Valley Christian is projected as the No. 7 seed in Division 1.
(Twitter @VCHSAthletics)
Prep2Prep CCS Baseball Playoff Projections
UPDATED 4/15/2025
Based on the latest information presented to Prep2Prep through games of April 14, we are releasing our projections for the 2025 Central
Coast Section playoff tournaments. We have done our best to accurately portray the schedules and results of the 100+ teams
that compete in the Central Coast Section, but it is possible that there are slight schedule variations for some teams.
These projections are
based on our best available information; if you would like to correct a team's result, please contact Prep2Prep
via
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@Prep2PrepSports.
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For more details on the CCS point system, please click
here.
Here's a quick overview of the selection process: a total of 48 teams spread out over six divisions. The Open Division has effectively
been renamed as Division 1 - that tournament consists of the eight highest-ranked teams. Then the next 8 best teams are placed in Division 2
and so on all the way down to Division 6.
Of the 48, 41 receive automatic bids based on their position in their league standings as follows: BVAL (8), PAL (8),
SCVAL (6), PCAL (9), WCAL (5), SCCAL (3), and PSAL (2).
The remaining seven at-large teams are selected based on a point system that awards teams based on results over the course of the last
22 games a team plays. One caveat: all league games must be included among the 22, so that if a team plays a league game that is not among
its last 22 games, that league game is substituted in for the earliest played non-league game.
To be considered for an at-large berth,
teams must have at least a .500 record in any one of the following: a) in league; b) in non-league; c) overall; d) over the last 22 games
that are included in the CCS point calculation.
Leagues within CCS are designated as "A" (highest), "B" and "C". Wins against "A" teams count for 3 points; wins against "B" teams count for
2.5; and wins against "C" teams count for 2. Strip off one point from those totals in cases of ties, and two points for losses to respectively
designed "A", "B" and "C" teams.
Teams outside of CCS are considered "B" teams unless they achieve a winning percentage of .700 or greater; in which case, they are considered
"A" teams.
Finally, teams are awarded 2 points for playing an "A" league champion, 1.5 points for playing a "B" league champion and 1 point for playing
a "C" league champion. This only applies to games against CCS teams - there is no bonus for playing league champs outside of CCS.
There is also a CCS bylaw that states that teams only get credit for playing a divisional
league champion twice during league play. So for teams that play each other three times during the regular-season round robin, we must
disregard the bonus points for the third meeting against the prospective league champ.
Teams also receive 8 points for being an "A" league champion, 7 for being a "B" league champion and 6 for being a
"C" league champion.
In years past, the point system determined the seedings for all of the divisions, but the committee has much more latitude with the
selections. For the purpose of these projections, we will rely heavily on the CCS points and only point out situations where a team
will likely be moved.
Because the season is not over, we must make a few assumptions:
ASSUMPTION 1: points are calculated on the assumption that an individual team will lose the rest of its games. The bonus points for playing
a league champion are included in the calculation. In other words, the point total you see represents the minimum point total for a given team.
ASSUMPTION 2: in calculating points awarded for playing league champions, points were split according to the number of teams currently
tied for first place. For instance, per CCS rules, teams are awarded one point for playing a league champion; if a team played a team
that is currently in a three-way tie for first, we credit the team 0.33 points. If two teams at the top of a league have not played the
same number of games, we assume league champ based on points per game.
ASSUMPTION 3: some leagues hold a postseason tournament or playoff to fill out their allotment of automatic qualifiers. In those instances, we assumed
the team(s) with the highest CCS point totals will receive the automatic bid.
ASSUMPTION 4: by CCS rules, a team must have at least a .500 record in league, overall or in the 22 games under consideration for its CCS
point total. In the case of league and overall records, we simply took the team's record as of this date; for the 22-game consideration,
we looked at the record for the games within the 22 that have already been played.
NOTE: CCS points are in parentheses and the projected home team is listed in CAPS.
DIVISION 1:
We expect the five of the six "A" league leaders to take up five of the eight alotted spots in
Division 1. These "A" league leaders are: Leigh (BVAL-MH), Menlo-Atherton (PAL-Bay),
Carmel (PCAL-Gab), Los Gatos (SCVAL-DA) and Serra (WCAL). We believe the committee would then
choose WCAL reps Saint Francis and Valley Christian along with Soquel to round out the
Division 1 field. Santa Cruz is currently in first place in the SCCAL but Soquel has a much
higher point total.
DIVISION 2: The next 8 strongest teams are placed in Division 2. By point total,
Ann Sobrato and Santa Clara are the only "B" teams placed in Division 2; there is a good chance
that "A" teams Santa Cruz and Willow Glen take their place.
DIVISION 3: The next 8 teams are placed in Division 3. Santa Cruz is in first
place in the SCCAL so there the Cardinals will likely be moved up to at least Division 2.
We will continue to monitor the situation in the SCCAL.
DIVISION 4: The next 8 highest rated teams are placed in Division 4.
DIVISION 5: The next 8 highest rated teams are placed in Division 5.
DIVISION 6: The final 8 teams are placed in Division 6.
As mentioned earlier, there are a total of 7 at-large teams included in the complete field of 48 CCS playoff teams. Here's a
brief look at the last five teams that made it based on our CCS point calculations and the first five that would be left out
if the season ended now. This only includes team that meet the .500 eligibility requirement.
