Ten consecutive wins since Jan. 11 propelled Foothills Christian into the No. 1 position in the final regular-season The San Diego Union-Tribune poll and earned coach Brad Leaf’s Knights the Open Division top seed in this week’s beginning of the San Diego Section playoffs.
Play in divisions I through V convenes Wednesday evening. Open Division teams are off until Saturday, Feb. 16.
Fooothills (21-5) took over the No. 1 spot after leader St. Augustine (22-6) lost two of its last four games, the latest a 62-52 upset by rival Cathedral.
Foothills will play 8 seed San Marcos (16-9) and the Saints will take on defending champion and 7 seed Mission Bay (17-11).
St. Augustine holds two Western League victories over the Buccaneers, but history does not favor three wins over the same team in the same season. This is by far the matchup of the week.
CAVERS WIN ANOTHER
San Diego’s 62-56 win over University City allowed the Cavers (18-8), winners of their last eight, to claim the City League title and the D-III 4 seed Hilltoppers will meet Granite Hills (10-15) in their opening postseason test at home.
The basketball gonfalon, combined with San Diego’s football championship, marked the first time since 1974 that the Cavers had won football and basketball titles in one school year, although the football crown was shared with Clairemont and Kearny.
RATINGS
Foothills Christian is ranked 10th in the state by Max Preps and 17th by Cal-Hi Sports. St. Augustine was 17th but fell out of the top 20. The Saints and Torrey Pines sit on the Cal-Hi bubble and are 18th and 27th, respectively, according toMax Preps.
Union-Tribune Week 10 poll as of Monday, Feb 11:
| Rank | Team | Record | Points | Last Week |
| 1 | Foothills Christian (10) | 21-5 | 135 | 2 |
| 2. | St. Augustine (3) | 22-6 | 121 | 1 |
| 3 | Torrey Pines (1) | 22-6 | 120 | 3 |
| 4 | Santa Fe Christian | 19-7 | 85 | 4 |
| 5 | Mission Bay | 17-11 | 83 | 6 |
| 6 | Poway | 21-6 | 55 | 5 |
| 7 | Cathedral Catholic | 19-9 | 53 | 7 |
| 8 | Vista | 20-8 | 34 | NR |
| 9 | Montgomery | 25-3 | 27 | 10 |
| 10 | San Marcos | 17-9 | 21 | NR |
NR–Not ranked.
Others receiving votes:Rancho Buena Vista (24-4, 14 points), Sweetwater (22-6, 8) La Jolla Country Day (16-12, 3), Valhalla (26-4. 3), Francis Parker (17-9, 2).
Voters: John Maffei, The San Diego Union-Tribune; Terry Monahan, Freelance; Steve Brand, San Diego Sports Association; Carlton Hoggard (CIF San Diego Section), Adam Paul, Ramon Scott, EastCountySports.com; John Kentera, Braden Suprenant, 97.3 FM, The Fan; Rick Smith, partletonsports.com; Bodie DeSilva, sandiegopreps.com; Steve Dolan, Mountain Country 107.9 FM; Christian Pedersen, S.D. Preps Insider; Aaron Burgin, Fulltime Hoops; Brad Enright, L.A. Court Report.
