California Expands High School Football Playoffs for 2012

by Jeff Fisher
California High School Football Huddle

Starting with the 2012 season, there will be another round of football playoffs.

The California Interscholastic Federation has approved adding regional championship games in all five divisions that will determine, which teams will play for state championships.

Since state titles games began in 2007, section commissioners have been charged with selecting one team from Northern California and one from Southern California to play for the state championship.  Under the new plan, section commissioners will pick two schools from the each area that will play for the right to advance to the state championship games in Carson.

The 2012 schedule now calls for the regional championship games to be played the weekend of December 7th and 8th, with the state championships to be played the following weekend.  Section championships will have to be completed by December 1st.

With the addition of the regional championships, some teams could play as many as 16 games, which is similar to Pennsylvania and Texas.

Not everyone is happy with the new plan.  Click here to read a story from the North County Times on officials in the San Diego Section that aren't happy with the added round of playoffs.

California Tries to Clear-up High School Football Championship Game Qualifications

by Jeff Fisher
California High School Football Huddle

I consider myself a fairly intelligent person,however, when it comes to the way California chooses its high school football championship game participants...let's just say, I'm confused, like most fans.

The only thing you can count on is, De La Salle WILL play for a title.  The Spartans are the only school to play on every championship weekend since the the state title games began in 2006.

Let's face it, without a true playoff system, it will always be "kind of" an arbitrary thing.

So with that in mind, the California Interscholastic Federation has changed its selection parameters for this year's game at the Home Depot Center in Carson.

Basically, the CIF has placed its 10 sections in three divisions based on competitive equity and enrollment.  A team must win their sectional championship, which has always been the case since the State Bowl Game structure was put in place in '06.

To give you an idea of what sections were placed where, please click here to read the CIF news release.

But the best summary I can give you is...once again...on December 12th this year, the Selection Committee will meet and determine the teams that will play for the titles the following week on December 17th and 18th.

California State Football Champions


Open Division
2009- De La Salle  28  Crenshaw  14
2008- Grant 25  Long Beach Poly  20

Division I
2009- Oceanside  24  Bellarmine Prep  19
2008- Corona Centennial  21  De La Salle  16
2007- De La Salle  37  Centennial Corona  31
2006- Canyon Country Canyon  27  De La Salle  13

Division II
2009- Servite  33  Rocklin  30
2008- San Diego Cathedral Catholic  37  Stockton St. Mary's  34
2007- Oceanside  28  Novato  14
2006- Orange Lutheran  42  Palo Alto  28

Division III
2009- Gardena Serra  24  Marin Catholic  20
2008- St. Bonaventure  28  Santa Rosa Cardinal Newman  6
2007- St. Bonaventure 35  Modesto Central Catholic  21
2006- Oaks Christian  27  Santa Rosa Cardinal Newman 20 (OT)

Small Schools Division
2009- Modesto Christian  44  San Diego Francis Parker  40
2008- San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret's  59  Hamilton City Hamilton Union  7

California Pre-Season High School Practice Begins August 16th

by Jeff Fisher

California High School Football Huddle

Welcome to our new look for the 2010 California high school football season!

With the first day of practice beginning August 16th, I wanted to take the time to thank all of my readers, who have made this blog successful over the past three years.  I have bigger-and-better things planned this year with more original content.

Also, don't forget to check-out High School Football America for great high school football stories from around the country.  If you have story ideas that I should know about, please feel free to email me.

Here's a look at important dates for the 2010 season...

First Practice - August 16th

Regular Season Begins - September 3rd

Championships - December 17th-18th @ Home Depot Center, Carson, CA

Jeff Fisher is Founder/Editor-in-Chief of High School Football America

California Looking to Grow Playoffs

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

The California Interscholastic Federation will vote on May 8th on whether to add an additional regional playoff round for the 2010 season.

The proposal would push-up the start of the season by own week, which means games would begin before the opening of the school year. In addition, the sections would have to end their playoffs by the first weekend in December.

Yesterday, according to a report in the LA Times, the Southern Section council voted against the proposal, which comes on the heels of the Los Angeles City Section voting for it. To read that story, click here.

St. Bonaventure Beats Modesto Central Catholic 35-21 for California Division III Bowl Championship

California's Division III State Bowl Championship game between St. Bonaventure and Modesto Central Catholic came down to the final quarter, and that's when one of the best running back's in the country took over.

St. Bonaventure's Darrell Scott scored on a 10-yard touchdown run to put his team up 28-21. Then with about two minutes to go, Scott iced it with a 16-yard flea-flicker touchdown pass to quarterback Casey Serna.

Scott played his final high school game with 17 carries for 150-yards despite a sore ankle that he twisted on his first carry.

To read a complete game wrap, click here.