Three County Teams Given At-Large Berths

Three of the eight Orange County football teams vying for at-large berths in the Southern Section playoffs were rewarded Sunday, but two of those three paid the price in the bracketing process.

Servite and Fountain Valley received two of the three available berths in Division I, and Ocean View was awarded the lone berth in Division VI.

Three county schools were shut out in Division IX in favor of Baldwin Park as each vied for the one playoff berth.

Baldwin Park (5-4-1), the fourth-place team from the Valle Vista League, got the nod over Troy (6-4), Costa Mesa (6-4) and Rancho Alamitos (5-4-1). Baldwin Park plays at third-seeded Brea Olinda on Friday.

“I thought it would be between us and Troy,” Costa Mesa Coach Jerry Howell said. “I didn’t anticipate Baldwin Park. The bottom line is that we have to win more games. We don’t have any gripes. We didn’t win enough games to go.”

Among the criteria for the selection committee was head-to-head competition, overall league strength, strength against common opponents and strength of schedule.

Troy was fourth in last week’s section rankings, even though it had lost to two other Freeway League teams, La Habra and Fullerton, that were ranked lower. Baldwin Park was ranked ninth and Costa Mesa and Rancho Alamitos were unranked. Troy and Baldwin Park, which had one victory apiece over a playoff team, lost their final games of the season.

Costa Mesa had three victories over playoff teams; all four losses were to playoff teams.

Rob Wigod, section assistant commissioner in charge of football, said the toughest decisions for the four-man selection committee were choosing at-large teams in Divisions VI and IX. He indicated that league strength was a factor in Baldwin Park’s selection.

Ocean View (6-4) was selected over Canyon (5-5) and Artesia (5-5) in Division VI, but must play second-seeded Irvine (10-0).

For finishing fourth in the Sunset League, Fountain Valley (5-5) will play top-seeded Long Beach Poly (10-0) as it did last season.

Servite (7-3) fared a bit better. The Friars have to play Edison with the winner probably playing No. 2 Los Angeles Loyola (9-1) in the second round.

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Tough Choices

This is what the playoff selection committee faced in choosing the final playoff berth in Division IX.

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Opposing Teams’ Record vs. School Record Record Playoff Teams Baldwin Park 5-4-1 42-57-1 1-3 Costa Mesa 6-4 41-57-2 3-4 Rancho Alamitos 5-4-1 41-56-3 1-4-1 Troy 6-4 44-56 1-3

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The combined record of teams each defeated: Baldwin Park (15-35, .300), Costa Mesa (15-43-2, .267), Rancho Alamitos (10-39-1, .220), Troy (13-47, .217)