The intro for the first two NCS Playoff Projections related to explanations about the criteria used by the North Coast Section and the fact that just about all 10 CIF sections use a different formula for playoff seedings.
For the final edition we will explain how the Open/Division I bracket is seeded and the nuances involved in what is now the second year since its inception. Of the 11 teams in Open/Division I, eight qualify for the playoffs.
The way it works is in actuality the eight teams are split in half with four teams in the Open bracket with the other four teams in Division I. The twist is that although they are separate brackets they are seeded as one bracket.
What that means is the top half of the bracket is the Open half and Division I is the bottom half. A second twist to this format is it eliminates the Nos. 3 and 4 seeds from being able to win the Open Division championship but gives that opportunity to the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds.
The final twist in the scenario is while the Open Division champion only has to win two games to claim the title, the Division I champion has to win three games because the loser in the Open title game drops down to the D1 half of the bracket to play the team that won its first two games in the D1 title game.
For this week we will do the projections for Open/D1 as if we were seeding the brackets.
On a final note. The projections do not exactly match the most recent Prep2Prep NCS rankings.
Open/Division I
Open
1. De La Salle
8. Heritage
2. Pittsburg
7. Antioch
3. Clayton Valley
6. James Logan
4. Liberty
5. California
Division II
1. San Ramon Valley
2. Campolindo
3. Rancho Cotate
4. Foothill
5. Livermore
6. Vintage
7. Redwood
8. Granada
Division III
1. El Cerrito
2. Windsor
3. Las Lomas
4. American Canyon
5. Casa Grande
6. Bishop O’Dowd
7. Northgate
8. Tamalpais
Division IV
1. Marin Catholic
2. Acalanes
3. Cardinal Newman
4. Del Norte
5. Tennyson
6. Petaluma
7. Maria Carrillo
8. Concord
Division V
1. San Marin
2. Miramonte
3. Analy
4. De Anza
5. Eureka
6. St. Bernard’s
7. De Anza
8. San Rafael
Division VI
1. Moreau Catholic
2. St. Mary’s
3. Justin-Siena
4. Pinole Valley
5. Fortuna
6. Middletown
7. Salesian
8. Arcata
Division VII
1. St. Vincent de Paul
2. St. Patrick-St. Vincent
3. Clear Lake
4. Willits
5. McKinleyville
6. Cloverdale
7. Kelseyville
8. St. Helena
