Santa Margarita awaits its fate
Eagles (10-0) unsure of playoff placement
Its mascot is an eagle but for the purposes of today's CIF playoffs brackets, Santa Margarita qualifies as the joker.
Santa Margarita is a sure bet to win an at-large berth today when pairings for the 1990 Southern Section playoffs are announced. Where the 10-0 Eagles are placed, however, is anyone's bet.
The Southern Section at-large selection committee will announce which teams will fill the 13 at-large berths in the 10 divisions at 10:30 a.m.
The top three teams in each league automatically advance in all divisions except division VII. Division VII, which has six leagues, guarantees two entrants and will fill four at-large berths with third-place teams within that division.
In all other divisions teams that won at least half of their games, can petition for an at-large berth. Teams may only petition for a spot within their league's division. Santa Margarita, which played a freelance schedule, can be placed in any division, however.
Where will the Eagles play? Will it be Division I with large school powers such as Fontana, Bishop Amat or Edison?
Or will the committee return Santa Margarita to Division IX where the school competed in last year as a member of the Olympic League?
Santa Margarita coach Jim Hartigan is hoping to play in a division with a large number behind it. "I would be happy with any division seven or higher," Hartigan said a few weeks ago. "What I wouldn't want is to go into one of the large school brackets and play some school that hammers us in the first round."
Fountain Valley's 22-21 victory over Marina probably killed the Vikings' chances of making the playoffs.
Marina finished 6-4, but will be hoping, along with Angelus League's St. John Bosco (5-4) and Lakewood (5-4) for the at-large berth. St. John Bosco, which was fourth in the five-team Angelus, defeated Lakewood, 14-13, in the third week of the season. The Braves also boast an advantage over Marina, having beaten Los Alamitos, 21-20, in non-league play. Los Alamitos defeated Marina, 7-3 in the season opener.
Irvine (6-4) and Camarillo (7-3) of the Marmonte League, were the only fourth-place teams with winning records in Division II. Irvine can argue it plays in the toughest league in the division since South Coast League rivals Mission Viejo, El Toro and Capistrano Valley are ranked in the top six of the division. Camarillo has a better record, however, and has won its last three.
Brethren Christian, ranked eighth in last week's division IX poll, is also hoping for an at-large bid.
The Warriors (7-2) lost to Whittier Christian, 43-34, on Friday and eventually tied Valley Christian and Orange Lutheran for second in the five-team Olympic League.
Orange Lutheran (8-2, 2-2) won the coin flip and received the league's second-place entry and Valley Christian (4-5, 2-2) won the third spot on the strength of its 3321 victory over Brethren.
By David Osterman
Sunday, November 11, 1990
The Orange County Register - C9
