories are against 1-A teams and another is against CETYS of Tijuana. If Coronado finishes second, however, the selection committee will most likely choose from El Camino (4-5), Clairemont (4-4-1) and Grossmont (3-5-1). If Coronado defeats Valhalla, the Carlsbad -Rancho Buena Vista winner or El Cajon Valley (5-4) will probably get the berth.

The San Diego Section girls’ volleyball championship tournament starts Wednesday with three-time defending 3-A champion Poway, defending 2-A champion University of San Diego High School and defending 1-A champion Francis Parker trying to repeat.

Poway is the only one of the three defending champions not ranked first in its division. Poway (10-3) plays host to Granite Hills (14-10), the No. 3 team from the Grossmont League in a first-round match Wednesday. In other first-round matches Wednesday, Serra (22-9) plays host to Bonita Vista (19-11), Mira Mesa (12-12) is at Torrey Pines (30-4) and Fallbrook (22-9) is at Valhalla (19-6). All matches are at 7 p.m.

Top-seeded Mt. Carmel (24-5), the Palomar League champion, No. 2 Grossmont (25-5), No. 3 Madison (15-7) and No. 4 Sweetwater (10-16) have first-round byes and will play host to first-round winners Saturday at 7 p.m.

First-round games in the 2-A division have Crawford (15-4) playing host to Oceanside (11-4), Marian (20-10) playing host to University City (7-8), Rancho Buena Vista (8-13) traveling to La Jolla (8-2) and San Marcos (14-5) at Hilltop (17-11).

Top-seeded USDHS (10-0), No. 2 Christian (25-4), No. 3 Mar Vista (21-8) and No. 4 San Pasqual (18-5) play host to first-round winners Saturday at 7 p.m.

The 2-A and 3-A semifinals will be held Nov. 18 at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. The 2-A semifinals are at Torrey Pines and the 3-A semifinals are at University City.

In the 1-A championship quarterfinals are Saturday at 7 p.m. with top-seeded Francis Parker (20-3) plays host to Midway Baptist (7-8); No. 2 Calvin Christian (17-1) plays host to Mountain Empire (10-12); No. 3 Holtville (18-2) plays host to La Jolla Country Day (7-7) and No. 4 Calipatria (5-11) plays host to The Bishop’s School (7-7).

The 1-A semifinals will be Nov. 18 at Point Loma at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.