All-Inclusive Playoff Plan Interests Southern Section : Prep football: Carpinteria athletic director seeking support for his proposal.

The Southern Section football playoffs will be open to all teams and structured according to school enrollment just as the section does for basketball under a proposal that has piqued the interest of Southern Section officials.

The proposal comes from Carpinteria High Athletic Director Jim Bashore, who is canvassing his colleagues to gauge reaction. If Bashore finds support for the plan, he intends to make a formal proposal to the Southern Section general membership in the fall.

Under Bashore’s proposal, the regular season would be shortened from 10 to nine games. The 10th game would become the first round of the playoffs, in which all teams would be invited and grouped according to enrollment, regardless of league standing. Teams would retain the option of declining to participate in the playoffs or petitioning to move to a higher division.

Three seasons ago, the Southern Section grouped basketball teams in the playoffs based on enrollment and last season opened the postseason to all teams. Southern Section officials said they have heard few complaints about the system and intend to keep it for basketball.

“This is an interesting proposal and has some intriguing aspects,” said Bill Clark, Southern Section administrator in charge of football. “It’s a serious proposal and something we’ll review.”

Bashore said the plan would make the playoffs more equitable and also reduce litigation against the section. In the past, supporters of some teams that have been bumped from the playoffs because they were forced to forfeit games after rules violations sought court injunctions against the section.

“Your place in league would become immaterial, just like in basketball,” Bashore said. “Teams could stay in the same leagues, and they know when the season is over they’re going to play teams their size (enrollment-wise).”