This year’s CIF Southern Section playoff matchups have caused a stir and opinions are varying among Inland area coaching on both the boys and girls sides.
The section pairings and brackets, released on Saturday, were based upon in-season rankings, which are being used for the first time to determine playoff division placement.
Santiago’s girls and Arlington’s boys are back in the Open Division but beyond that is where things get interesting for local teams.
Roosevelt returns to defend its Division 1 championship but will do so without leading goal scorer Ireland Churchill. The Mustangs (15-3-7 overall) play at Great Oak (15-5-2) on Wednesday.
“(Great Oak) won the Southwestern League, which is one of the toughest in the Southern Section,” Roosevelt coach Andrew Tillekooh. “I believe in our team and our quality and work rate so we know it will be a great test for us.”
The rankings-based seeding system also created some intra-league matchups in the first round. On the girls’ side, there’s a 100-percent chance a Baseline League team will move on to the second round after Etiwanda (15-4-2) hosts Rancho Cucamonga (14-7-2) in a Division 1 match on Wednesday.
“It’s something that needs to be fixed,” Etiwanda coach Jason Montgomery said. “I think it’s pretty goofy that we play someone from our league. That is definitely a flaw in this new power ranking playoff system.”
On the boys’ side, Norco (11-2-7) hosts Santiago (8-6-3) in an all-Big VIII League matchup in Division 2.
“I think a revision should be made for next year to avoid same-league matchups,” Santiago coach Henry Sierra said. “On the positive side, travel will be easy for this game and we know our opponent.”
Valley View’s Jose Melgoza has an issue with how home field was determined. His Eagles (11-7-2) play at Redlands East Valley (13-4-4) in a Division I first round match on Thursday, weather permitting.
“The only thing I do not like about the ranking system is how league placement does not matter,” Melgoza said. “We finished second in (Ivy) League and have an away game but Riverside Poly finished third and they play at home. Overall record is what matters.”
Norte Vista’s boys won their first River Valley League title in three seasons and are the No. 2 in Division 3. The Braves (12-3-4) host Troy on Thursday.
“It’s a favorable seeding but it’s the playoffs so nothing is really assured,” Norte Vista coach Matt Beliveau said.
Rain is forecast for the Inland region for Wednesday through Friday, which may impact kickoff times
SPARTANS KEEPING IT SIMPLE
San Andreas League boys champion Jurupa Hills is untangling the mysteries of defending under stress.
“One of the things I learned this season is that a lot of the goals we allowed came from just simple mistakes,” Jurupa Hills coach Gilberto Jara Castillo said. “If we clean those up then I think we’re dangerous.”
The Spartans (13-6-4) travel to play Walnut in a Division 2 first round matchup on Thursday
“Last year we made it to the third round so we can’t take our foot off the pedal,” Castillo said.
Jurupa Hills is 44-28-19 under Castillo and has qualified for the playoffs each of the last three seasons.
GOAL LEADERS
Ganesha freshman Izabella Acosta has totaled 27 goals over her last five matches for 49 on the season, 16 more than Arlington’s Michaela Fitzpatrick heading into the playoffs.
The Inland area had five girls among CIF-SS’s top 20 goal scorers, according to MaxPrep.com.
Senior Lexie Jimenez (Heritage) has 30 goals, junior Paige Mouw (Ontario Christian) and senior Lilliana Hutchings (Norco) are tied on 28, while Churchill finishes her junior season ranked 18th in the section with 26.
