South County well represented in CIF flag football playoffs

The San Diego Section girls flag football playoffs started this week. Championship games in five divisions are slated Saturday, Nov. 7, at Olympian High School.

The Open Division features the top eight teams in the section while the Division I, Division II, Division III and Division IV brackets will each feature 12 teams.

There are no byes in the Open Division while the remaining divisions will include byes for the top four teams in the first round.
A total of 57 teams will be involved this year, including one play-in game.

South County qualifiers include Bonita Vista (No. 2 in the Open Division), Mater Dei Catholic (No. 6 in Division I), Hilltop (No. 9 in Division I), Eastlake (No. 6 in Division III), San Ysidro (No. 10 in Division III), Otay Ranch (No. 3 in Division IV) and Montgomery (No. 11 in Division IV).

Only Otay Ranch received a first-round bye.

The section wasted little time in getting this year’s playoff tournament going. Opening games in divisions I through IV were scheduled to take place Tuesday (with a play-in game in Division IV taking place Monday). The eight Open Division teams were set to square off Wednesday.

The schedule moved quickly along with quarterfinals scheduled in Division I through Division IV on Thursday. Higher-seeded teams hosted.

Semifinals are scheduled Tuesday, Nov. 3, at the higher-seeded team.

The Open Division semifinals are scheduled for Nov. 3. 

Championship games at Olympian High School on Nov. 7 are set for Division IV (10 a.m.), Division III (noon), Division II (2 p.m.), Division I (4 p.m.) and Open Division (6 p.m.).

Top-seeded teams include San Marcos (Open Division), Cathedral Catholic (Division I), Morse (Division II), Patrick Henry (Division III) and Rancho Buena Vista (Division IV). 

Second-seeded teams include Bonita Vista (Open Division), Scripps Ranch (Division II), Grossmont (Division II), Westview (Division III) and El Capitan (Division IV).

Defending champions include Torrey Pines (Division I), Vincent Memorial (Division II), Mira Mesa (Division III), Patrick Henry (Division IV) and Olympian (Division V)

Runner-up teams included Westview (Division I), Imperial (Division II), Brawley (Division III), Mt. Carmel (Division IV) and Canyon Crest Academy (Division V).

San Marcos entered his week’s playoffs with a commanding 21-1 record while Bonita Vista was 20-5, Helix was 16-1, Torrey Pines was 13-8, Mira Mesa was 18-5, Mission Hills was 16-5, Classical Academy was 13-6, Carlsbad was 14-7, Cathedral Catholic was 13-7 and La Costra Canyon was 12-5.

Other top records among top 20 teams included Point Loma at 16-2, Mater Dei Catholic at 15-5, Hilltop at 15-2 and Morse at 14.2.
Eastlake entered the playoffs at 10-8 while San Ysidro was 10-10 and Otay Ranch was 9-11.

Bonita Vista and Mater Dei Catholic shared this year’s Metro-Mesa League championship while Hilltop and Eastlake shared the Metro-South Bay League title. Montgomery won the Metro-Pacific League banner.

GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL 2026 PLAYOFF SEEDS

Open Division: 1. San Marcos, 2. Bonita Vista, 3. Helix, 4. Torrey Pines, 5. Mira Mesa, 6. Mission Hills, 7. Classical Academy, 8. Carlsbad
Division I: 1. Cathedral Catholic, 2. Scripps Ranch, 3. La Costa Canyon, 4. Granite Hills, 5. Point Loma, 6. Mater Dei Catholic, 7. Mt. Carmel, 8. Ramona, 9. Hilltop, 10. Steele Canyon, 11. Calexico, 12. Brawley

Division II: 1. Morse, 2. Grossmont, 3. Escondido Charter, 4. Our Lay of Peace, 5. Canyon Crest Academy, 6. Madison, 7. El Camino, 8. Del Norte, 9. Mission Bay, 10. Poway, 11. Valley Center, 12. Vincent Memorial

Division III: 1. Patrick Henry, 2. Westview, 3. Santa Fe Christian, 4. San Pasqual, 5. O’Farrell Charter, 6. Eastlake, 7. Southwest El Centro, 8. Holtville, 9. Lincoln, 10. San Ysidro, 11. Clairemont, 12. West HiIls

Division IV: 1. Rancho Buena Vista, 2. El Capitan, 3. Otay Ranch, 4. Liberty Charter, 5. El Cajon Valley, 6. Imperial, 7. Hoover. 8. Santana, 9. Escondido, 10. Rancho Bernardo, 11. Montgomery, 12. Oceanside