Who's in? Who's out? 2008 a little harder to figure

By DONN ADAMSON
Daily Journal Sports Editor

• Part one of a two-part series.

Round two of District football is over and still the picture is foggy as to which teams are in the State playoffs, and a lot more so than last year because of the two-team consideration instead of just the District champion.

The State initiated the new format in answer to complaints that there were teams which deserved to have a shot at the play-offs, but were eliminated because they happened to be in a very tough District where one loss meant instant elimination.

Even though that might have been true in some of the districts, it most definitely is not true in most. In the past years, quite a few districts would already be settled after two weeks of who is in or who is out.

Out of the 12 districts that have MAFC or MAAA schools represented, no team (out of 48 total) has clinched a district title, and seven (out of 24) playoff spots are still up for grabs with 15 teams still in the hunt (see District Standings on page 8).

With the point system still in effect to break any ties, the picture becomes even more muddied, but with a little time and effort, every coach and team will know for sure what they need to do going into the their third District game on Thursday or Friday.

Here’s an attempt to do the same as well as share some insights that a few coaches had (see Monday’s Daily Journal) prior to the start of the season as far as the two-team qualifier format is concerned.

Points are awarded by the margin of points that a team wins a game, up to a maximum of 13. The head-to-head winner rules a two-way-tie. The point-system comes into effect only when there is a three-way tie. If still tied, the third tiebreaker of comparing win/loss against common opponents would be used, and the fourth tiebreaker would be comparing overall records.

Class 6, District 1

Fox and Oakville are in the playoffs. They will play each other for the District title this Friday.

Class 5, District 1

Eureka with a win over Rockwood Summit wins the district. Jackson with a win over Cape Central is in the playoffs if Eureka wins. If Summit wins by 11 or more, they would eliminate Eureka, only if Jackson should win by four or more. If Summit should win by less than 11 but more than seven, Jackson would then need to win by enough points to cover Summit’s total points.

Class 4, District 1

Farmington has made the playoffs  with their 2-0 and plus-20 points. Sikeston and Farmington will play for the district title this Thursday. If Sikeston loses, their only chance at a playoff berth is that Poplar Bluff beats West Plains by the same amount or more than Sikeston loses to Farmington, otherwise West Plains gets their ticket punched.

Class 4, District 2

Festus and De Soto are both in and they will play for the District title this Friday.

Class 3, District 1

Perryville and New Madrid County are both in and they play for the title on Thursday.

Class 3, District 2

Ste. Genevieve has clinched a playoff spot. With a win over Fredericktown or a Potosi win, Ste. Genevieve wins the district title. A Fredericktown win with a Potosi loss would give the Blackcats the title.

A Ste. Genevieve win and a Potosi loss gives Fredericktown the runner-up spot. A Ste. Genevieve win and Potosi win gives Potosi the second spot.

Now comes the hard part. A Fredericktown win and a Potosi win will create a 2-1 three way tie with Ste. Genevieve. Potosi can only get the second spot if they win by five or more points than Fredericktown wins by.

A Fredericktown loss and a Potosi loss creates a three-way tie (1-2) with Central for the runner-up spot. 1) A Central win by 12 or more would clinch the runner-up spot for them. A Central win by four to 11 points eliminates Potosi, but they would need help from Ste. Genevieve to put Fredericktown’s points below Central’s. 2) Potosi could only make it if Central’s win is three or less and Fredericktown should lose by six more points than Potosi’s loss. 3) Fredericktown cannot lose by more than eight or they are out. A loss by less than eight points will mean comparing their final points with the other two teams.

Class 3, District 3

With a win or a loss of 12 or less, Priory is in the playoffs as district champions. If Priory loses by 13 to Lutheran South it could set up a third tie-breaker if Herculaneum wins by 13 over Kennedy. If Herculaneum and Priory wins, Herculaneum gets the second spot. If both Herculaneum and Lutheran South win or if both lose, they must beat out the other’s margin to get the number two spot.

Class 2, District 2

Scott City is in even if they lose to St. Pius. A St. PIus win gives the Lancers a district title if Crystal City loses or if Crystal City wins and St. Pius wins by 10 or more points. Crystal City’s only hope is for St. Pius to lose and for the Hornets to win by enough points to move above them.

Class 2, District 3

Maplewood and Cleveland are both in and will play this Friday for the District title.

Class 1, District 1

Hayti and St. Vincent are in and will also play for a district title.

Class 1, District 2

Valle and Paris will face each other for the District championship with the losing team taking runner-up honors.