Once again, the unique CCS situation comes back to bite the section in the buttocks. It created an Open Division for one simple reason: The WCAL. No other NorCal section has anything like a WCAL, an all-private school league that dominates in both boys and girls sports. With an Open Division, the idea is to quarantine as many WCAL teams as possible in the Open so that public schools can secure a few section crowns in other, lower divisions. Consolation games had to be set up to help an unfortunate, though worthy, school forced into the Open, to receive possible consideration for a NorCal game in its own enrollment bracket. SHP's rather amazing run has throw another wrench into that equation. By actually winning the Open unexpectedly, it forces NorCal officials to consider the school for a Division I slot rather than a Division III berth, where it really belongs. It's a mess. Blame the existence of the WCAL.
The CCS dilemma
- Thread starter colhenrylives
- Start date
My opinion is the old format had less loop holes. The current CCS playoff structure has a lot of loop holes. First it puts a premium on your schedule. Before I continue understand I am not speaking of the team’s that want to compete for the division 1 title. There are teams mostly private and transfer added that can reload every year. These teams are the CCS elite.
The new format rewards the under achievers in the A league’s and penalizes the over achievers everywhere else. The biggest hole is this, it puts coaches in a position that they know if they win a certain game they will be in a division probably to high for their program. I can’t stand the thought of putting that moral question on any coach let alone a coach that’s job is at stake. This is the only year that when I see an upset I look to see if it favored the loser for playoffs.
I hate to write this but it is my opinion of the new CCS playoff format.
The new format rewards the under achievers in the A league’s and penalizes the over achievers everywhere else. The biggest hole is this, it puts coaches in a position that they know if they win a certain game they will be in a division probably to high for their program. I can’t stand the thought of putting that moral question on any coach let alone a coach that’s job is at stake. This is the only year that when I see an upset I look to see if it favored the loser for playoffs.
I hate to write this but it is my opinion of the new CCS playoff format.
If nothing else, your heralded Colonel's deep thoughts do indeed stand the test of time.
Sorry, I miss the words of wisdom from Mud 'N Guts. Where in the name of Bill Walsh has he fled to?
The real tragedyIn thisI is half moon bay .I read where the coach said It would've been better off for him to loseThe Terranova game he would've gotten a Better seed.He said he would never do this.But he is not the only coach thinking like this.Watch how team schedule next year.Don't play anybody strongTo get your point total up.Because it might hurt you in the long run.Half moon bay Is a B League team But because of who they played in pre season they get pushed into the top division.When they should be in Division 2 At the least.
They are a very good team That I think win Any other division except the one that there in.I just wish we could've seen how good.I'm sure they will Compete really well Against's the padres.I wish them the best.
I’ve already heard of a few A League coaches are trying to schedule C teams pre season games to avoid Division 1. This doesn’t seem to be about equity, rather the best path to win a section title.
No matter the system, schools will look to game the system. Best way (and this will never happen) is to make one division that goes onto NorCals. There would be more incentive to play up or at the very least, make teams declare true intentions.
There is no perfect system for the CCS. I think people just need to get over that.
I agree with Speed City. There is no way to design a system that optimizes for every team, every year. I like this current system and think it will lead to highly competitive brackets and games from the first round forward. If you cherry pick and complain about one result from the system, you have to suggest an alternative that would be better.
The CCS seriously considered two other options. The first was to put all 40 teams in the field and make the cut-offs by CBED rankings instead of points. This would have huge mismatches and wasn't considered too seriously
The second was to keep the previous set-up of putting all A teams in the top three divisions and dividing them by CBED population and putting the B&C league teams in DIV and DV and sending the five champions onto regional play. This is how those brackets would have looked assuming HMB elected to opt up instead of playing in a DV bracket they would have breezed through. If you assume the old point system with no extra bonus points and norcal rankings (independent issues which effect which teams make at-large berths and seeding) that were added this year you would have had this.
The complaint here is you would have 5 or 6 of the best teams in DII. Alternatively if HMB stayed in DV they would have likely had a walk through to the regionals.
DI
8. Santa Teresa vs 1. Salinas/Los Gatos
5. Palo Alto vs 4. Mountain View
6. San Beito vs 3. Menlo-Atherton
7. Milpitas vs 2. Salinas/Los Gatos
DII
8. Lelandvs 1. Serra
5. Saint Ignatius vs 4. Oak Grove
6. Mitty vs 3. Wilcox
7. St. Francis vs 2. Valley Christian
DIII
8. Aptos vs 1. Live Oak
5. Terra Nova vs 4. Sacred Heart Prep
6. Kings Academy vs 3. Palma
7. Carmel vs 2. Half Moon Bay
If HMB didn't opt up to DIII then SI would be the 2 seed in DIII and Burlingame would have been the 8 seed in DII
DIV
8. Burlingame vs 1. Branham
5. Hillsdale vs Homestead
6. Silver Creek vs 3. Overfelt
7. Alisal vs 2. San Mateo
DV
8. Mt. Pleasant vs 1. Seaside
5. Monte Vista Christian vs 4. Soquel
6. Pacific Grove/Mills vs 3. Santa Cruz
7. Pacific Grove/Mills vs 2. Saratoga
Last spot was a coin flip between Silver Creek and Gonzales. If Gonzales had gone in they would be the 4 seed and Saratoga would have moved up and been the 2 seed in D4. If HMB did not opt up they would have been the #1 seed in DV and Saratoga would be bumped up to DIV as the 2 seed and Burlingame would be in DII.
The CCS seriously considered two other options. The first was to put all 40 teams in the field and make the cut-offs by CBED rankings instead of points. This would have huge mismatches and wasn't considered too seriously
The second was to keep the previous set-up of putting all A teams in the top three divisions and dividing them by CBED population and putting the B&C league teams in DIV and DV and sending the five champions onto regional play. This is how those brackets would have looked assuming HMB elected to opt up instead of playing in a DV bracket they would have breezed through. If you assume the old point system with no extra bonus points and norcal rankings (independent issues which effect which teams make at-large berths and seeding) that were added this year you would have had this.
The complaint here is you would have 5 or 6 of the best teams in DII. Alternatively if HMB stayed in DV they would have likely had a walk through to the regionals.
DI
8. Santa Teresa vs 1. Salinas/Los Gatos
5. Palo Alto vs 4. Mountain View
6. San Beito vs 3. Menlo-Atherton
7. Milpitas vs 2. Salinas/Los Gatos
DII
8. Lelandvs 1. Serra
5. Saint Ignatius vs 4. Oak Grove
6. Mitty vs 3. Wilcox
7. St. Francis vs 2. Valley Christian
DIII
8. Aptos vs 1. Live Oak
5. Terra Nova vs 4. Sacred Heart Prep
6. Kings Academy vs 3. Palma
7. Carmel vs 2. Half Moon Bay
If HMB didn't opt up to DIII then SI would be the 2 seed in DIII and Burlingame would have been the 8 seed in DII
DIV
8. Burlingame vs 1. Branham
5. Hillsdale vs Homestead
6. Silver Creek vs 3. Overfelt
7. Alisal vs 2. San Mateo
DV
8. Mt. Pleasant vs 1. Seaside
5. Monte Vista Christian vs 4. Soquel
6. Pacific Grove/Mills vs 3. Santa Cruz
7. Pacific Grove/Mills vs 2. Saratoga
Last spot was a coin flip between Silver Creek and Gonzales. If Gonzales had gone in they would be the 4 seed and Saratoga would have moved up and been the 2 seed in D4. If HMB did not opt up they would have been the #1 seed in DV and Saratoga would be bumped up to DIV as the 2 seed and Burlingame would be in DII.
There is no problem with the current CCS playoff system. The problem rests with the State and their bowl games not being reflective of having the best teams play in them. Competitive equity has surpassed being the best. HMB should feel honored to be considered in the top 8 of the section, even though they are from a smaller school. The fact that the bowl system rewards competitive equity is what the issue is and prevents HMB from being considered for a bowl game (unless they win). The NorCal play in games will feature 9th place, 17th place, 25th place and 33rd place teams from the CCS. We need a few years of this until everyone realizes that we want to see a true state playoff system and not a bunch of bowl games. I think HMB has had a great season and the fact that they are elevated to play with the best of the section is great achievement. Let's stop rewarding the lower seeded teams just because they have an easier path.
There are other anomalies in NorCal too, not just in CCS. One involves those two relics of another age: The 7-team AAA and the 6-team OAL. Basically, those two separate sections get a pass into regionals, play-in games or not. They don't have to worry about real playoffs. Until CIF finds some way to remedy the AAA/OAL farce, the NorCal bowl situation will be flawed.
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The AAA and OAL were heavyweights back in 1969, but 50 years later the sections are a complete joke. There is no longer a reason to grandfather these leagues into the CIF as viable self contained sections. Change is needed.
I think the best move would be to merge the OAL, AAA, NCS, and CCS into the BAS (Bay Area Section).
Then do you throw the NS in with the SJS and just have 2 sections north of Fresno?
