Football play-offs could expand

**imported_Sportsman** · May 5th, 2006, 07:13 PM

Football playoffs could expand
The VHSL Executive Committee decides that regions can double their playoff pool if they wish.
By Robert Anderson
981-3123

More change is on the way in the Virginia High School League.

One month after the VHSL's Redistricting and Reclassification Committee realigned several districts and regions, the league's Executive Committee made another major move.

The VHSL's policy-making body voted 25-1 Wednesday to give regions the authority to expand their football playoffs by one game beginning in 2007-08, which would result in five postseason games and a possible 15-game season for teams reaching state finals.

The vote allows any region to increase the number of playoff teams from four to eight within each division. It also would force those regions to complete their regular seasons by the first weekend in November, one week earlier than schools in regions that do not wish to expand.

Neither the season-opening date nor the date of the state title games would change under an expanded format. However, schools in regions which expand their playoffs would have to fit 10 games into an 11-week calendar and open the season no later than the first Friday in September.

The proposal for expanded regional playoffs was powered largely by Group AAA schools in the Northern and Eastern regions, citing increased revenue and the certainty that no team that finishes 8-2 or 9-1 would not receive a playoff berth.

The Group AAA Northwest Region -- which includes Franklin County and Patrick Henry, and will add William Fleming in '07-08 -- already has voted against expanding its football playoffs.

Had the expanded format been in place last year, Patrick Henry would have made the Division 5 playoffs in the region with a 3-7 record.

"I was one of the two people who voted for it," E.C. Glass athletic director Chip Berry said. "I just think it took a lot of people out of their comfort zone."

The jury is still out in Group AA Region III and Region IV and Group A Region C, where administrators will consider the expanded format this fall.

Salem High School principal John Hall, a member of the Executive Committee, said there are several negatives to an expanded playoff format.

One downside is schools that start their playoffs while other teams are still playing regular-season games would not receive VHSL Rating Scale rider points from those teams and would have to slightly change how at-large playoff berths would be determined.

More serious, Hall said, is that scheduling long-time opponents in different regions might be more difficult.

"There's the potential to lose [playoff] points and there's the potential to lose contracts," Hall said.

Salem and the other five River Ridge District schools will move from Region III to Region IV in '07-08. No official vote has been taken on the expanded playoffs yet in either region.

George Wythe athletic director Joey Russell said support does not appear to be present for expanded playoffs in Region C. In 2004, George Wythe finished 9-1 but did not qualify for an at-large berth in the Division 2 playoffs in Region C.

Chilhowie principal Steve Reedy said Region C will hold its vote in September.

The Executive Committee also voted 24-2 to change the rating scale format for '07-08 The new system gives 24 points for a win over a Group AAA school, 20 for Group AA and 16 for Group A. Currently, distinctions are made between the two divisions within each group.

In other committee action:

n All Redistricting & Reclassification Committee changes for 2007-08 announced in April were formally approved.

**Unchained** · May 6th, 2006, 04:51 PM

While I agree that it is sad to see a 9-1 team miss the playoffs (although often it is their doing by scheduling patsies for non-distric competition), I would hate to see us being like TN where a 3-7 club qualifies for the post-season. The playoffs should be a reward for working hard and earning your trip, not something that you back, limp, stumble, stagger, or fall into.

**imported_GC_Quincy** · May 6th, 2006, 05:12 PM

I remember South making the playoffs with a 2-8 record once.

**Unchained** · May 6th, 2006, 05:23 PM

I also think maybe it was Jellico that made it at 1-9, made me want to vomit, considering we were 6-4 with a win over the #1 ranked team in the state of Virginia that year.

**imported_GC_Quincy** · May 6th, 2006, 05:26 PM

You're right about that. Clintwood's had some pretty good teams in the past that has been left at home also. I'm not a big fan of 5 playoff games. I love football, and would take as many as you'd throw at me, but just don't feel a team winning a couple of games should be in the playoffs. That includes GC.

**Unchained** · May 6th, 2006, 05:30 PM

You know, I didn't complain though. We went to Rye Cove thinking we had an easy one and got beat 44-42 in OT after being up big. I felt that even with the win over the Vikes, that that loss to RC was proof that we didn't belong.

**imported_hhstigerfan** · May 7th, 2006, 10:09 PM

The VHSL just doesn't seem to realize that the divisions are the whole problem with the football playoffs anyway. They just keep coming up with one new thing after another hoping something will work. I actually wouldn't mind seeing a system similar to Tennessee, but just the top two teams from each district/region make the playoffs.

**luvLPDsports** · May 7th, 2006, 11:06 PM

i say go to a 4 A system with 4 teams from each region making the playoffs.

**thsvikings2004** · May 10th, 2006, 06:26 PM

I remember that year. It would be impossible for it to happen now though. A 5 playoff game format isn't that bad. It could generate more revenue for the schools.