What a field

Catholic League girls soccer playoff format

The Central and AA divisions of the Catholic League each have four teams that will make up the A-B soccer tournament field.

Central teams are Bloomfield Hills Marian, Livonia Ladywood, Farmington Hills Mercy and Warren Regina. The AA Division is home to Madison Heights Bishop Foley, Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Dearborn Divine Child.

The top seed in the Central Division at season’s end will host the No 4 seed in the AA; the No. 2 seed in the Central hosts the AA’s No. 3 seed; the AA’s No. 1 seed welcomes the Central’s No. 4 seed; and the AA’s No. 2 seed hosts the Central’s No. 3 team. All quarterfinal games are scheduled for May 7.

The four teams losing in the opening round will move into a crossover bracket and play two more games. The winning four teams move on to the semifinals, which get under way either May 12 or May 13.

The losing semifinal teams will then square off, while the winners advance to the championship game. The title game is scheduled for 2 p.m. May 16 at Ladywood High School.

The Tri-Sectional Division technically has six teams: Riverview Gabriel Richard, Royal Oak Shrine, Allen Park Cabrini, Marine City Cardinal Mooney, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes and West Bloomfield Frankel Jewish Academy.

However, the Jewish Academy is not eligible to play in the tournament because it is an associate member of the league. With only five eligible teams, there will be no quarterfinal games, as only the top four teams at the conclusion of the regular season will play in the C-D tournament.

The Tri-Sectional No. 1 seed hosts the No. 4 seed either May 12 or May 13, while the No. 2 seed welcomes the No. 3 seed. The winning teams move on to the championship game May 16 at Ladywood beginning at noon.