Alpha League Expands, Rules Shift | Orange County News

Orange County football is shaking up its landscape as the Alpha League expands to six teams, welcoming San Juan Hills and Yorba Linda to join longtime members Edison, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, and San Clemente — a move designed to balance competition and simplify scheduling. Coaches like Mission Viejo’s Chad Johnson are thrilled, as local non-league matchups will now be easier to arrange, slashing travel headaches. Meanwhile, the Bravo League shrinks to just two returning teams: Corona del Mar and Villa Park. Playoff eligibility just got more inclusive too — the minimum winning percentage for at-large berths has dropped from 50% to 30%, giving more teams a shot at postseason glory. Coaching changes are also in motion, with new leaders taking charge at Los Alamitos, Orange Lutheran, and JSerra — including NFL veteran Hardy Nickerson at JSerra, bringing fresh energy and strategy. And while most rules stay the same, a few tweaks are coming: players can now wear play cards on belts, and the head-slapping ban now includes defensive linemen — all aimed at refining play and keeping things fair as the season kicks off, with Spectrum continuing its coverage of CIF-SS action. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/6d44b43ef9c8f909