SOUTHERN SECTION FOOTBALL PLAYOFF PAIRINGS : Santa Margarita ‘Disappointed’ With Division IV Entry

The Santa Margarita High School football team, which played as an independent this season, was named the at-large entry in the Division IV playoffs by a Southern Section committee Sunday.

And the decision did not sit well with Santa Margarita Coach Jim Hartigan.

“I’m very disappointed,” Hartigan said. “Last year, we competed in Division IX, and to get bumped up to Division IV is very surprising. I figured Division VII, VIII or IX.”

Santa Margarita, in its third year of existence, finished the regular season 10-0 while playing an independent schedule with its first senior class.

Most thought Santa Margarita would be the at-large entry in Division VI, where four Orange County leagues compete with the Montview League. Instead, Bassett (5-4-1) was awarded the at-large entry in the division.

“The committee considered placing Santa Margarita in about six different divisions and felt, all things considered, that Division IV was the right placement,” said Bill Clark, Southern Section administrator.

“The committee looked at Santa Margarita as a separate entity and made its decision regardless of what division it played in last year. The school’s record, schedule and game scores were the factors considered.”

Last year, Santa Margarita competed as a member of the Olympic League with sophomores and juniors and advanced to the quarterfinals of Division IX play before losing to Carpinteria, 21-14. Carpinteria eventually won the division title.

The decision to place Santa Margarita in Division IV meant that Whittier (5-5) of the Whitmont League was left out of the playoffs. Whittier beat Whitmont League champion El Rancho in its final game to earn consideration for the at-large berth.

“It’s going to be tough getting up to play teams out of Orange County,” Hartigan said. “We played only one county school (University) all year and traveled from one end of the section to the other.

“We got a seed, but I’d rather be playing in a lower division as an unseeded team than playing as the fourth seed in Division IV.”

While Santa Margarita earned a playoff berth, Marina (6-4), Irvine (6-4) and La Habra (6-4) were denied at-large bids in Division I, II and VI respectively.

As expected, Eisenhower (10-0) was accorded the top-seed in Division I after ending Fontana’s 23-game winning streak (16-7) last week. Eisenhower will play host to Ocean View (5-3-1) in the opening round.

“I expected to be playing a seeded team, but to draw the No. 1 team is a big, big surprise to me,” Ocean View Coach Howard Isom said. “Eisenhower has size, speed, athletic talent and an option attack that Fontana couldn’t handle.

“If we can somehow get by Eisenhower, we’ll be in good shape, but that word if is growing larger all the time.”

Edison (9-1) was seeded fourth in the division and will play host to Rubidoux (4-6) Friday at Orange Coast College. Edison advanced to the semifinals of the division last year, where it lost to Fontana, 48-35.

Fontana (9-1) was seeded third and meets Palmdale (4-6) in the first round. Fontana was placed in the tough lower bracket along with Loyola (8-2), Canyon Country Canyon (9-1) and Bishop Amat (8-1).

The division’s championship game is scheduled for Dec. 7, at Anaheim Stadium, but the section’s best game might take a back seat to the Division II championship, in which several quality teams open play on Friday.

Two-time defending Division III champion Paramount (10-0) has moved up a level to Division II with an 18-game winning streak over two seasons as the top-seeded team. Paramount has compiled a 35-2 record over the past two years and is the class of the division.

The county’s top-ranked team, Mission Viejo (9-1), is seeded second and rival El Toro (9-1) is seeded fourth. El Toro drew the rare distinction of being a seeded team, but losing a coin flip and having to travel to Ventura to meet Buena (5-5) in its first-round game.

“Do you ever leave here on pairings day satisfied?” asked El Toro Coach Bob Johnson. “We’re seeded and on the road, but the good news is we could have a home game for the second round if we win.”

Capistrano Valley (8-2) will travel to Ventura (7-2-1) on Friday.

Esperanza, Tustin and Whittier Christian, three of the county’s five unbeaten teams, were all top-seeded in their divisions.

Esperanza (10-0) completed its first perfect season in 10 years and was ranked No. 1 in Division III. Esperanza will play host to Alhambra (4-6) Friday at Valencia’s Bradford Stadium.

The division’s most attractive first-round game matches Loara (6-4) against Villa Park (6-4) at a site to be determined today. Villa Park has been designated as the home team.

Tustin (10-0) will play host to Bassett (5-4-1), the at-large entry, in Division VI, where 12 county schools dominate the 16-team field. La Quinta (10-0) is seeded second, Sunny Hills (7-3) is third and Brea-Olinda (7-2-1) is fourth.

Two-time defending champion Corona del Mar (5-4-1) will travel to Brea for its first-round game. Corona del Mar Coach Dave Holland was asked if his team could win the title a third time.

“The chances are as remote as Elvis rising up from the grave,” Holland said.

Whittier Christian (9-0) will play host to San Jacinto (5-5) in a Division IX game Friday at Whittier College. Three other Olympic League members--Orange Lutheran, Valley Christian and Brethren Christian--also qualified.

Brethren Christian (7-2) earned the at-large entry and plays at third-seeded Beaumont (9-1).

The playoff committee gave little respect to the Pacific Coast League teams in Division VII, even though PCL members have won Division VIII titles the three previous three seasons.

League champion Laguna Hills (8-1-1) will play host to St. Monica (6-4) Friday at Mission Viejo High. Laguna Hills and Norwalk were the only league champions to draw a No. 2 entry in the section’s 10 playoff divisions.

The game will mark a reunion between Laguna Hills quarterback Casey Sullivan and his former teammates at St. Monica. Sullivan transferred from St. Monica to Laguna Hills last spring.

Costa Mesa (6-4), the No. 2 entry from the league, will travel to fourth-seeded Arroyo Grande (8-1).

Costa Mesa Coach Tom Baldwin was upset with the draw.

“We really got jabbed,” Baldwin said. “We’re the second-place team, and we drew a seeded team. The seeded teams should play the at-large teams. We would have been better off to lose our last game. We wouldn’t have to travel so far, and we would be playing an easier team.”

Two-time defending champion Trabuco Hills (4-5-1) earned one of the division’s four at-large berths and will travel to top-seeded Serra (8-0) Friday.

Complete pairings on page C25.