NCS football postponements will eliminate title games

Following 10 days of postponements because of unhealthy air quality caused by the Butte County fire, area high school football coaches are coming to terms with the reality that North Coast Section division winners could be selected by chance.

Or, they could be determined by the results of games played as long as two or three months ago.

Either way, many are disappointed with the possibility that an entire season’s worth of practices and hard-fought games could end with anything other than a battle on the field.

“Right now you just want to play,” said Cardinal Newman coach Paul Cronin. “The kids have worked six months to play the season out.”

Friday afternoon, faced with stubborn poor air quality throughout the inland region, the NCS pushed off quarterfinal games in Divisions 2-5 for another week, which doesn’t allow enough time to finish their playoff brackets.

A last-minute effort to move all quarterfinals to clearer skies in Fortuna or Eureka failed when some schools couldn’t commit to the location change.

So after this Saturday’s rescheduled quarterfinals, the winners will play semifinals the following week, on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. That leaves no time for championship games, since NorCal playoffs are set for Dec. 7 and 8.

Now, instead of on-field competitions, the NCS division 2-5 winners will be decided from the two finalists by either results of a head-to-head matchup - if they met previously this season - or a coin toss.

That’s tough to digest for some teams, especially the North Coast’s three No. 1 seeds - Division 2 Rancho Cotate, Division 3 Cardinal Newman and Division 5 Kelseyville - should they advance to the final.

Kelseyville, for instance, would lose a head-to-head matchup vs. Stellar Prep, seeded third, because Stellar won the pair’s Aug. 18 meeting - Kelseyville’s first game of the year and its only defeat in 10 games.

Rancho would win if it reaches a final with vs. No. 3 Campolindo because the Cougars won their Sept. 7 meeting.

Newman would have its postseason future determined by the flip of a coin since the Cardinals - who scheduled a challenging slate of nonleague games - didn’t face any of the remaining divisional contenders.

Kelseyville coach Erick Larsen said the idea that his team could go home based on a game in August is disappointing.

“My kids set a goal for winning the sectional, something that’s never been done at Kelseyville,” he said. “We were excited about that possibility. And it’s definitely frustrating that that’s no longer on the table. But if we win the coin toss, we will have the opportunity to do something special, play in the state tournament and possibly win a state title.”

Still, he said, “if we play all the way through, that would mean being undefeated for 11 weeks in a row, and a coin toss determines our future … life’s not always fair.”

Newman’s Cronin met with his senior players Saturday morning to talk possibilities.

He said one option discussed was forgoing a NorCal berth to play an actual section championship game.

It was unclear Saturday whether the NCS would agree to that. Section Commissioner Gil Lemmon didn’t return a call Saturday seeking additional information.

But Cronin said Newman administrators believe that it is a possibility if both teams agreed.

“I think that’s out there. At that point, you and the other team would have the choice to make,” he said.

“We’re going to leave that decision to our seniors and the team, what they want to do. They know more than the adults what they want to do. They have a couple weeks to have their voice heard and take a position on that.”

The new-this-year 8-person sectional bracket should finish with a champion.

Only five teams were selected for postseason play, including Rincon Valley Christian and Tomales. Rincon Valley lost to South Fork on Nov. 9, while No. 4 Tomales is set to play at No. 1 Branson on Saturday. The winner plays South Fork for the title, likely the following week.

You can reach staff writer Lori A. Carter at 707-521-5470 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com.