Division III football bracket announced: Oakdale earns top spot, Davis gets No. 8 seed
The Sac-Joaquin Section released the Division III football playoff bracket on Monday morning.
The one-day delay comes as a result of a court hearing held Monday morning that announced a final ruling on Capital Christian’s attempt to block the Section’s two-year playoff ban after its alleged participation with an unsanctioned club football team during the spring.
According to the Sacramento Bee, Judge Laurie E. Earl issued a preliminary ruling against an injunction on Friday and in a short hearing Monday morning, decided there was no information Capital Christian’s lawyers could provide to change her mind.
“There’s nothing the court heard that will change its ruling,” the judge said. “It’s adopting the preliminary ruling as its final ruling.”
While Division III teams know their playoff fate, those in Division VII will have to wait a few more days as Ripon Christian is in a similar legal battle with the section in San-Joaquin County Courts. The school was granted a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on Tuesday, Oct. 26, and will receive its final ruling on Nov. 4. The Division VII layoffs, which consists of an eight team bracket, will begin on Nov. 12.
An attempt to reach Ripon Christian’s athletic director regarding the decision on Capital Christian was unsuccessful.
All Division III games are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 6, but can be played on Friday if teams agree.
Oakdale (7-2, 4-2) earned the No. 1 spot in Division III after finishing third in the Valley Oak League behind Division II No. 1 Central Catholic and Division IV No. 1 Kimball. The Mustangs have a first-round bye.
Undefeated Western Athletic Conference champion Davis earned the eighth seed and a home game at Modesto Junior College against ninth seed Roseville, the fifth place team in the Capital Valley Conference.
The winner of that game will play the following week at Oakdale.
Central California Conference champion Patterson (8-2, 6-0) earned the five seed and hosts No. 12 Burbank (6-4, 4-1).
