The sportswriters and broadcasters and CIF power ratings maven John LaBeta have spoken and there is some agreement.
Cathedral, Rancho Bernardo, and Helix, 1-2-3 in The San Diego Union final regular-season poll, are the top three seeds in the Open Division playoffs, which begin Nov. 18 with quarterfinals play.
But there were some surprises and shock waves in other divisions, with teams having higher  finishes and better won-loss records being left out (see 2016 scores in the Football drop down menu).
LaBeta is unique.
He is  one of the 27 persons on the panel that vote each week to determine the Union top 10 and he’s also the guy who  coordinates the power ratings, which eventually determine who gets into the playoffs, in which division, and with which seeding.
How does LaBeta’s vote in the Union‘s poll compare with the power ratings, which essentially are determined by Labeta’s informational input in a computer generated system that compares what teams do over a season against what their scheduled opponents do?
No answer there.  LaBeta wasn’t able to participate in the vote this week.
He was  busy aligning the 68 teams in the five postseason divisions plus the eight-man tournament and probably fielding questions (and complaints) about the power ratings.
Many in the media and some of the coaches did not understand why St. Augustine and Madison, powerful Western League clubs with 8-2 records, did not make the Open Division.
Maybe the Saints and Warhawks will be better served as Division I participants.
Rancho Bernardo was a twice-beaten and not particularly well-regarded team in 2015. The Broncos were slotted in Division I and won out, going 13-2, and claiming a state championship.
An overall winner will be named in a  final Union poll that will be conducted at the end of the season.  Cathedral remains No. 7 in Cal-Hi Sports‘ state top 25.  Helix moved from 16th to 14th and Rancho Bernardo is 25th.  Madison is on the bubble.
First-place votes in parenthesis.
Points on 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.
| Rank | Team | W-L | Points | Last Week |
| 1. | Cathedral (25) | 10-0 | 268 | 1 |
| 2. | Rancho Bernardo (2) | 10-0 | 240 | 3 |
| 3. | Helix | 8-2 | 212 | 4 |
| 4. | Mater Dei | 9-1 | 182 | 5 |
| 5. | Madison | 8-2 | 165 | 2 |
| 6. | St. Augustine | 8-2 | 116 | 7 |
| 7. | Torrey Pines | 8-2 | 79 | 8 |
| 8. | Poway | 9-1 | 71 | 6 |
| 9. | Grossmont | 9-1 | 56 | 10 |
| 10 | The Bishop’s | 10-0 | 40 | 9 |
Others receiving votes: Christian (10-0, 24 points), Oceanside (8-2, 21), Valley Center (9-1, 5), Santa Fe Christian (8-2, 2), Valhalla (8-1, 1).
Twenty-seven sportswriters, sportscasters, and other representatives comprise the voting panel:
John Maffei, Union-Tribune. Terry Monahan, Don Norcross, Tom Saxe, Rick Hoff, Jim Lindgren,  Union-Tribune contributors. Paul Rudi, Brandon Stone, Rick Willis (KUSI Chl. 51). Michael Bower, Pomerado News. Lisa Lane, Fox 5 News. Montell Allen, MBA Sports-SDFNL Magazine. Brandon Stone, Rick Willis, KUSI, Channel 51. Adam Clark, Ted Mendenhall, Taylor Quellman, The Mighty 1090. Steve (Biff) Dolan, Mountain Radio 107.9 FM. Bob Petinak, 1360 Radio. Bill Dickens, Adam Paul, Chris Davis, eastcountysports.com. Bodie DeSilva, sandiegopreps.com. Drew Smith, sdcoastalsports.com. Raymond Brown, sdfootball.net. Rick Smith, partletonsports.com. Steve Brand, San Diego Hall of Champions. Jerry Schniepp, John Labeta, CIF San Diego Section. John (Coach) Kentera, Prep Talent Evaluator.
FOR THE RECORD
Who won the league?
The question has not had as much resonance since the still-trying-to-please power ratings system  came into vogue, but a championship in the regular season still means a lot to coaches, players and student bodies.
This season’s 18 league champions, with special bows to Patrick Henry, on top for the first time since 1997, and Calipatria, first after not being there since 2000:
| League | Team | Record | Last |
| Avocado | Torrey Pines | 5-1 (8-2) | 2010 |
| Central | Coronado | 4-0 (8-2) | 2010 |
| Citrus | St. Joseph | 5-0 (6-2) | First |
| City | Patrick Henry | 4-0 (6-4) | 1997 |
| Coastal | The Bishop’s | 4-0 (10-0) | 2014 |
| Eastern | Christian | 4-0 (10-0) | 2015 |
| Grossmont Hills | Helix | 4-0 (8-2) | 2015 |
| Grossmont Valley | Granite Hills | 4-0 (6-4) | 2015 |
| Imperial Valley | Brawley | 5-0 (7-3) | 2014 |
| Manzanita | Calipatria | 3-1 (7-3) | 2000 |
| Holtville | 3-1 (5-5) | 2012 | |
| Calexico Vincent Memorial | 3-1 (5-5) | 2002 | |
| Mesa | Mater Dei | 4-0 (9-1) | 2015 |
| Metropolitan Pacific | San Ysidro | 4-0 (5-5) | First |
| Pacific | Classical | 4-0 (6-4) | 2014 |
| Palomar | Rancho Bernardo | 4-0 (10-0) | 2015 |
| South Bay | Mar Vista | 3-0 (8-2) | 2012 |
| Ocean | Calvin Christian | 3-0 (8-0) | 2015 |
| Valley | Valley Center | 5-0 (9-1) | 2015 |
| Western | Cathedral | 4-0 (10-0) | 2014 |
