CIF Sac-Joaquin Section 2024 flag football playoff brackets: Updated scores, matchups, game times (10-28-2024)

In its second season as a CIF sanctioned sports, Del Oro and Christian Brothers hope to repeat as champions

Christian Brothers senior Aleyah Harmon has rushed for 551 yards in 19 games while scoring three touchdowns heading into the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. / Photo: Dennis Lee

The 2024 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section flag football brackets are complete in four divisions with first-round games set for Tuesday.

The top seed in the 16-team Division 1 backet is McClatchy, followed by No. 2 Del Oro, No. 3 Tokay and No. 4 Vacaville.

The top seed in Division 2 is Ponderosa, followed in order by No. 2 West Park, No. 3 Woodcreek and No. 4 Christian Brothers.

The top seed in Division 3 is Livingston, followed by No. 2 Del Campo, No. 3 Sierra and No. 4 Lathrop.

The top seed in Division 4 is Colfax, followed No. 2 Dixon, No. 3 Orestimba and No. 4 Sacramento Adventist.

All four brackets feature 16 teams with quarterfinal play taking place Thursday, semifinals on Nov. 6 and the championship games on Nov. 9.

Defending champions are Del Oro (D1) and Christian Brothers (D2).

SAC-JOAQUIN SECTION FLAG FOOTBALL PLAYOFF BRACKETS

• DIVISION 1

• DIVISION 2

• DIVISION 3

• DIVISION 4

Last season was the first for girls flag football as a CIF sanctioned sport. It is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country.

More than 10,000 girls (10,832) already play the sport already, ranking it as 11th most popular sport after its first season as a CIF-sanctioned sport.

In the SJS D1 final in 2023, Del Oro, the second seed, knocked off No. 1 Woodcreek, 14-12. 

To get to the finals, Del Oro had to beat No. 15 Patterson (13-6), No. 10 Granite Bay (20-6) and sixth-seed Ceres (20-14) in the semifinals. 

In the SJS D2 final, second-seed Christian Brothers pulled out a 6-0 win over fifth-seed St. Mary’s 6-0 in the finals. Along the way, Christian Brothers beat No. 15 Orestimba (44-6), No. 7 Livingston (13-6) and third-seed Colfax (7-6) in the semifinals. St. Mary’s had upset No. 1 Escalon (12-6) in the semifinals. 

In the LA City Section, 10th-seed Verdugo Hills won the Division I championship with a 29-20 win over No. 5 Sylmar. Verdugo Hills had wins over No. 7 WISH Academy (24-18), No. 15 Santee (31-13) and No. 11 Cleveland (20-15) before knocking off Sylmar. 

In the LA City Section Open Division championship, seventh-seed Birmingham upset No. 1 San Pedro 14-6. 

Along the way, Birmingham knocked off second seed Crenshaw (19-0), along with No. 10 Bell (22-14) and No. 11 San Fernando (32-0) in the semifinals. 

In the San Diego Section 2023 D1 finals, top-seed Bonita Vista breezed past No. 2 Torrey Pines, 19-0. Bonita Vista beat eighth-seed Scripps Ranch (33-6) and No. 4 Calexico (33-13) in the semifinals to reach the finals. 

In the SDS 2023 D2 finals, top-seed Classical Academy put on a clinic, while defeating third-seed Cathedral Catholic, 50-0. Earlier Classical Academy defeated Imperial (19-0) and fifth-seed La Costa Canyon (14-6) to reach the finals.

Girls flag football is played in a 7-on-7 format, with no offensive or defensive lines.

With no pass rush, the quarterback is considered sacked after five seconds, and the ball is placed where she stands.

Games are played with 24-minute halves and to increase scoring, some sections play with two flags instead of three.