Carlsbad, Mission Hills, Cathedral Catholic, La Costa Canyon advance to SD playoff field

The CIF San Diego Section has finalized its top tier for high school football, confirming that four programs will contest the Open Division title. Carlsbad, Mission Hills, Cathedral Catholic, and La Costa Canyon will meet in a two round bracket to decide the section champion. Although the specific pairings for this tournament are not scheduled for announcement until Sunday afternoon, the participating teams are now set in stone.

La Costa Canyon earned its place after defeating Carlsbad during the previous week of play. Despite that loss, the Lancers maintain the number one ranking in the section as the regular season concludes on Friday. This shift in the standings clears the path for the remaining playoff divisions, which are determined by a strict ranking system from one to 64.

The section relies on the MaxPreps.com platform to calculate these rankings using a formula that weighs win-loss records, strength of schedule, and margin of victory. The top four teams secure Open Division spots, while the next eight teams fill the Division 1 bracket. Teams ranked 13 through 24 enter Division 2, followed by Divisions 3, 4, and 5 for the remaining spots. Under CIF rules, league champions guarantee a playoff berth but do not automatically receive home games. Head-to-head results only influence seeding when two teams are ranked immediately next to one another.

Todd Cassen, the section’s assistant commissioner, explained the process to stakeholders. “The coaches recommend what system we use to seed the playoffs,” Cassen said. “No system is perfect, but this system works. And there is transparency. Teams can monitor where they stand, what division they fall into.”

Unbeaten Santa Fe Christian has moved from the final Open Division spot to the top seed in Division 1. The Eagles play Bishop’s on Friday. Their divisional field likely includes Helix, Granite Hills, Lincoln, Oceanside, San Marcos, Rancho Bernardo, and Torrey Pines. A Friday matchup between Granite Hills and Helix could determine if Granite Hills overtakes Santa Fe Christian for the top seed, though Helix is unlikely to move up after opening the season with a loss to SFC.

Other divisions are taking shape with Friday’s final regular season games. Poway, Del Norte, St. Augustine, and Point Loma hold the top four spots in Division 2. San Pasqual, La Jolla, San Diego, and Escondido Charter lead Division 3. Palo Verde, Central Union, Bishop’s, and West Hills sit at the top of Division 4, while Vincent Memorial, Hoover, Bonita Vista, and Fallbrook lead Division 5.

Canyon Hills and Foothills Christian currently sit just outside the 64 team field, but both can force their way in by winning league championships. Only two teams in the section remain unbeaten entering Friday: Santa Fe Christian and Patrick Henry. Patrick Henry plays at Mira Mesa and is expected to land in the Division 2 bracket.