Playoff revise plan could have Central playing VOL team

By Richard T. Estrada
restrada@modbee.com

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If Central Catholic�s football team reaches next year�s Sac-Joaquin Section final, it could face Oakdale or Sonora under a new proposal by the section playoff committee.

The original proposal was released Jan. 9 and sought to overhaul a format that had been in place nearly 30 years.

Tuesday�s revisions focused on Divisions 1 through 4, and highlights included:

Central quarterback Dylan Swartz and his Raiders teammates could face Valley Oak League teams Oakdale or Sonora if a revised Sac-Joaquin Section playoff plan is pushed through. (Ted Benson/The Modesto Bee)

PDF: Revised football playoff schedule

Picking the 24 at-large schools � 20 league champs and 20 runners-up earn automatic berths � without regard to enrollment. Originally, Divisions 1 and 2 would get 12 at-large spots and Divisions 3 and 4 would get 12.

Schools cannot play more than one division below their league. Christian Brothers of Sacramento is in a D-2 league, but its enrollment puts it at D-4. It would be allowed to drop no lower than D-3.

D-4 would have two eight-team brackets, 4A and 4B, based on enrollment. Following three weeks of playoffs, the winners of each bracket would play for a section title.

That�s where the Central angle comes in. Originally, Central�s situation was nearly identical to the way it is now.

Central, because of its low enrollment, would have continued to be paired against teams in the Trans-Valley and Mother Lode leagues. It would still play those teams during the first three weeks.

The difference would come in Week 4 of the playoffs: If Central wins 4B,it would play the 4A champ for a section title. There would be only one section champion for D-4.

Teams playing in 4A could also include Sierra, defending D-4 champion Whitney and perennial power Colfax.