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Clayton Valley edges Monte Vista for final Open playoff berth
Ranked second almost the entire year by The Chronicle, the Mustangs stayed within reach of host De La Salle-Concord for three-plus quarters Friday night but ultimately absorbed their first loss of the season, 45-17 to the top-ranked Spartans.
On Sunday, a six-person NCS committee voted 6-0 to pick Clayton Valley-Concord (9-1) over Monte Vista (9-1) for the fourth and final Open Division berth.
De La Salle (9-1), Freedom-Oakley (10-0) and Pittsburg (9-1), coming off a 61-35 romp at Antioch Saturday, fill the first three spots in the newly formed top division of the section.
De La Salle hosts Clayton Valley on Nov. 18 and Pittsburg travels to Freedom on Nov. 19.
NCS Commissioner Gil Lemmon said the committee’s discussion and debate regarding Clayton Valley and Monte Vista was “lengthy and thorough,” and eventually came down to strength of schedule.
Even there, Lemmon said, the difference was “razor thin.”
“Overall, it was a very difficult call,” the commissioner said.
Both are great programs.
There’s great respect for Monte Vista.
Monte Vista coach Craig Bergman wasn’t as complimentary about the NCS or its decision.
“It’s ridiculous that the North Coast Section would take a one-loss team who only plays Division 2 and Division 3 teams over a team whose only loss was to De La Salle, a team that no NCS team has beaten in 25 years,” Bergman said.
The NCS Open champion will take that designated spot.
Lemmon noted that history is not part of the selection process, nor is point margin, which came into focus Friday night when Clayton Valley scored a touchdown and two-point conversion in the final two minutes of its 50-15 home win over eighth-ranked Campolindo-Moraga, the top Division 2 seed.
“It’s pretty obvious that the committee took scores into account,” Bergman said.
Clayton Valley coach Tim Murphy fully admitted he didn’t want the score to get any tighter after Campolindo closed to 42-15 on a touchdown and two-point conversion with about five minutes left.
Murphy inserted four starting offensive linemen, he said, and the second- and third-string backfield, including at quarterback.
“The (NCS) Division I bracket doesn’t move on,” he said.
When they scored, I freaked out a little thinking if we win 42-21, maybe we don’t get in.
Campolindo coach Kevin Macy didn’t appreciate Clayton Valley trying to score with a running clock, so he had his team intentionally jump offside, leading the referees to call two 15-yard unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties.
When the Eagles scored, Murphy said he hadn’t planned to go for two points, but when Macy sent out just three players for the conversion, his holder took the snap and walked uncontested into the end zone.
Macy said Sunday he thought that Murphy, with a 77-man roster, should have essentially taken a knee at that point and inserted backup seniors on “Senior Night.”
Division I schools, including Clayton Valley, entering a league with much smaller enrollments.
“I had no issues with the Clayton Valley players or program and we understood Coach Murphy’s predicament based on a case he needed to make for entry into the Open,” Macy said.
The question for the state and health of high school football is, when is enough, enough?
Murphy thought Friday’s score ultimately didn’t sway the committee.
When it comes down to a committee, anything can happen.
Mitch Stephens is a senior writer at MaxPreps.com.
High school football playoffs schedule
NORTH COAST SECTION
Open Division
No. 4 Clayton Valley Charter (9-1) at No. 1 De La Salle (9-1), 7 p.m. Nov. 18
No. 3 Pittsburg (9-1) at No. 2 Freedom (10-0), 7 p.m. Nov. 19
No. 8 Irvington (5-5) at No. 1 Monte Vista (9-1), 7 p.m. Friday
No. 5 San Leandro (6-4) at No. 4 Heritage (7-3), 7 p.m. Saturday
No. 7 San Ramon Valley (6-4) at No. 2 Antioch (6-4), 7 p.m. Friday
No. 6 Foothill (6-4) at No. 3 California (8-2), 7 p.m. Saturday
No. 13 Mt.
No. 13 De Anza (6-4) at No. 4 Marin Catholic (8-2), 1 p.m. Saturday
No. 6 Kennedy-Fremont (10-0) at Tak Fudenna Stadium, 7 p.m. Saturday
No. 9 Clear Lake (5-5) at No. 8 California School for the Deaf (9-1), 7 p.m. Friday
No. 1 Berean Christian (7-3), No. 2 Fort Bragg (9-1), No. 3 Middletown (7-3), No. 4 Stellar Prep (5-3)
No. 8 Mountain View (5-5) at No. 1 St. Francis (9-1)
No. 5 Monte Vista Christian (8-2) at No. 4 Live Oak (8-2)
No. 1 Palma (8-2) at Rabaobank Stadium
No. 6 King’s Academy (7-3) at No. 3 Menlo (9-1), 2:30 p.m. Friday
No. 7 Stevenson (6-3) at No. 2 Seaside (9-1), 7 p.m. Friday
No. 8 Sacred Heart Prep (2-8) at No. 1 Carmel (10-0), 1 p.m. Saturday
More...
Ranked second almost the entire year by The Chronicle, the Mustangs stayed within reach of host De La Salle-Concord for three-plus quarters Friday night but ultimately absorbed their first loss of the season, 45-17 to the top-ranked Spartans.
On Sunday, a six-person NCS committee voted 6-0 to pick Clayton Valley-Concord (9-1) over Monte Vista (9-1) for the fourth and final Open Division berth.
De La Salle (9-1), Freedom-Oakley (10-0) and Pittsburg (9-1), coming off a 61-35 romp at Antioch Saturday, fill the first three spots in the newly formed top division of the section.
De La Salle hosts Clayton Valley on Nov. 18 and Pittsburg travels to Freedom on Nov. 19.
NCS Commissioner Gil Lemmon said the committee’s discussion and debate regarding Clayton Valley and Monte Vista was “lengthy and thorough,” and eventually came down to strength of schedule.
Even there, Lemmon said, the difference was “razor thin.”
“Overall, it was a very difficult call,” the commissioner said.
Both are great programs.
There’s great respect for Monte Vista.
Monte Vista coach Craig Bergman wasn’t as complimentary about the NCS or its decision.
“It’s ridiculous that the North Coast Section would take a one-loss team who only plays Division 2 and Division 3 teams over a team whose only loss was to De La Salle, a team that no NCS team has beaten in 25 years,” Bergman said.
The NCS Open champion will take that designated spot.
Lemmon noted that history is not part of the selection process, nor is point margin, which came into focus Friday night when Clayton Valley scored a touchdown and two-point conversion in the final two minutes of its 50-15 home win over eighth-ranked Campolindo-Moraga, the top Division 2 seed.
“It’s pretty obvious that the committee took scores into account,” Bergman said.
Clayton Valley coach Tim Murphy fully admitted he didn’t want the score to get any tighter after Campolindo closed to 42-15 on a touchdown and two-point conversion with about five minutes left.
Murphy inserted four starting offensive linemen, he said, and the second- and third-string backfield, including at quarterback.
“The (NCS) Division I bracket doesn’t move on,” he said.
When they scored, I freaked out a little thinking if we win 42-21, maybe we don’t get in.
Campolindo coach Kevin Macy didn’t appreciate Clayton Valley trying to score with a running clock, so he had his team intentionally jump offside, leading the referees to call two 15-yard unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties.
When the Eagles scored, Murphy said he hadn’t planned to go for two points, but when Macy sent out just three players for the conversion, his holder took the snap and walked uncontested into the end zone.
Macy said Sunday he thought that Murphy, with a 77-man roster, should have essentially taken a knee at that point and inserted backup seniors on “Senior Night.”
Division I schools, including Clayton Valley, entering a league with much smaller enrollments.
“I had no issues with the Clayton Valley players or program and we understood Coach Murphy’s predicament based on a case he needed to make for entry into the Open,” Macy said.
The question for the state and health of high school football is, when is enough, enough?
Murphy thought Friday’s score ultimately didn’t sway the committee.
When it comes down to a committee, anything can happen.
Mitch Stephens is a senior writer at MaxPreps.com.
High school football playoffs schedule
NORTH COAST SECTION
Open Division
No. 4 Clayton Valley Charter (9-1) at No. 1 De La Salle (9-1), 7 p.m. Nov. 18
No. 3 Pittsburg (9-1) at No. 2 Freedom (10-0), 7 p.m. Nov. 19
No. 8 Irvington (5-5) at No. 1 Monte Vista (9-1), 7 p.m. Friday
No. 5 San Leandro (6-4) at No. 4 Heritage (7-3), 7 p.m. Saturday
No. 7 San Ramon Valley (6-4) at No. 2 Antioch (6-4), 7 p.m. Friday
No. 6 Foothill (6-4) at No. 3 California (8-2), 7 p.m. Saturday
No. 13 Mt.
No. 13 De Anza (6-4) at No. 4 Marin Catholic (8-2), 1 p.m. Saturday
No. 6 Kennedy-Fremont (10-0) at Tak Fudenna Stadium, 7 p.m. Saturday
No. 9 Clear Lake (5-5) at No. 8 California School for the Deaf (9-1), 7 p.m. Friday
No. 1 Berean Christian (7-3), No. 2 Fort Bragg (9-1), No. 3 Middletown (7-3), No. 4 Stellar Prep (5-3)
No. 8 Mountain View (5-5) at No. 1 St. Francis (9-1)
No. 5 Monte Vista Christian (8-2) at No. 4 Live Oak (8-2)
No. 1 Palma (8-2) at Rabaobank Stadium
No. 6 King’s Academy (7-3) at No. 3 Menlo (9-1), 2:30 p.m. Friday
No. 7 Stevenson (6-3) at No. 2 Seaside (9-1), 7 p.m. Friday
No. 8 Sacred Heart Prep (2-8) at No. 1 Carmel (10-0), 1 p.m. Saturday
More...