As the Palo Alto football Vikings return to practice this week after the thrilling 23-21 win over Oak Grove in the CCS Open Division finals last Friday, they still do not know whether or not they will play on Dec. 16 for a state title. Most do not even have an idea how the selection process works.

The inaugural California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Football Championship Bowl Games were implemented this year for the first time in 80 years.

"We deserve it," senior defensive back Dennis Pruzan said.

The only qualification required is that a school wins its section tournament, which the Vikings did on Friday. There are six sections in Northern California and four in Southern California, each with their own divisions. For instance, the Central Coast Section has four divisions (Small, Medium, Large, and Open) and each of those four section champions is eligible to get the bid. Because the Vikings won the tougher Open Division championship, they are the only CCS team likely to receive any consideration.

All of the thirty plus section winners are then aligned into three larger divisions, which are based on enrollment and not on the division played in during the section tournaments. One team is chosen in each division from both the North and the South. For the section champions not selected, the season is over. Paly is in Division II and if selected, would play the Division II representative from Southern California in one game for the Division II state title.

Where the confusion and possible controversy arises is in the selection process. The Section Commissioners will meet on Sunday, Dec. 10 to determine the pairings for the three games. According to the official handbook, the Commissioners make their selection based on the overall and playoff records, strength of schedule, any common opponents, and the results from any head-to-head match-ups. The point differentials are not considered.

There are numerous computerized ranking systems and media inputs, but those will only be used as a guide, according to the handbook. The ultimate decision is in the hands of the ten Section Commissioners during the Dec. 10 meeting.

"The system isn’t perfect," senior quarterback Nick Goodspeed said. "But any new system is going to have its flaws."

The current rankings from Calpreps.com have the Vikings ranked #1. Colfax High School had been expected to contend for the Northern bid, but lost in their section title game, making the Vikings the favorite. Maxpreps.com has the Vikings ranked #20 in California with the closest Division II North competitor being Paradise at #29. The Bobcats (11-1) won the Northern Section Division I title, but are considered Division II by the CIF. The Vikings and Bobcats did not share any common opponents. Novato High School is also hoping for a berth. The Hornets 11-1 record with nine shutouts looks impressive, though their incredibly weak schedule will probably cost them the bid.

If selected, which appears most likely, the Vikings will likely face Lutheran High School from Orange, California. Lutheran is ranked #2 in the state by Maxpreps.com, just behind Division I North hopeful, De La Salle. The Lancers still must win the Southern Section title and they must do so against Edison High School, #3 in the state and right behind the Lancers for the Division II Southern bid. This powerhouse match-up on Saturday, Dec. 9 makes scouting easy for the Vikings, who plan on sending most of the coaching staff down to watch the game.

For those already planning a road trip down to Carson, the Division II championship game is at 3 p.m. at the Home Depot Center on Dec. 16. The atmosphere around the team and school suggest the Vikings are a lock for the bid, but only after head coach Earl Hansen gets the call on Sunday will the Vikings know whether their magical season gets an encore.