Southern Section Football Playoffs

A brief look at the six Southern Section football divisions that include Orange County schools (pairings to be announced today):

DIVISION I

League champions--Rialto Eisenhower (9-1, Citrus Belt), Los Angeles Loyola (9-1, Del Rey), Long Beach Poly (10-0, Moore), Santa Margarita (8-2, Serra), Esperanza (9-1, Sunset).

Overview--Defending co-champions Long Beach Poly and Mater Dei, along with traditional powers Eisenhower, Redlands, Loyola, Santa Fe Springs St. Paul, Edison and Los Alamitos make for a succession of intriguing matchups. It can only get better if Santa Margarita, two weeks after its upset of Mater Dei, continues to perform at that level, and if Esperanza, with one of its strongest teams ever, can improve upon its 1-6 postseason record since moving up to Division I.

Wild card--With three berths available in this division, Servite is a shoo-in at 7-3. Rialto of the Citrus Belt is also a likely choice at 6-4, and with no other Del Rey or Moore team holding a winning record, Fountain Valley appears to be a good bet at 5-5.

DIVISION II

League champions--Upland (9-1, Baseline), Alta Loma (8-2, Mt. Baldy), Downey (10-0, San Gabriel Valley), Diamond Bar (9-1, Sierra), Mission Viejo (8-2, South Coast)

Overview--South Coast League schools went 1-3 last year, their first in Division II. A strong field that includes defending champion Diamond Bar won’t make the going any easier.

Wild card--Only Paramount of the San Gabriel Valley League has as good as a 5-5 record among the five fourth-place teams.

DIVISION VI

League champions--Villa Park (9-1, Century), Loara (6-4, Empire), Tustin (9-1, Golden West), Irvine (10-0, Sea View), La Mirada (10-0, Suburban)

Overview--The Sea View League has put at least one team in the section final in each of the last 12 seasons, winning 10 times, and with Irvine unbeaten that streak has a good chance of getting longer. High-powered offenses at Villa Park and Tustin and an unbeaten team from outside the county could make for an interesting four weeks.

Wild card--Ocean View has the best record among the contenders at 6-4, with Artesia of the Suburban League and Canyon at 5-5.

DIVISION IX

League champions--La Habra (9-1, Freeway), Pacifica (6-4, Garden Grove), Western (9-1, Orange), University (8-2, Pacific Coast), West Covina South Hills (9-1, Valle Vista)

Overview--Last year, a Valle Vista school, La Verne Bonita, ruined the party for the local schools in this predominantly Orange County division. With no clear-cut favorite this year, South Hills could make that happen again.

Wild card--Four of the five fourth-place teams have winning records, with the pick to come from among Costa Mesa (6-4), Troy (6-4), Rancho Alamitos (5-4-1) and the Valle Vista League’s Baldwin Park (5-4-1).

DIVISION XI

League champions--L.A. Cathedral (9-0, Camino Real), Ojai Nordhoff (7-3, Frontier), Orange Lutheran (8-2, Olympic), Ventura St. Bonaventure (10-0, Tri-Valley).

Overview--Expectations may be reduced at Orange Lutheran after disappointing quarterfinal losses the last two seasons. The defending champion, St. Bonaventure, is unbeaten.

Wild card--With only four leagues in the division, each league will receive four berths with no wild-card berth.

DIVISION XIII

League champions--Capistrano Valley Christian (7-3, Academy), Anza Hamilton (8-2, Arrowhead), Redlands Arrowhead Christian (9-1, Christian), Boron (7-3, Desert Mountain), Pasadena Poly (9-0, Prep).

Overview--All three Academy League teams went out in the first round last year, and haven’t done well enough in nonleague games to suggest a better performance this year.

Wild card--St. Margaret’s (4-4-1) and Covina Western Christian (5-5) have the best records of the fourth-place teams.