Football: Revamping of playoff divisions begins

A football coaches' advisory committee met Thursday at the Southern Section office to begin the process of helping to revise playoff divisions for the 2008 season.

Leagues have until Feb. 8 to make recommendations whether to stay or move from their current alignment. Then the Southern Section sends out the new playoff divisions on March 14, and leagues can appeal.

Among the most interesting debates should be whether to pull the South Coast League, led by Mission Viejo, from the Pac-5 Division and replace it with a new Inland Empire-based eight-team league that will include Corona Centennial and Riverside North. But adding a new eight-team league would leave the Pac-5 with no at-large playoff berths.

There was also discussion Thursday about private and public schools. There could be a proposal to have separate playoff divisions for private and public schools coming at the March Southern Section Council meeting.

-- Eric Sondheimer

-- Image from http://wms.scripps.com