Arlington, Montclair tabbed for inaugural Open Division playoffs

The CIF Southern Section created an Open Division playoffs for boys soccer this season. And there is plenty of excitement, as the division will feature a format never before used in the long history of the section.

The eight teams selected for the inaugural Open Division playoffs will compete in a Champions League format, with the teams playing two matches (once at home, once on the road) and the aggregate scores of the two matches will be used to determine who advances to the next round of the playoffs. The championship will be a single match played at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach.

Arlington at Montclair are the two Inland teams selected for this year’s Open Division playoffs.

Arlington is the No. 1 seed, and the Lions (210-0) will travel to No. 8-seeded Godinez (173-4) on Wednesday and then host the return match Friday. Montclair is the No. 7 seed in the division, and the Cavaliers (18-3-1) will host No. 2-seeded Mater Dei (17-0-1) on Wednesday and then make the trip to Santa Ana on Friday.

Seven other Inland boys soccer teams received at top-4 seeding in their respective playoff divisions.

Citrus Hill (18-3-2) is the No. 4 seed in the Division 1 bracket and hosts Long Beach Cabrillo (13-7-2) in a first-round match Wednesday.

Great Oak (16-2-2) is the No. 4 seed in the Division 3 bracket and opens at home Wednesday against Northview (9-7-1).

Chino and Diamond Ranch received the No. 3 seed and No. 4 seed, respectively, in the Division 4 bracket, Chino opens at home Wednesday against Ayala (7-4-9), while Diamond Ranch (13-2-7) hosts Hemet (9-9-5) in Wednesday’s opening round.

Indian Springs (15-15) is the No. 1 seed in the Division 6 bracket and opens at home Wednesday against Sonora (12-8-3). Paloma Valley and Kaiser received the No. 3 seed and No. 4 seed, respectively, in Division 6. Paloma Valley (15-5-3) will host Hacienda Heights Wilson (9-75) in Wednesday’s opening round, while Kaiser (11-54) opens at home against Gahr (9-11-3).

PHOTO BY MILKA SOKO, CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Arlington’s Jacob Arellano, left, and Jesus Palma will be playing in the Open Division of the CIF Southern Section playoffs.