The 2018 high school football season kicks off Friday, Aug. 17. With it comes a new season of expectations.

The San Diego Section has tweaked its playoff format for the upcoming campaign, one that should make every division that much more competitive.

The top tier Open Division has been reduced from eight teams to four, with four top-quality teams now joining the fight for Division I supremacy.

Instead of 20 teams in the combined Open Division/Division I standings, as was the case before, with eight teams ticketed for Open Division play and the remaining 12 teams filling out the revamped Division I field, only 16 teams will fill out this year’s selection field — the top four for the Open Division and the remaining 12 for Division I.

All teams placed in the Open Division/Division I field will continue to make the playoffs. But with four fewer teams than last season, there is hope that a winless team will not be included in the group.

Bonita Vista finished 0-10 last season and was guaranteed a playoff berth, thus finishing with a rare 0-11 record following a postseason loss to Oceanside.

Correspondingly, teams shaved off the bottom of this year’s Division I field will drop down to the Division II level, with some of the bottom teams from the Division II level dropping to Division III and so forth.

There is the belief that the Division I field will be considerably strengthened with four teams that would have qualified for the Open Division in previous years and four bottom teams no longer available for selection.

The Open Division will become a dogfight with just two rounds of playoffs — the semifinals and championship game.

Who’s on first?
According to preseason playoff predictions by MaxPreps, Helix has the best chance to win this year’s Open Division title, followed by Torrey Pines, Mission Hills and Madison.

That would leave Steele Canyon as the top candidate to win this year’s Division I championship, followed by top challengers La Costa Canyon, San Marcos, Eastlake and Grossmont.

Helix finished 13-2 last season. The Highlanders defeated Mission Hills, 26-19, to win the section’s 2017 Open Division championship and advanced to defeat Oaks Christian, 28-13, in the state regional playoff round.

The Scotties could not get past Folsom in the Division 1-AA state championship bowl game, however, dropping a narrow 49-42 decision.

Elelyon Noa returns from last year’s Helix team after rushing for 1,782 yards and 15 touchdowns to cap a superlative sophomore season.

Helix, which once again plays a challenging schedule, kicks off the new season with a game at San Bernardino Cajon, the runner-up in last year’s Division 2-AA state bowl championship game.

Steele Canyon defeated Ramona, 33-29, to win last year’s Division II championship before going on to capture the Division 3-A state title. The Cougars turned in one of the most unforgettable seasons in 2017 after being seeded just seventh in the section playoffs.

Steele Canyon recorded wins against three higher-seeded opponents en route to claiming last year’s division championship, toppling second-seeded Bishop’s, 61-52, in the quarterfinals and edging sixth-seeded Granite Hills, 28-27, in the semifinals before upsetting Ramona for the Division II CIF championship, the first in school history.

There were a couple more cliffhangers in store for the Cougars in the state playoffs — a 28-26 win at El Modena in the semifinals and a 44-42 victory against Half Moon Bay in the state championship bowl game at Southwestern College.

Steele Canyon finished the season with a flourish by winning its final eight games, including a state record six playoff wins, to conclude its high-achieving season with a final 12-4 record.

The Cougars, who return eight defensive starters from last year’s state championship game, open 2018 play with a non-league game at Carlsbad.

With inclusion in the Division I field, both Eastlake (last year’s Metro-Mesa League runner-up) and Otay Ranch (last year’s Metro-Mesa League champion) are guaranteed playoff berths.

The Mustangs reached the Division II semifinals last year before being ousted by Ramona but would stack up ranked eighth best among the 12 qualifiers for this year’s Division I playoffs based on preseason rankings by MaxPreps.

Best of the rest
According to the MaxPreps’ rankings algorithm, Ramona is back on top among the section’s Division II teams, leading a top-end pack that also includes Valley Center, Granite Hills, Bishop’s, Southwest El Centro (last year’s Division III champion) and Lincoln.

Granite Hills earned honors with a 49-30 upset win over third-seeded Valley Center in last year’s Division II quarterfinals. The Eagles — 10-3 a season ago with a Grossmont Valley League championship in tow — return nine starters from last year’s CIF semifinalist team as the team switches over to the Grossmont Hills League this season.

Bonita Vista is among the teams that drop to Division II this season, joining fellow Metro-Mesa League rivals Olympian and Mater Dei Catholic in the 17-team division. Olympian (ranked ninth) heads the trio in the MaxPreps division rankings, while Mater Dei Catholic (ranked 12th) and Bonita Vista (ranked 15th) both will be pushing to make the 12-team playoff cut.

With Southwest El Centro (14-1 in 2017) moving up a division, what teams will fill the power vacuum in Division III? The MaxPrep rankings favor Monte Vista, Santa Fe Christian, Brawley, University City and El Capitan in that order.

Monte Vista makes the jump up a division after defeating San Diego, 71-48, to win last year’s Division IV championship. Jahmon McClendon scored eight touchdowns to lead the Monarchs in last year’s CIF title game.

McClendon, who is ticketed to play locally for SDSU next year, has rushed for more than 4,000 yards and scored 60 touchdowns in his prep career to date.

Tight end/defensive lineman Blake Schmidt, who will play at Montana State at the next level, is another impact returner. It was Schmidt’s ankle tackle on Chula Vista’s Kajahan Duncan that preserved a 29-28 overtime win in the quarterfinals of last year’s playoffs that cleared the way for the Monarchs to make their CIF title run.

Metro-South Bay League champion Hilltop lost to Southwest El Centro in last year’s Division III semifinals. The Lancers are rated ninth best in the 17-team division to start this season.

San Diego stands as the favorite to win this year’s Division IV championship, though La Jolla Country Day, Sweetwater, Kearny and Chula Vista are expected to give chase.

When the new divisional alignment was announced at the end of the 2017-18 school term, there was speculation that a Metro-South Bay League team might win this year’s Division IV championship.

It’s a distinct possibility, especially with Sweetwater (ranked third), Chula Vista (ranked fifth) and Mar Vista (ranked 10th) all pegged to qualify for postseason play. It will be interesting to watch the fortunes of the three league rivals over the course of the season, especially the order in which they finish in league play.

The Division V playoffs expand from eight to 12 teams this season, so expect the field to be more competitive, especially in the first round.

Vincent Memorial ran away with last year’s Division V title and is picked to win it again. There could be some surprise challengers, including Mountain Empire, Palo Verde Valley, Francis Parker and Holtville.

Vincent Memorial topped Crawford, 45-3, in last year’s section final before going on to drop a 38-20 contest to San Francisco Galileo in the Division 6-A state bowl championship game.

Southwest (ranked ninth), San Ysidro (ranked 14) and Castle Park (ranked 15th) all look to have something to prove as they battle for respect and inclusion in the expanded playoff division.

 

Extra points
Of the section’s six state playoff qualifiers last season, Steele Canyon was the only one to win a state championship.

Helix, Southwest El Centro and Vincent Memorial all lost in state bowl championship games while El Camino and Monte Vista finished their seasons with losses in the regional playoff round.

 

Hive alive
Lincoln finished undefeated in summer passing tournaments and will be looking to match or improve on last year’s 9-3 record behind new varsity quarterback Christopher Davila, who takes over for graduated signal-caller Asante Hartzog, a 5,000-yard career passer who is now a freshman at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo.

Davila threw three touchdown passes in last Saturday’s 35-0 win over Chula Vista in the SDNFL Magazine Kickoff Classic.

“It will be very challenging — I’ve got big shoes to fill,” Davila admitted. “But we have a lot of talent on the team. We think we have the most athletic guys in the county. It should be good.”

In other scrimmages last weekend, Christian defeated Hilltop while Eastlake slipped past highly-touted Madison 7-0.

 

 

 

South County’s eight-man football programs looking to play big on the field in 2018

South County’s three small private schools are competing in the eight-man football ranks this season.

All three schools will play each other once.

Calvary Christian Academy will play Victory Christian Academy in a non-league game Aug. 31 at Mt. Miguel High School and will also play Ocean View Christian Academy in a non-league game Sept. 7 on the OVCA campus.

Victory Christian Academy will test Ocean View Christian Academy in a Citrus League game Sept. 21 at Mt. Miguel High School.

All three teams will play 10-game schedules this season.

Calvary Christian Academy will compete in the Ocean League alongside Foothills Christian (El Cajon), Calvin Christian (Escondido), West Shores (Salton City), Julian and San Diego Jewish Academy.

The Citrus League includes St. Joseph Academy (San Marcos), Horizon Prep (Rancho Santa Fe), Borrego Springs, Warner Springs and Rock Academy (San Diego) besides Victory Christian Academy and Ocean View Christian Academy.

Regular season play ends Oct. 26, followed by semifinal playoffs on Nov. 2 and the eight-man championship game on Nov. 9.

Groundbreaking on Victory Christian Academy’s new athletic field and gymnasium took place Aug. 4 on the school’s 10-acre Rancho del Rey campus.

Included in the Vision to Victory project is a new sanctuary, state-of-the-art gymnasium/multi-purpose room (for basketball/volleyball) and multi-use athletic field (for football, soccer, field hockey, lacrosse and softball) to be used by school teams and shared with the community, 18 new high school and nine new elementary classrooms, new preschool facility, professional-grade music facilities, performing arts facilities, weight room and training facilities, 3D modeling and printing center, full-service kitchen, small group meeting and childcare rooms and expanded parking.

Victory Christian Academy is located at 810 Buena Vista Way, Chula Vista.

Ocean View Christian Academy is located at 2460 Palm Ave., San Diego.

Calvary Christian Academy is located at 1771 E. Palomar St., Chula Vista.

Looking ahead
Victory Christian finished 3-5 last season at the eight-man level with an underclassman-heavy lineup. Tested talent returns in senior quarterback/defensive end/receiver Larry Oldham, senior running back/defensive end/quarterback Adam White and junior receiver/defensive back Jalen Wilson.

White helped key the Knights last season with nine touchdowns — eight rushing and another on a kickoff return. He rushed for a team-leading 753 yards while contributing a team-leading 127 tackles, 12 sacks and two interceptions.

Oldham passed for three touchdowns and rushed for four more. He also logged 48 tackles and 5.5 sacks.

Wilson had two receiving touchdowns on offense and six interceptions on defense.

Junior Edwin Munoz registered six sacks and made 41 tackles last season.

Other key players this season include sophomore receiver/defensive back Weston Spracklin, junior defensive back/receiver Leo Archiga and junior linemen Nicholas Burch, P.J. Martinez and Kyle Megahan.

Of that bunch, Archiga had 2.5 sacks.

Ocean View finished 5-4 last season, 3-3 in league play. The Patriots lost five players to graduation, including their quarterback and top rusher. Filling those key spots will be a top order for the team.

Junior Josh Phu does return as the team’s top receiver from last year after catching two touchdown passes.

Senior Diego Orozco returns as the team’s place-kicker after making 12 of 15 extra-point conversions last season to go with two field goals.

Calvary Christian finished 3-7 last season, including a 1-3 mark in league play. The Royal Knights are led by top returners Nick Madrid (defensive end) and Aaron Sanchez (defensive back/receiver).

Other players being counted on this season include quarterback Malachi Chapman, receiver/defensive back Michael Chapman, running back/defensive back Josiah Carlos and lineman Colt MacIntosh.

 

 

Prep Football Schedules

Calvary Christian Academy Royal Knights
August
17: CCA at Horizon Prep, 3:30 p.m.
25: CCA vs. Rock Academy at Francis Parker, 5 p.m.
31: CCA vs. Victory Christian Academy at Mt. Miguel, 7 p.m.
September
7: CCA at Ocean View Christian Academy, 3:30 p.m.
14: CCA at Borrego Springs, 7 p.m.
21: Bye
28: Foothills Christian at CCA, 7 p.m.
October
5: CCA at Julian, 3 p.m.
12: CCA at San Diego Jewish Academy, 2:15 p.m.
19: West Shores at CCA, 7 p.m.
26: CCA at Calvin Christian, 6 p.m.

 

Victory Christian Academy Knights
August
24: Victory Christian Academy vs. Foothills Christian at Junior Seau Field, 7 p.m.
31: Victory Christian Academy vs. Calvary Christian Academy at Mt. Miguel, 7 p.m.
September
7: Bye
14: Victory Christian Academy at Warner Springs, 3 p.m.
21: Victory Christian Academy vs. Ocean View Christian Academy at Mt. Miguel, 7 p.m.
28: Victory Christian Academy at Borrego Springs, 7 p.m.
October
5: Victory Christian Academy vs. St. Joseph Academy at Valhalla, 7 p.m.
12: Victory Christian Academy at Horizon Prep, 3:30 p.m.
19: Victory Christian Academy vs. Rock Academy at Mt. Miguel, 7 p.m.
26: Victory Christian Academy vs. San Pasqual Academy at Mt. Miguel, 7 p.m.

 

Ocean View Christian Academy Patriots
August
24: San Diego Jewish Academy at Ocean View Christian Academy, 3 p.m.
31: Ocean View Christian Academy at Julian, 3 p.m.
September
7: Calvary Christian Academy at Ocean View Christian Academy, 3:30 p.m.
14: Horizon Prep at Ocean View Christian Academy, 3:30 p.m.
21: Ocean View Christian Academy vs. Victory Christian Academy at Mt. Miguel, 7 p.m.
28: Ocean View Christian Academy at St. Joseph Academy, TBA
October
5: Bye
12: Rock Academy at Ocean View Christian Academy, 3:30 p.m.
19: Ocean View Christian Academy at Borrego Springs, 7 p.m.
26: Warner Springs at Ocean View Christian Academy, 3:30 p.m.