Torrey Pines Is Top Seed in 2-A Playoffs

Six 2-A football teams finished the regular season with 9-1 records, but none of them received the division’s No. 1 seeding as pairings were established Saturday for next week’s Reebok/San Diego Section playoffs.

By virtue of a coin toss, the top seeding went to Torrey Pines, 8-2 and a tri-champion in the tough Avocado League with El Camino (9-1) and San Pasqual (9-1).

And believe it or not--as was the case when undefeated Morse was tabbed as the 3-A’s top seeding over undefeated Helix--there were reportedly few arguments or complaints about the pairings or the process by which they were determined.

El Capitan, seeded second in the 2-A, had reason to gripe about not being No. 1, but Vaquero Coach Dave Waastad balked at the opportunity.

“In honor of El Camino and San Pasqual, let’s give it to (Torrey Pines),” Waastad said. “That seemed to be the rationale. It’s that North County dominance theory again, but that’s OK. We’re happy with our (position).”

Torrey Pines plays Coronado (6-4), and El Capitan meets Serra (3-7).

Torrey Pines pleaded and begged and threatened legal action last spring to stop the section from moving it to the 2-A Avocado League this season. Conversely, Serra pleaded to switch from the 3-A City Eastern League to the 2-A City Central League and was granted such permission for football only.

The other 2-A seedings are No. 3 Kearny (9-1), which beat University City (9-1) on Friday, and No. 4 St. Augustine (9-1), which became the first team from the City Harbor League to receive one of the top four spots.

The fifth designated 2-A league champion, Crawford (7-3, 5-0 in the City Central League) is unseeded.

Although Serra and USDHS made the 2-A playoffs with 3-7 records and Lincoln and Valhalla with 4-6 marks, Marian (6-4), San Diego (5-5) and Mission Bay (5-4-1) did not, presumably because of strength of schedules and head-to-head meetings.

The 3-A pairings were settled in half the time it took to place the 2-A schools.

In addition to City Eastern champion Morse (10-0) and Grossmont 3-A titlist Helix (10-0), Palomar champion Mt. Carmel (8-1-1) received the No. 3 seeding and Bonita Vista (7-3) No. 4. Castle Park (8-2) and Bonita Vista tied for the Metro Conference title, but Bonita Vista beat Castle Park earlier in the season.

Five teams from Avocado, Palomar and Metro leagues made the playoffs, and the Metro could have a sixth, but the 3-A committee opted to include Mira Mesa (5-5) and Grossmont (6-4) instead of Montgomery (5-4-1).