Hello, Corona Centennial. Goodbye Mission Viejo. And others.
The CIF Southern Section announced its proposals for playoff groupings from 2014-2016, and once again there's some shakeup in the top division.
Gone from the PAC-5 Division is the South Coast League. Joining the PAC-5 is the Big VIII League led by perennial power Corona Centennial.
The PAC-5 now consists of the aforementioned Big VIII, Moore, Marmonte, Trinity and a new Catholic League that will consist of Serra, Chaminade and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.
Last season, Corona Centennial won the Inland Division championship with a 26-12 victory over Vista Murrieta. For the Huskies, it was their third CIF crown in four years and eighth in school history.
"I think it's exciting (and) we welcome the challenge," said Centennial head coach Matt Logan via text message.
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As for the South Coast League, they move to the new West Valley Division where they will join the Baseline, Foothill, Southwestern and Sunset Leagues.
The West Valley appears to have trumped the Inland Division as the new de facto Division II.
It becomes an intriguing division with Hart out of the Foothill League. They won the Northern Division last season. Vista Murrieta out of the Southwestern League won the Inland Division in 2011 before losing in the championship game to Corona Centennial the last two seasons.
Two years ago, it was the Sunset League led by Los Alamitos and Edison being demoted from the PAC-5, and for this cycle, the South Coast League joins them.
Save for Tesoro's CIF title game appearance in 2008 and San Clemente's magical run in 2011, Mission Viejo has been the only team to have consistent success in the PAC-5, although they too failed to win a PAC-5 crown.
Since 2006, the Trinity League has won five of the eight CIF PAC-5 Division titles. The other three belong to Long Beach Poly.
The groupings are proposals and subject to appeal. Any league seeking to appeal must do so by the end of the week. All appeals will be heard Wednesday, May 28.
