Beginning in 2018, the Monterey Bay and Mission Trail leagues will merge to form a super league dubbed the Pacific Coast Athletic League.
This will feature a similar configuration as the current MTAL and MBL breakdowns with teams being placed into equity divisions between their respective sports.
This will fully merge the teams from Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties along with Gilroy, Christopher and Oakwood from Morgan Hill.
The PCAL will feature four divisions—up from the two in the MBL and MTAL currently: The Gabilan, Mission, Cyprus and Santa Lucia. Teams in the Gabilan will be deemed the most competitive with the Santa Lucia being the least.
“The guiding principle for division assignment is to make each of those divisions as competitive as possible, with the most competitive teams in the Gabilan division, the next most competitive in the Mission division, then so on to the Cypress and Santa Lucia divisions,” stated Tim McCarthy in a press release. “The number of divisions in each sport depends on the number of PCAL schools that will compete that sport.”
Football, girls volleyball and cross country will be split into four divisions with girls tennis into three and field hockey, girls golf and boys and girls water polo into two. Winter and spring divisions will be announced later, according to McCarthy.
For football, Christopher and Gilroy will join San Benito, Aptos, Alvarez, Salinas, Palma and Seaside in the Gabilan Division after both teams advanced to the CCS finals this year.
PCAL-Mission
- Alisal
- Carmel
- Monte Vista Christian
- North Salinas
- Scotts Valley
- Soledad
- Watsonville
PCAL-Cypress (7)
- King City
- Monterey
- North Monterey Co
- Pacific Grove
- San Lorenzo Valley
- Santa Cruz
- St. Francis SCP
PCAL-Santa Lucia (7)
- Gonzales
- Greenfield
- Harbor
- Marina
- Pajaro Valley
- Soquel
- Stevenson
In girls volleyball, Christopher will be in the top division along with San Benito. Gilroy, meanwhile will head to the Cyprus, joining NMC, Anzar and Watsonville, among others. Oakwood will be in the Santa Lucia with Marina and Greenfield joining the ranks of the Hawks’ former league.
Division breakdown: PCAL-Gabilan (8)
- Carmel
- Christopher
- Hollister (San Benito)
- King City
- Monte Vista Christian
- Notre Dame
- Salinas
- Santa Catalina
PCAL-Mission (7)
- Alisal
- Everett Alvarez
- Monterey
- North Salinas
- Pacific Grove
- St. Francis SCP
- Seaside
PCAL-Cypress (8)
- Anzar
- Gilroy
- Gonzales
- North Monterey Co
- Pajaro Valley
- Soledad
- Stevenson
- Watsonville
PCAL-Santa Lucia (7)
- Greenfield
- Kirby
- Marina
- Oakwood
- Pacific Collegiate
- Trinity Christian
- York
In Cross Country, Gilroy landed in the Gabilan Division, joining Pacific Grove, San Benito and others. Oakwood and Christopher will reside in the Santa Lucia along with Anzar, Monte Vista Christian and others.
Full division breakdown: PCAL-Gabilan (8)
- Alisal
- Carmel
- Gilroy
- Hollister (San Benito)
- North Monterey Co
- Pacific Grove
- Palma/Notre Dame
- Soledad
PCAL-Mission (7)
- Everett Alvarez
- Greenfield
- King City
- Marina
- North Salinas
- Pacific Collegiate
- Salinas
PCAL-Cypress (7)
- Gonzales
- Monterey
- Pajaro Valley
- Seaside
- Stevenson
- Watsonville
- York
PCAL-Santa Lucia (8)
- Anzar
- Christopher
- Kirby
- Monte Vista Christian
- Oakwood
- Santa Catalina
- St. Francis SCP
- Trinity Christian
In girls tennis, Christopher and Gilroy will both compete in the Cyprus Division, joining Oakwood.
Division breakdown: PCAL-Gabilan (7)
- Carmel
- Monterey
- Pacific Grove
- Salinas
- Santa Catalina
- Stevenson
- York
PCAL-Mission (7)
- Alisal
- Everett Alvarez
- Hollister (San Benito)
- Monte Vista Christian
- North Salinas
- Notre Dame
- St. Francis SCP
PCAL-Cypress (6)
- Christopher
- Gilroy
- Gonzales
- Oakwood
- Pajaro Valley
- Watsonville
For field hockey, Gilroy will lead a field of six teams in the Gabilan Division, joining Christopher and Hollister.
PCAL-Gabilan (6)
- Christopher
- Gilroy
- Hollister (San Benito)
- Monterey
- North Salinas
- Notre Dame
PCAL-Mission (6)
- Carmel
- Greenfield
- Salinas
- Santa Catalina
- Stevenson
- York
In girls golf, Gilroy will sit in the Gabilan Division with Christopher in the Mission, splitting up the rival schools.
PCAL-Gabilan (7)
- Carmel
- Gilroy
- Hollister (San Benito)
- Pacific Grove
- Salinas
- Santa Catalina
- Stevenson
PCAL-Mission (6)
- Alisal
- Christopher
- Everett Alvarez
- Monte Vista Christian
- North Monterey County
- Watsonville
Finally, in water polo, Christopher will be in the Gabilan Division for both teams with Gilroy in the Mission for both as well.
Boys PCAL-Gabilan (7)
- Aptos
- Carmel
- Christopher
- Salinas
- Santa Cruz
- Soquel
- Stevenson
Boys PCAL-Mission (8) - Everett Alvarez
- Gilroy
- Harbor
- Hollister (San Benito)
- Monterey
- Palma
- San Lorenzo Valley
- York
Girls PCAL-Gabilan (7)
- Aptos
- Carmel
- Christopher
- Salinas
- Santa Cruz
- San Lorenzo Valley
- Soquel
Girls PCAL-Mission (8)
- Everett Alvarez
- Gilroy
- Harbor
Hollister (San Benito)
- Monterey
- Notre Dame
- Santa Catalina
- Stevenson
