Football: Servite is very much alive for playoff berth, win or lose

Win or lose on Friday night against JSerra, Servite (4-5) is very much alive for an at-large berth to the Pac-5 Division playoffs as a possible fifth-place team out of the Trinity League.

The reason is the Friars don’t need to have a .500 record to be considered for an at-large berth. And based on the criteria for selecting a team, Servite’s strength of schedule and strength of league figure to give it more points than the Mission League No. 4.

Southern Section spokesman Thom Simmons tried to clarify conflicting language in the Bluebook and the playoff handbook regarding at-large selections.

“In any playoff grouping other than basketball, at-large selections will be considered from the next place beyond the guarantee that are .500 or better. After all those schools have been taken and there are still positions available, the next place teams that are .500 or better will then be considered. An example would be in football, some divisions allow two (2) entries per league. All 3rd place teams would be taken before any 4th place teams would be considered. (A tie will count as half a win and half a loss for a .500 record or better.)”

However, the playoff handbook and the Bluebook also state the following in the last sentence prior to that paragraph:

In the sport of football, a .500 or better record is not required for at-large submission/selection.

So here’s the scenario for a potential Q&A (again, this is just a hypothetical and not outlining this year’s standings):

Question - If a 5^th place Orange Lutheran – at 4-6 -- has more points by criteria than a 4^th place Santa Margarita – at 7-3-- can the 5^th place team from the same league be taken over the 4^th place team due to their greater than point total?

Answer – No, lower placed schools from the same league cannot be taken ahead of higher placed teams no matter their at-large criteria point value.

However…

Question - If a 5^th place Orange Lutheran – at 4-6 -- has more points by criteria than a 4^th place Millikan – at 6-4-- can the 5^th place team from a different league be taken over the 4^th place team due to their greater than point total?

Answer – Yes, lower placed schools from a different league can be taken ahead of higher placed teams from another league despite having a losing record if their at-large criteria point value is greater.

Here’s the criteria and point system:

(a) Head-to-head competition of teams under consideration (4 points)

(b) Overall strength of the league from which the team is entered (1 point)

(c) Overall win-loss record (1 point)

(d) Strength against common opponents (1 point)

(e) Strength of schedule (2 points, using overall win-loss record of opponents)

In other words, the loser of Crespi-Alemany on Friday night might not make the playoffs as a fourth-place team.

Twitter:@LATSondheimer