SLO County high school football playoff matchups are set. And lots of people aren’t happy
San Luis Obispo County High School football teams embark on their playoff campaigns this week, with most local teams facing Central Valley opponents.
And already, there’s a lot of chatter about how a new CIF-Central Section playoff system has seeded teams.
Last year, CIF-Central Section’s Board of Managers voted to approve a new computer system that uses an algorithm to create postseason scheduling — a change that has irked some fans and schools due to how the matchups and divisional seedings came out.
Citing majority board approval and input from leagues and coaches, CIF-Central Section officials designed the new system intending to create better parity based on ability.
It reorganizes teams into six divisions (plus another for eight-man football), with stronger teams moving up into higher divisions and weaker ones dropping down.
The CIF-Central Central postseason action kicks off Friday following the conclusion of the 11-week regular season.
Controversy over scheduling
The system matches teams based on win-loss performance and strength of schedule, using MaxPreps and CalPreps scheduling and score information as part of its algorithms for multiple high school sports.
But some fans have been baffled by the seedings.
Mission Prep won the Ocean League and went undefeated on its season, but the Royals start out on the road facing Lemoore in Division 2, the highest level bracket of any SLO County team this year, prompting anger among fans.
“How did this work?” said a Mission Prep fan, Jon Broyles, on Twitter. “So it paid to (lose) a game or two to have been ranked in an appropriate division? I’m so confused. Division 6 has (zero win) Pioneer ranked #3.”
Indeed, Pioneer Valley (0-7, 0-5) of Santa Maria has a bye in its opener as the No. 3 team in Division 6, and other CIF-Central Section teams with losing records are playing at home as part of the CIF-Central Section bracket scheduling.
Multiple Twitter commenters expressed criticism.
Matthew Cordoza Garber posted: “Ridiculous brackets rewarding last place teams that (have) losing records with high seeds and home games.”
Another poster, Jim, wrote “A lot of good teams getting worked over by the algorithm.”
And Norcalfitdude posted: “Definitely unfair and makes zero sense. But of course the playoff scenarios in the Central Section are a bit quirky.”
CIF’s board sought to pair similarly matched teams from schools in different leagues and regions and also cited the potential for COVID-19 to disrupt scheduling, which the new system helped prepare for, according to organization officials.
“By using current year’s data, the divisions would have teams placed with teams of common ability,” CIF officials wrote in a staff report for an Oct. 6, 2020, meeting. “Lastly, teams will benefit because schools will not be in divisions that are too high or too low for period of time that could benefit or hinder the program.”
At the Feb. 2021 board meeting, the proposal passed 42-0 to adopt the seeding process for one year.
CIF said it received input from regional, school and league representatives before moving forward with the new computer setup.
Officials acknowledge tweaks could be coming at future meetings.
Here’s a look at the playoff matchups for SLO County teams:
Mission Prep
The Ocean League champion Royals (9-0, 5-0) are the 10th-ranked team in the Division 2 bracket. They face No. 7 Lemoore (8-2, 4-1 West Yosemite League) on the road.
Arroyo Grande
The Mountain League co-champion Eagles (7-3, 4-1) play at home versus No. 13 Madera (4-6, 2-3 County/Metro League). Arroyo Grande is ranked No. 4 in the Division 3 bracket.
Paso Robles
The Mountain League co-champion Bearcats (6-3, 4-1) hit the road Thursday to face No. 6 Tulare Union (5-4, 4-1 East Yosemite League). Paso Robles is the No. 11 seed in Divison 3.
Nipomo
The Titans (6-3, 2-3 Mountain) host Mt. Whitney of Visalia (2-6, 1-2 West Yosemite). Nipomo, which finished fourth in the Mountain League, is the No. 1 seed in the Division 4 bracket facing the 16th seed.
San Luis Obispo
The Tigers (6-3, 4-1 Ocean League) host Ridgeview (1-7, 1-3 South Yosemite) in Division 5 at 7 p.m. Friday at Morro Bay High due to renovations of the SLO High field. SLO, which finished second in Ocean League play, is the No. 2 seed facing a No. 15.
Atascadero
The Greyhounds (3-7, 2-3 Ocean) open on the road to face Righetti (1-8, 1-4 Mountain) in Division 5. Atascadero finished third in the Ocean League. It is the No. 14 seed.
Morro Bay
The Pirates (4-6, 2-3 Ocean League) have a bye in their first game in Division 6 and will face either East Bakersfield or Orange Cove on Nov. 12 at home. Morro Bay finished fourth in the Ocean League.
Templeton
The Eagles (5-5, 2-3 Ocean) host North of Bakersfield (3-5, 2-2 South Yosemite) as the 7th-ranked seek in Division 5. Templeton finished fifth in the Ocean League.
Coast Union
As the No. 3 seed, the Broncos (7-2, 4-0 Coast Valley 8 man) host Calvary Baptist (6-3, 2-1) of La Verne in eight-man football at 5 p.m. on Friday.
This story was originally published November 1, 2021 at 2:57 PM.
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