SOLEDAD — The defending Central Coast Section Division IV champion Soledad Aztecs are moving down to Division V this season and will be playing Mission Trail Athletic League member Scotts Valley at home on Friday night.
The MTAL champion Aztecs were seeded third in Division V behind Gilroy and second seed Menlo.
“It is a brand new season now,” said Soledad head coach Frankie Berlanga. “Health wise we are ready to go and even though we are playing a familiar opponent (Scotts Valley Falcons), we know their tendencies and they know ours. We are feeling pretty good that we earned a home game to start the playoffs.”
Soledad played the Falcons on Oct. 20, and won the contest 19-3. The Aztecs had trailed the Falcons at the point and the win gave Soledad the chance to still play for a part of the MTAL title. After Scotts Valley lost to San Lorenzo Valley the Aztecs clinched the championship with a 35-0 shutout win over Stevenson.
The CCS Division V division includes: Gilroy (10-0); Menlo (6-4); Soledad (7-3); Hillsdale (7-3); Sobrato (8-2); Scotts Valley (6-4); Jefferson (8-2); and Santa Cruz (5-5).
Gilroy won the Monterey Bay League Pacific Division, Soledad won the MTAL Pacific title, Menlo is champion of the PAL Ocean League, Jefferson won the Peninsula Lake League, Santa Cruz was co-champion of the MTAL Coastal Division.
A win over Scotts Valley would set up a game between the Aztecs and the winner of the Jefferson at Menlo game that will be played on Friday in Menlo.
In other Division V games on Friday night Sobrato is at Hillsdale and Santa Cruz travels to Gilroy.
Last season was a great run for Soledad as they beat Silver Creek 37-13 in the first round of the Division IV playoffs, edged Gilroy 27-26 in the semifinals in Soledad, and won the CCS title with a 17-13 comeback win over Westmont at Independence High School in San Jose. The Aztecs finished the season with a 10-3 overall record.
