Posted Jan. 16, 2003
The Metro Conference roller
hockey season just got a whole lot more competitive following the decision to
split the conference’s 11 teams into Division I and Division II playing circuits
for the remainder of the regular season and championship playoffs.The top six teams will compete in Division I while the bottom five teams will compete in Division II — the same arrangement for last year’s playoffs that served as a perfect ending to a stellar season.
Under the revised format — traditional league titles appear to have been abandoned for competitive reasons — the top six teams will play one another twice to augment their 10 first-half regular season contests. The five Division II squads will play two four-game round-robin circuits, with the top two finishers advancing to the Division II playoff championship game.
The Division I playoff field will be seeded based on overall record, inclusive of both first-half and second-half play. The top two teams will receive byes in the first-round with the third-seeded team playing the sixth-seeded team and the fourth-seeded team meeting the fifth-seeded team in the opening round. The top-seeded team will take on the lowest remaining-seeded team while the second-seeded team will take on with the highest remaining-seeded team in the semifinals.
The playoffs start in late February.
“The top six teams will be playing each other. It’s just awesome,” said Skate San Diego operator Joe Noris, a former NHL and WHA pro standout.
Scripps Ranch (8-0), Hilltop (7-1), La Jolla Country Day (6-2), Eastlake (6-2), Castle Park (4-3) and Bonita Vista (4-4) will comprise the Division I field while Mar Vista (4-4), Sweetwater (2-6), Chula Vista (2-6), Montgomery (1-7) and Southwest (0-8) will compete in the Division II field.
Bonita Vista got a taste of what to expect in Tuesday’s 7-2 loss to Scripps Ranch in a rematch of last year’s Division I championship game — that went to the underdog Barons in overtime. Bonita Vista coach Keith Quigley said it was one of his team’s best showings this season.
“Scripps Ranch is deep. We’re not as deep. It was a good effort,” said Quigley, whose team was also tested in a recent 9-3 loss against Eastlake. “I have four or five strong guys and mix in some other guys. Scripps Ranch is strong.”
Dan Comrie — last year’s Metro Conference Player of the Year — led the Falcons with three goals and one assist while older brother Rick Comrie contributed a goal and two assists and Kevin Pope added a goal and assist.
Austin Ballow keyed the Barons with a pair of goals — both assisted by James Arakaki.
Scripps Ranch coach Greg Friedman pointed out his team started two freshmen (Grant Chindra and Andrew Reinhold) and a sophomore (Andrew Woodfine) on its top two lines.
“We didn’t want them to score — not even one goal. We were still smarting from last year,” Friedman said.
La Jolla Country Day— the conference’s other out-of-district member — also appears to be coming on strong. The Torres rolled to their fifth consecutive win following Tuesday’s 10-5 victory against Eastlake. Nathan Sigmund (3 goals, 1 assist) and Frankie Warren (1 goal, 3 assists) keyed LJCD with four points apiece while Chris Bartlett and Max Guise each had two goals and one assist.