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San Diego Section

2007 Football Log

Week 9 Game Reports

Games resume, but now what?

Posted Nov. 2, 2007

With the apparent cancellation of one week of regular season play by the San Diego Section as a result of the tragic wildfires that swept throughout the region last week, high school football teams across San Diego and Imperial counties have had to deal with the loss of key revenue-generating home games as well as the potential loss of playoff berths and possible league titles, not to mention the loss of personal statistics for college recruiting, because of the shortened schedule.

It may be a bitter pill to swallow. But in the larger scope, with more than a half million people having been forced to evacuate their homes because of approaching flames, South County included, the events on the athletic field pale in comparison to the courage exhibited by so many in the face of catastrophe.

For those not directly affected by evacuations, ash fallout and threat to loved ones and property by the out-of-control fires, they may wish to place an asterisk on the final regular season standings. While that may hold some truth, there are the many others, who fought back choking smoke, who are simply glad that a sense of normalcy has begun to return to their lives.

That included the resumption of sporting activities on Tuesday as students finally returned to school.
No one is questioning the section’s decision to cancel games of Oct. 22-28 because of fire danger and unhealthful air quality. However, in the week since the fires have been contained and the major threat eradicated, an increasing number of individuals — students, coaches and parents alike — have begun to question the section’s decision not to reschedule those lost games.

All sports were equally affected, not just football. CIF regulations state that no more than two football games can be played in an eight-day period. However, it appears that similar regulations do not apply to other sports such as volleyball, field hockey and water polo. In fact, teams regularly play multiple matches in tournaments and regularly play games on successive days.

Moreover, volleyball is played indoors.

The loss of key match-ups will alter the league standings as a result. No one will dispute that. League champions receive automatic entry into the section’s division playoffs and determining a designated league champion may now be a bit more complicated given that there may be a tie for the league title in some sports. On the flip side, the loss of key match-ups will not allow teams the opportunity to tie for a league title, with the possibility of winning an ensuing tie-breaker.

While it may be difficult to fit in an extra week of football games before the start of the section playoffs on Nov. 16, there still exists time for the so-called “minor sports” to add rescheduled contests to their athletic calendars. However, if that is to be done, it must be done this coming week.

The girls volleyball playoffs are scheduled to start Tuesday, Nov. 6. The boys water polo playoffs are scheduled to start Thursday, Nov. 8. The girls field hockey playoffs are scheduled to start Nov. 10. The section’s cross country finals are Nov. 17.

Proposals to reinstate the lost games have started to receive groundswell support. However, the most recent consensus among district superindendents reaffirmed the original decision by section commissioner Dennis Ackerman not to reschedule cancelled games.

If the regular season does end with a lost week of games, Mater Dei will be declared the South Bay League champion in boys water polo despite losing games against its two most competitive challengers: Hilltop and Mar Vista. In fact, one third of the league season will have been wiped out in both the South Bay League and Mesa League for boys water polo.

Cancelled games also impacted girls field hockey, girls volleyball and boys and girls cross country schedules.

What makes the San Diego Section’s stance hard to grasp for many is that the Southern Section, which also had schools threatened by wildfire danger, has allowed individual schools to make up lost games, including football games.

In a way, the loss of important games in volleyball, field hockey and boys water polo has the potential to give San Diego Section administrators a major headache.

Football ramifications
Mater Dei and Montgomery were to have played for what was essentially the South Bay League championship on Oct. 26. With a victory, the Crusaders (3-0 in league play) would have sewn up outright possession of the league title while the Aztecs (3-1 in league play) could have forced a co-championship with a win of its own. The loss of the game was especially tough for Montgomery, which holds a better win-loss record than does Mater Dei — 5-3 for the Aztecs compared to 3-4 for the Crusaders — in terms of a possible tie-breaker for playoff inclusion.

Mater Dei now needs wins at Southwest (Friday, Nov. 2) and home against Castle Park (Friday, Nov. 9) to finish undefeated in league play. Southwest is 0-3 in league play, 1-6 overall. Castle Park is 1-2 in league play, 1-6 overall.

Montgomery finishes regular season play with a home game this Friday, Nov. 2, against Mar Vista (2-2, 2-6).

With a hypothetical Aztec win over the Crusaders, Hilltop would have had a chance to tie for a rare tri-championship by going undefeated in its last three regular season games.

Now it appears that scenario is lost.

In the Mesa League, two key match-ups were cancelled: Chula Vista at Eastlake and Otay Ranch vs. Bonita Vista (at Southwestern College). Both Eastlake and Bonita Vista sported 2-0 league records heading into those games, with the opportunity arising for Chula Vista and Otay Ranch (both 1-1) to scramble up the league standings among teams all worthy of top 10 rankings status.

Last season, Chula Vista, Eastlake and Otay Ranch all tied for the Mesa League title.

As it stands now, either Eastlake or Bonita Vista has the chance to win outright possession of this year’s league title with victories in their final two games. The two eastside juggernauts pair up in the final regular season game Friday, Nov. 9, at Southwestern College. In order to stay on track for that championship match-up, Eastlake will need to get past Sweetwater (0-2, 2-5) and Bonita Vista will have to remain unscathed against Chula Vista (1-1, 6-1) in games this Friday.

A tri-championship scenario does exist if Chula Vista beats Bonita Vista and Bonita Vista then beats Eastlake. Otay Ranch could join into the mix for a quad-championship with wins in its final two games against San Ysidro (Nov. 2) and Sweetwater (Nov. 9).

But all that could change if the section rescinds its stance to not play the cancelled games.
The scenarios being promoted by those who wish to reschedule the cancelled games include erasing the first round of the playoffs, thus trimming participation from 12 teams down to eight, and substituting the cancelled regular season games (involving 86 teams). Among the games lost to cancellation is the annual Holy Bowl against St. Augustine and Cathedral Catholic.

Other proposals include pushing back the start of the playoffs to Nov. 20 and playing the second round on Nov. 24 instead of Nov. 23 to observe the eight-day rule. That would leave the semifinals and finals (at Qualcomm Stadium) to be played on successive Fridays as regularly scheduled.

In any event, action must be taken soon if any lost games are to be recovered.



Christian receives forfeit win, goes to 7-0
The defending San Diego Section Division V champion Christian Patriots recorded a win without even playing after being informed it had received a forfeit victory from Diamond Ranch. The Patriots had originally dropped a 6-0 decision in a non-league game at Diamond Ranch on Sept. 15. However, Diamond Ranch has since reported the use of an ineligible player and has had to forfeit seven games, including five wins.

Christian now becomes one of three teams in the San Diego Section sporting undefeated 7-0 records. However, because of the shortened season, the Patriots will be unable to score a perfect 10-0 regualr season campaign.

Christian joins Coastal League rival Bishop's and 2006 Division I runner-up Poway with 7-0 records. The Patriots' Oct. 26 league game against Bishop's was among those cancelled by the section. However, as both teams compete in the Division V enrollment level, there is the possibility of a high-stakes match-up in the upcoming playoffs.

With the forfeit losses, Diamond Ranch -- considered one of the powers in the Southern Section --dropped to 0-7.

East County Power Poll
1. Helix (5-1-1)
2. Steele Canyon (5-2)
3. Grossmont (6-2)
4. Christian (7-0)*includes one forfeit win
5. Mt. Miguel (5-2)
6. El Capitan (4-4)
7. Valhalla (2-5)
8. Monte Vista (3-4)
9. West Hills (3-4)
10. Granite Hills (2-5)
11. Santana (3-5)
12. El Cajon Valley (2-5)
13. Mountain Empire (3-4)
14. Foothills Christian (3-4)