Baseline playing for respect, not titles in Inland Division
It's probably safe to say the stakes were just lowered for the Baseline League. With the football playoff realignment landing it back in the stacked Inland Division beginning next season, the Baseline League likely won't be fighting amongst itself for CIF championships anymore. I'm not sure we need anymore evidence than the league's ONE collective post season victory while it was in the Inland Division from 2006-2007.
If the Baseline League has truly improved during the two years it ruled the Central Division, its members can hope to garner more respect from those football powers farther south along Hwy 15 (something it couldn't do locked in the Central Division with largely inferior leagues). But as far as championships go, the Baseline League shouldn't get its hopes up.
Its dominance in the Central Division was truly remarkable, while it lasted.
The Baseline League claimed six of the eight total semifinal berths the last two seasons, and produced the Central Division's last two champions: Rancho Cucamonga in 2008 and Upland in 2009. Upland won CIF as an at-large playoff team, an opportunity afforded to none in the Inland Division where there are no at-large berths.
The six-team Baseline League has essentially had four playoff spots the last two years seeing as it claimed the Central's lone at-large berth each time. Now a league that likely got tougher by replacing Claremont with Glendora, will have three playoff slots with no exceptions.
Waiting for those three teams in the playoffs will be four teams from a Big VIII league that perhaps had three teams better than anyone in the Baseline League last season. Then there is the Southwestern League, which produced the top two teams ended up playing for the Inland Division title last season. The Citrus Belt League is certainly no slouch, having produced last season's No. 1 seed (Redlands East Valley) in the Division.
I remember several of the Baseline League coaches expressing genuine disappointment when they were dropped to the Central Division two years ago. They ought to view the move back up as a compliment to their dominance of the Central Division, but I wonder how they feel about their chances to play for championships.
5 Comments
Leave a comment
About Clay
Clay Fowler has been covering high school sports for six years in California and Texas. He was born in Dallas, attended the University of Texas and worked in Central Texas before joining the Daily Bulletin staff in 2006.
Email Clay here
baseline league should view this as a compliment, I think they should fair well in the league along with upland and osos,but rancho will miss their QB. maybe someone steps up.but all afformentioned teams will compete in that league with success!
I hope the baseline realizes the pace of practices and games have been upped. I hope you are prepared for the speed of the games? If you do not come full force the Big VIII and SWL will eat you alive!!!
That goes the same for the Big VIII and SWL.. Don't take Baseline for granted that is why they put the leagues together.Oh hey cougar fan there is alot of talent going back to Upland, Osos and Rancho. I see that Osos and Rancho will be looking for there QB's to step up.
I think the Baseline league will fair well this year. There are definately going to be some bumps in the road but I wouldn't count the league out by any means. Maybe it would be good if the rest of the competition did think that way though, ;) Good Luck to all Baseline Teams, the time to start preparing was yesterday, so get on it guys!!!!
Man I cant wait for the season to start. Bring it on Inland. The Baseline Teams will be ready!!!