PCAL Realignment

[RLS13]

Was mentioned in the CCS thread as well, but though I would start a separate one.

https://www.montereyherald.com/2025/01/07/high-school-football-realignment-in-the-pcal/

Above is the link (Maybe a paywall). Here are the new leagues for 2025

Gabilan Division
(4 automatic playoff qualifiers)

• Alisal
• Aptos
• Carmel
• Hollister
• Monterey
• North Salinas
• Palma
• Salinas
• Soquel

Mission Division North (or the old SCCAL)
(2 automatic playoff qualifiers)

• Monte Vista
• North County
• San Lorenzo Valley
• Scotts Valley
• St. Francis
• Watsonville

Mission Division South (or the old MTAL)
(2 automatic playoff qualifiers)

• Alvarez
• Soledad
• Pacific Grove
• King City
• Greenfield
• Stevenson

Santa Lucia Division
(1 automatic playoff qualifier)

• Gonzales
• Harbor
• Marina
• Rancho San Juan
• Santa Cruz
• Seaside
• Pajaro Valley

Initial reactions:
1. Gabilan is watered down. Add Carmel and move down Alvarez, but adding 2 more B level teams? It will just give Salinas, Soquel and Palma an inflated CCS ranking. (Maybe their goal?) Also only 2 non leagues, some only 1 in order to keep rivalries (think Carmel v PG and Monterey V Seaside)

2. Like the old SCCAL and MTAL Geographic's in the Mission divisions, but now each will have to find 5 non league games, that will be tough

3. Santa Lucia is a little top heavy - Harbor, Marina, and PV have 0 chance at a title, but the other 4 should be entertaining.

4. I like it better at 4, 7 league divisions with a crossover week to help with scheduling

 

[NorCalSportsFan]

You beat me to this post. Agree with your reaction .It should be the A league teams that can schedule more out of league, section and state nonleague games which Soquel, Salinas, Soquel, Hollister and Palma like to do. Waters down Gab which I think was good at 7 teams and probably optimal at 6 tems.

 

[carmelkyd]

I said this a couple of years ago. Gabilan coaches want more teams so they don't have to work so hard to find non-league games. Plus its really nice to add soft teams into the league (an A league with the points you get for playing - and beating - other A league teams) to jack up your team's CCS play-off point totals. We may see a team like Salinas set a new all-time CCS play-off points total in 2025.