Is It Time for A Playoff Format Change

[Mr Honda]

The reason I ask this question, is that the West region looks like it will be overly stacked. If Richmond goes west, it would especially true. Both MaxPreps and Carolina Preps has as their top 5 teams, Richmond, Mallard Creek, Vance, West Forsyth and Myers Park. They have them in different positions, but those teams are in the top 5 in either ranking.

To me, this is a legitimate question to ask. If Richmond does go west and Vance remains in 4AA, then we'd have the top 5 ranked teams in the state in the same region. By the time one of these teams made it to the state title game, yes, they'd be battle tested, but what else would have resulted from that run? Increased risk of injury, being worn down, to name a possible few.

Anytime you have playoffs a team needs to guard against having a bad game or a couple of quarters. Looking at the teams that would most likely be in the east with this scenario, a team could have a bad quarter or half and possibly bounce back from it. In the west one bad quarter and the team could be done. With 16-17 year olds, it can often be challenge to have them solidly concentrate every single quarter for one game, let alone 4 or 5.

You'd think the NCHSAA would want, if at all possible, the greatest likelihood of the top two teams in the state being represented in a showcase event such as the state title game. Looking at the rankings of the teams, that wouldn't happen this year with the current format.

Many of you guys have much more knowledge and understanding of these things than I do. I'd like to hear your thoughts are on it.

 

[btango]

That argument was strong to the common folk until Wake Forest had their three year run. I think that run was helped somewhat by the gauntlet ran in the west especially last season.

 

[BlueandGold34]

Been through this thousands of times. It all comes down to travel and $$. Your not sending teams from RDU to Charlotte to get beat by 50 in the first round. Makes no sense.

Lot of different improvements that can be made but there will always be geographic dilemmas that can only be decided by cutting the state in half.

While we are all convinced that polls like Maxpreps and Carolina Preps are accurate there is really zero hard data to validate that since these teams almost never play against each other. How do you know Leesville Rd isnt the best team? You dont..

 

[RAIDERS2014]

I hate the way they do it. I think richmond should always go east they are not a west team. I would rather see a a richmond vs myers park type of game in the title game for all the marbles instead of a 3rd round game

 

[EddieVedder]

Yes. It is time for a change.

 

[ravenscats]

Several States including Maryland this year have gone with the normal regional format for early rounds and then reseeding everyone at the Quarterfinals. Keeps teams from traveling a ton early on when there are many non competitive games.

 

[BlueandGold34]

Several States including Maryland this year have gone with the normal regional format for early rounds and then reseeding everyone at the Quarterfinals. Keeps teams from traveling a ton early on when there are many non competitive games.

Love that idea but NC 4 times larger than MD easily

 

[Ben-Badd]

I for one, would like to see it changed. Dont know how they'd do it unless they go to the dead center, draw , draw a parallel line, and stick to it and have a North and South. Lol... honestly though, almost every year, the last 2 games in the West are usually like the championships. At least in 4a. Not knocking the teams on this side of the river... some reason they're not too strong, with exception of a few contenders. My nickels Worth... GO RAIDERS...

 

[Ben-Badd]

Oh... and my answer is yes Mr. Honda.

 

[BlueandGold34]

I for one, would like to see it changed. Dont know how they'd do it unless they go to the dead center, draw , draw a parallel line, and stick to it and have a North and South. Lol... honestly though, almost every year, the last 2 games in the West are usually like the championships. At least in 4a. Not knocking the teams on this side of the river... some reason they're not too strong, with exception of a few contenders. My nickels Worth... GO RAIDERS...

Nobody is a bigger West homer than me but the West 4aa champ has scored 7 pts in three games against the 4aa East champ. Hard to beat your chest with that performance.

 

[Mr Honda]

Nobody is a bigger West homer than me but the West 4aa champ has scored 7 pts in three games against the 4aa East champ. Hard to beat your chest with that performance.

That was against one team that had nowhere near the competition or tough road to get to the finals as the west champion. It's one thing knowing you'll have one tough game in the championship as opposed to a gauntlet in the west.

 

[1955Wildcat]

I'm with you, but I get for many schools it could present a travel hardship. In the 80s and 90s, the 1A championship was decided with the west semis every year. Robbinsville, Swain, Murphy usually won the finals by 28+. In 73, 74, 76, 77, 79, 80, and 81 Robbinsville didn't even half their starters play at all in the 2nd half. In 82 they did. Then the East got good again.

 

[BlueandGold34]

Nobody is a bigger West homer than me but the West 4aa champ has scored 7 pts in three games against the 4aa East champ. Hard to beat your chest with that performance.

One team, twelve teams it doesnt matter. They have rolled the West champ 3 years in a row. Could swing back the other way this year and I think it will but you are what your record is. Period.

 

[Ben-Badd]

GO RAIDERS...

 

[ScotlandAlumni99]

ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY WEST....(says nobody in the East)...

 

[devilmac99]

Not an easy answer - Manteo Murphy is a long damn way. Wish you could have pre determined neutral site locations but too many games and you wouldn't know match-ups until the week before. I like seeding 1 - 48 to balance the brackets but not going back to that. Just win baby!

 

[btango]

It needs a complete overhaul but first they need to decide how they are going to handle the realignment. The perfect solution in my opinion is for football and non football sports to align separately. Allow the football coaches much more involvement in the football only alignment.

I would like to see 1A go to four rounds and 32 teams. They would finish the Saturday before and have "their own" championship Saturday. Hopefully, the 1A coaches could be more involved in selecting the finals site. Some of them like playing in the ACC stadiums.

1A schools depend on footballers often much more for their winter sports than larger schools and they usually have smaller rosters that with injuries can get very low as the season goes on. Also, the usually more wide spread regions and some very long distance travel. Players look forward to the long bus ride when they are having a great season and playing deep in the playoffs. Teams with a few wins are not going to be too excited about a four hour bus drive to get rolled by a physically superior machine.

I would be fine with 4A going to four rounds / 32 teams if they would guarantee only conference champions a playoff berth and the non champions be seeded by their Max Preps ranking. Some second place teams playoff worthiness is very questionable.

 

[devilmac99]

It needs a complete overhaul but first they need to decide how they are going to handle the realignment. The perfect solution in my opinion is for football and non football sports to align separately. Allow the football coaches much more involvement in the football only alignment.

I would like to see 1A go to four rounds and 32 teams. They would finish the Saturday before and have "their own" championship Saturday. Hopefully, the 1A coaches could be more involved in selecting the finals site. Some of them like playing in the ACC stadiums.

1A schools depend on footballers often much more for their winter sports than larger schools and they usually have smaller rosters that with injuries can get very low as the season goes on. Also, the usually more wide spread regions and some very long distance travel. Players look forward to the long bus ride when they are having a great season and playing deep in the playoffs. Teams with a few wins are not going to be too excited about a four hour bus drive to get rolled by a physically superior machine.

I would be fine with 4A going to four rounds / 32 teams if they would guarantee only conference champions a playoff berth and the non champions be seeded by their Max Preps ranking. Some second place teams playoff worthiness is very questionable.

You got that right i want name teams but some of these teams in split conferences are going to get very high seeds and will get bounced very early and it want be an upset it will be an undeserved high seeding!

 

[NBBears20124ACHAMPS]

You got that right i want name teams but some of these teams in split conferences are going to get very high seeds and will get bounced very early and it want be an upset it will be an undeserved high seeding!

Go Bears!

 

[GSO-Triple5]

Love that idea but NC 4 times larger than MD easily

Maryland has 12, 407 square miles while North Carolina has 53, 819, so a little over four times as large.

 

[btango]

You got that right i want name teams but some of these teams in split conferences are going to get very high seeds and will get bounced very early and it want be an upset it will be an undeserved high seeding!

I would prefer the one seeds get the automatic bid but all qualifiers be seeded based on Max Preps ranking. There are some weak conference champions.

If they are going to allow a split conference champion to be deemed a champion they should be required to win the overall conference if they are from the larger classification of the split conference members. If the smaller classification win their class.