D7 and D12 on same side of 6A bracket
- Thread starter new2pa
- Start date
I guess this means St Joe Prep will now play their annual semi final game in Altoona every year.
https://twitter.com/CHarlan_Trib
https://twitter.com/CHarlan_Trib
New....seems this should be more heavily reported right? Kind of BIG news! If true, good hearing 3 is back East where a playoff vs 1 makes sense in the convoluted outdated format more recently used. Trying to get the 64 team playoff scheme out tonight; one more group of 4 to edit.
That should help attendance! LOL.
Am I missing something? This seems ridiculous. In an effort to move District 3 to the Eastern side of the bracket we will move the eastern-most district in the state to the western side of the bracket. PIAA logic at it's finest.
Interesting. That makes this story make a little more sense from the District 3 perspective: http://highschoolsports.pennlive.co...merger-with-24-team-lancaster-lebanon-league/
Looks like other than perennial non-pub powers McDevitt and Berks Catholic, the D3 vs D1 semi would by and large across 6 classes almost insure a non-pub representative in a championship game. And looks like at class 6A it is a guarantee to have a non-pub rep. The sticky part is what if you have say a Prep vs. Coatesville or Prep vs. North Penn title game 2 years in a row.
Football is at its best when it is regional. Perhaps this move makes the WPIAL champ games more relevant?
Looks like other than perennial non-pub powers McDevitt and Berks Catholic, the D3 vs D1 semi would by and large across 6 classes almost insure a non-pub representative in a championship game. And looks like at class 6A it is a guarantee to have a non-pub rep. The sticky part is what if you have say a Prep vs. Coatesville or Prep vs. North Penn title game 2 years in a row.
Football is at its best when it is regional. Perhaps this move makes the WPIAL champ games more relevant?
6A:
Without seeing the actual brackets, how does this guarantee a non pub in the final, anymore than under the prior bracket? Using 2017 as en example-the 2 semis would be=PR v. STJPrep in the west and Coatesville v. CV in the east. PR wins and plays Coatesville or CV in the finals. Both pub teams. As a matter of fact , it might reduce the non pubs in the finals. In years where both Prep & PCC are both good, they would have to play in the semis, not finals.
Without seeing the actual brackets, how does this guarantee a non pub in the final, anymore than under the prior bracket? Using 2017 as en example-the 2 semis would be=PR v. STJPrep in the west and Coatesville v. CV in the east. PR wins and plays Coatesville or CV in the finals. Both pub teams. As a matter of fact , it might reduce the non pubs in the finals. In years where both Prep & PCC are both good, they would have to play in the semis, not finals.
Hey Speed. Ugh...my premise that this would push far more PUBS in the final than non-pubs. I got ahead of myself. Thanks for pointing that out. Am wondering if this is reaction to the amount on non-pubs making the finals.
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How about a field of 64 bracket regardless of geography? Keep the format in place for choosing the qualifiers, but then once youre in , just seed them on power points. So District 1 would still get its 16 teams, but they would be part of the 64 team field, as would all of the other Districts. And dont be concerned about travel If the PIAA is willing to send ST Joes to Altoona in football, or they send a team like Lower Merion to State College to play a basketball playoff game in March, then we know they dont realy care about travel
Speed,
I don't think SJP really cares about playing a game in Altoona, they are well traveled out of the state on a yearly basis. Tulla and Roxy will probably elaborate on this topic soon. It's the thought of playing what has traditionally been the West's best (Pittsburgh champion) not in the final, a true East vs West, that may trouble both Phila and Pitts powers to be?
Are we to assume, if this is acted upon favorably, that District 1 will have a much "easier" path to the state final in they don't see the Dist 12 champ until the title game? Also, would the brackets be such that if D12 champ beats D7 champ in semifinal, it would set up a potential D1/D12 all-SEPA state championship final game?
The new brackets can be found here:
http://www.piaa.org/assets/web/documents/BOD_Agenda/2018/January/Sports/Fall/Football.pdf
http://www.piaa.org/assets/web/documents/BOD_Agenda/2018/January/Sports/Fall/Football.pdf
The new set-up is ridiculous. The 6A semifinal games in recent years (especially the last two) have been great partly because followers of both teams could get to them with relative ease.
Yesman raises this issue of SJP being used to playing games in distant locations. They have for many years--but always at the beginning of the season. Those trips are partly team-building exercises. Basically it's just the players and many parents who do the travelling. State playoffs are a different matter. Surely every school would like to play all the games up to the final in locations their fans can get to in less than two hours and preferably in less than an hour--especially since the games are in November and early December.
Tulla,
It somewhat appears as to the logic behind the PIAA lacrosse state championships. For years they've bracketed the D1 and D12 tops seeds such that they would meet in the state championship final if both advanced as favorites. Since their inception, the SEPA favorites/challengers have clearly been the best teams in the state. But football's a different animal, D7(mostly) & D3 both have proved their metal as legit championship title contenders.
I agree with your assessment as to late season preferences for playoff games (for all schools!!), not sure the playoff committee proceeded with sound mind here? I don't like it if I'm the D7 champ either, will there be a future rotation whereas the D7 champ would have to travel east of Hershey/State College to play a semi-final game vs a D12 opponent?
I don't think its about money but for some goofy reason I always felt that the PIAA has more of an allegiance with District 3. Maybe the fact that their headquarters are located in the heart of the district. In all my years of attending the title games in Hershey I always felt the most animosity regarding D12 from people who represent D3 than any other district.
Do you think it might also have something to do with a desire to reduce the chances of private schools winning state championships or appearing in state title games? That's not a rhetorical question.
I think the goal is to get the best 2 teams in the finals, regardless of geography. I see nothing wrong with that. They have been doing it in basketball for the past few years. In basketball, I think they ship 3 D1 teams and one D12 team out to the western bracket, which means you can see a Chester-Lower Merion final or Coatesville-Roman final. The only thing illogical thing about it is they play the final in State College instead of locally. In fact, there were always rumors that certain D1 teams would lose on purpose in district playoffs knowing they would get shipped out West, into arguably an easier bracket.
Whatever - you can't fight city hall - I'll say again, PCL was asked to join to create a true state champion. Manipulate as you will and winner gets it all, may not necessarily be the best two teams, but if you're the best, you'll get there. You play on to win, regardless of the path. PCL will continue to mettle their way.
