Mt. San Antonio College leads CCC poll heading into regular-season finale; Champs Riverside City and San Mateo set for repeats

Previous Rankings

SAN MATEO - Heading into the final weekend of regular season National Division play -- and a league championship showdown -- Mt. San Antonio College continues to lead the JC Athletic Bureau poll of California Community College Football Coaches Association members. The Mounties (9-0) received 18 of 19 first-place votes from coaches this week and totaled 474 points, continuing to rank ahead of defending state champion Riverside CC and Northern California kingpin College of San Mateo, both 8-1. Mt. SAC is in Saturday’s feature south finale, hosting No. 4 Golden West (8-1) for the Central League title. Mt. SAC appears ready to claim at least a state at-large berth. Golden West, if it loses, could contend with ninth-ranked San Diego Mesa and No. 11 College of the Canyons (all likely at 8-2). for that SoCal open spot.

Riverside clinched the Southern League title with last week’s 62-41 win over SD Mesa and received the remaining first-place vote this week, totaling 449 points. The Tigers close at No 18 Fullerton (5-4). El Camino (7-2) took the Northern League berth with a 45-38 overtime victory over Ventura and is No. 6 in this week’s poll. ElCo finishes at fourth place (No. 25) Allan Hancock (5-4).

Northern California’s four playoff spots for Nov. 30 openers are nearly set. San Mateo won a third straight Bay 6 crown and 20th consecutive home game, downing San Joaquin Delta, 61-7. No. 10 American River (6-3) has the NorCal League berth, following last week’s 45-21 win over Santa Rosa JC.

The Valley League is still in flux, where current leader No. 7 ranked Modesto JC (6-2) finishes by hosting No. 15 College of the Sequoias (6-3), which is currently tied for second place at 2-1 with No. 8 Fresno CC (7-2). Fresno is a strong contender for the north’s at-large berth, prior to closing with rival and fourth-place Reedley (4-5). A Sequoias win could create a 3-way tie, favoring Fresno. That could open the door for fifth-ranked Butte (8-1) to claim the north at-large berth with a closing NorCal League triumph over visiting No. 21 Sierra (5-4) -- which is in a second-place tie with Butte at 3-1. Modesto also has a Nov. 23 non-league contest at No. 14 Foothill (6-2), which impacts RPI.

The American Division still has two weeks of play. Two potential deciders take place Saturday. Chaffey plays at Metro League leader Victor Valley for the likely SCFA division bowl berth with Pacific League champion and No. 22 ranked Pasadena CC 9-0). In the north, No. 23 De Anza (8-0) matches 3-0 Pacific 7 records with College of the Siskiyous (6-2) Saturday in Cupertino for a likely region bowl match with No. 24 Monterey Peninsula (8-0), MPC has the Golden Coast lead over (and has beaten) San Jose CC with two to go.

The final regular season poll will be issued following Nov. 23 games, after a “pause” this weekend.

(Fred Baer, JC Athletic Bureau)