Concord De La Salle rallied late to ruin an impressive comeback by
Corona Centennial and take a 37-31 victory to win the Division I bowl
championship.

Oceanside finished big for a come-from-behind 28-14 victory over
Marin County Novato to win the Division II bowl championship.

St. Bonaventure struggled before defeating Modesto Central
Catholic, 35-31, to capture the Division III bowl championship.

These were the results in what is considered by most observers to be the
state championship playoffs which were held Saturday at the Home Depot
Center in Carson.

Good games all, and worthy of special recognition. But are they enough
to really determine state championships (although the CIF readily
emphasizes they are not designed as state championship contests, but rather bowl games).

They were exercises in the second year in a two-year plan to test the interest and
capabilities of such games, and the plan is expected to be extended another
two years. There is even talk of expanding the number of games, perhaps
to five or as many as eight, but that still is in the rumor stage.

Whaever the number or games might be, isn’t it the method of determining
the participants most in question? Is selection by committee better, or
more time element/financially prudent, than earning a spot by playing
qualifying games?

Or do we even need “state” playoffs games?