NCS: Things we learned from the seeding meeting

The North Coast Section introduced a new format at the top of its playoffs, one that would have made its debut in the fall of 2020 if there had been a postseason.

In all, 55 teams were spread across seven divisions Sunday, with De La Salle (Open/Division I), San Ramon Valley (Division II), Windsor (Division III), Marin Catholic (Division IV), San Marin (Division V), Salesian (Division VI) and St Vincent de Paul (Division VII) receiving No. 1 seeds.

Here is what we learned from the seeding meeting: DOES THE SYSTEM WORK? >> The NCS’s competitive quality model is based on data collected over recent seasons, which can either send teams up a division or down a division depending on results. But what’s new this season is the section will finally get to use a format for its top division that will clear a path for powerful programs such as Pittsburg and Clayton Valley to win a section title and play in a state game without having to beat De La Salle, which no team from the NCS has been able to do in 30 years. Here is how that will work: In the top half of the bracket, No. 1 De La Salle will play host No. 8 James Logan and No. 2 Pittsburg will be at home against No. 7 Amador Valley. The following week, Pittsburg and De La Salle would likely play for the section’s Open Division championship and a spot in a state game. The loser of the Open final would slide into the Division I final the following week for another shot at a state game. If the seeds hold, Pittsburg and Clayton Valley would play for the Division I title. After his team’s loss to De La Salle on Friday, Clayton Valley coach Tim Murphy said his team’s goal is to get to state. “From the moment we found out that this is the format, we’ve been, “That’s our goal,’” Murphy said. “And I think the kids feel good about it.” The irony to this new format is if, say, Pittsburg beats De La Salle in the Open final, De La Salle would get a second shot to go to state the following week after ending so many teams’ seasons in previous NCS finals.

TOP FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS >> Since playing each other on Oct. 22, Monte Vista and California, the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds in Open/Division I, are a combined 1-3. Both teams lost to San Ramon Valley, and Monte Vista was beaten by Clayton Valley. Monte Vista edged Cal 27-22 on Oct. 22 … Dublin, the fifth seed in Division II, will be in the playoffs for the first time since 2017. No. 4 Campolindo, Dublin’s opponent, hasn’t missed the playoffs since 2005. … In another D-II contest, No. 6 San Leandro will visit No. 3 Foothill on Saturday having won five of the last six games between the two schools. The exception was a 41-20 win by Foothill in a D-II playoff game two years ago. By the way, Foothill’s leading receiver, Kenny Olson, is the son of Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson. … No. 5 Acalanes and No. 4 El Cerrito will provide quite a contrast in their D-III contest. Acalanes is averaging 45 points per game. El Cerrito allows six points per game. Defensive backs Robert Freeman and Warren Smith of the Gauchos are three-star recruits, according to 247Sports. Acalanes is averaging 306.5 passing yards and has scored 37 TDs through the air. … When No. 6 Miramonte visits No. 3 Encinal in a D-V matchup Friday, Matadors coach Jack Schram will be returning to his old stomping grounds. Schram coached football at Encinal for 18 years, the last 16 as head coach. He left after the 2005 season. TOP POSSIBLE LATER-ROUND MATCHUPS >> De La Salle and Pittsburg is an obvious one. They’re the section’s topranked teams. Pittsburg is the last NCS team to beat De La Salle, in 1991 . ... If Clayton Valley beats Antioch on Friday, the Ugly Eagles will get a rematch against one of their East Bay Athletic League Mountain Division rivals, Monte Vista or California. Clayton Valley beat Monte Vista 34-14 and lost to California 19-18.

WHO’S HOT, WHO’S NOT >> James Logan, the No. 8 seed in the Open/Division I, has reeled off six wins in a row after an 0-4 start. … Campolindo started the season 3-3, including bad losses at home to Aptos (49-0) and Benicia (35-0), but the fourth seed in D-II won its last four. Acalanes and Las Lomas were two of Campo’s victims. … Northgate (8-2), the eighth seed in D-III, has won six straight. … De La Salle has five wins in a row after a 3-2 start. The streak began with a win at Folsom. … Encinal will begin the D-V playoffs riding a seven-game winning streak. Its only loss this season was to Lodi. … D-IV third seed Tennyson is 9-0, including a win against six teams in higher divisions . ... There will be nine teams in the playoffs with sub-.500 records. They are Amador Valley (4-6, D-1), Granada (4-6, D-II), Mt. Diablo (4-5, D-IV), Pinole Valley (4-6, D-VI), San Lorenzo (3-4, D-VI), St. Mary’s-Berkeley (3-6, D-VI), St. Patrick-St. Vincent (4-5, D-VII), Hoopa Valley (3-4, DVII) and Berean Christian (45, D-VII).