Justin-Siena High’s hopes for earning a spot in the CIF Division III state championship football game seem to have disappeared.

Bowl game participants must be section champions, so the North Coast Section Division IV champion Braves (9-4) are ranked 10th in the North Division III ratings released Wednesday by CalHiSports.com. However, three other section champions are rated ahead of Justin and have been ranked in the top 10 all season.

Cardinal Newman (12-0) will play for the North Coast Section Division II championship against Clayton Valley (12-0) in Santa Rosa on Saturday night. A Newman win would clinch the Cardinals the D-III North bowl berth. Sac-Joaquin Section Div. V champion Hilmar (12-1) is ranked second. Sutter (10-1), the  Northern Section Division IV titlist is rated fourth, but considered a bowl game longshot.

“If Cardinal Newman loses, the (Div. III) bid would go to Hilmar,” CalHiSports.com editor Mark Tennis wrote in an e-mail to the Napa ValleyRegister on Tuesday.

The Web site predicted that No. 1-rated St. Bonaventure of Ventura (12-1) has the inside track to represent the South Division in the D-III bowl if it wins its section title this weekend.  Powerful Oaks Christian of Westlake Village (13-0), is rated No. 2 and plays for its section crown.

Prep football insiders are clearly hoping for Cardinal Newman to avoid the upset against Clayton Valley and head to Carson Dec. 19 for the state game and set up the most competitive matchup.

“From the CIF’s standpoint and with no disrespect to Hilmar for what it just did,” CalHiSports.com stated, “a Division III state bowl game between Hilmar and St. Bonaventure wouldn’t be pretty.”

Justin-Siena did not crack the CalHiSports Northern California Top 15 this. The Braves are, however, ranked 25th in the MaxPreps.com North Coast Section Top 25. Marin County Athletic League champion Novato (11-2) is rated eighth and Marin Catholic is No. 16.

The state bowl game selections will be announced on Sunday.