The Northern Region--sorry, 6A North--tournament is still a proper regional tournament. Good crowds Wednesday night, great crowd and atmosphere for both the girls and boys finals tonight. I feel bad for the Richmond and Hampton Roads teams.
One thing the six-class format hasn't ruined...
- Thread starter otnorot
- Start date
This new format has definitely made it a bit easier for teams north of Richmond to advance deep into the state playoffs. And yes, the 757/804 got screwed in 5A. Gone are the days of an all 757 or all 804 final, at least in 5A.
"Gone are the days of an all 757 or all 804 final, at least in 5A."
How so? If a region's 2 seed (or the loser of the regional final) wins their state semifinal game, as does the 1 seed, it could be an "all 757" or "all 804" final. Very possible. Example in the recent 6A South games-if Smith had beaten Forge, then both Landstown and Smith win their state semifinal, it is an all 757 final. The same thing could easily happen in 5A. The fact that the South Region chooses to play down to two teams in each of two subregions, essentially equal to a 757 subregion and an 804 subregion, that even increases the chances that one region or the other may have 2 teams in the final four, both with an opportunity to advance like in the scenario described above. If the South conducted their region format the same as the North, there is an even greater possibility that either the 757 or 804 would be shut out of the state level playoffs all together if the teams from one of those regions were all eliminated in the first two regional rounds.
The South claims they use sub-regions as a means to cut down travel and expenses, which it probably does. However, the format also ensures each area code, 757 and 804, has a greater chance of representation at the state level-for both football and basketball.
How so? If a region's 2 seed (or the loser of the regional final) wins their state semifinal game, as does the 1 seed, it could be an "all 757" or "all 804" final. Very possible. Example in the recent 6A South games-if Smith had beaten Forge, then both Landstown and Smith win their state semifinal, it is an all 757 final. The same thing could easily happen in 5A. The fact that the South Region chooses to play down to two teams in each of two subregions, essentially equal to a 757 subregion and an 804 subregion, that even increases the chances that one region or the other may have 2 teams in the final four, both with an opportunity to advance like in the scenario described above. If the South conducted their region format the same as the North, there is an even greater possibility that either the 757 or 804 would be shut out of the state level playoffs all together if the teams from one of those regions were all eliminated in the first two regional rounds.
The South claims they use sub-regions as a means to cut down travel and expenses, which it probably does. However, the format also ensures each area code, 757 and 804, has a greater chance of representation at the state level-for both football and basketball.
That was an 804 thing the 757 wanted to go straight bracketing. The 804 mostly in football wanted to ensure they had representation at the state level to keep it in the format of the old system of having an unofficial "eastern region champ" and "central region champ" At the end of the day the 804 really screwed themselves in football as the eastern just wasn't that strong in 5a the past two years.
Re: All 757/All 804 Final Impossibe
They screwed themselves. That was a decision that they came up with. The VHSL left the regional format up to them and to appease the 804 people the 757 agreed to the subregionals. Look at football you had Salem playing for a regional final and clearly there were 3-4 teams in the Richmond area that were better, but were eliminated because of sub regionals. I would have been mad to see L.C. Bird sitting there as my 4 seed and I'm the #1 seed knowing I could have had an easier game against a weaker Tidewater team in 5a. But also in hoops a team like Maury went home in conference play because they played a tough Green Run squad in the conference semifinals. Look at Highland Springs. Bottom line 5a South got it so wrong on so many levels.
They screwed themselves. That was a decision that they came up with. The VHSL left the regional format up to them and to appease the 804 people the 757 agreed to the subregionals. Look at football you had Salem playing for a regional final and clearly there were 3-4 teams in the Richmond area that were better, but were eliminated because of sub regionals. I would have been mad to see L.C. Bird sitting there as my 4 seed and I'm the #1 seed knowing I could have had an easier game against a weaker Tidewater team in 5a. But also in hoops a team like Maury went home in conference play because they played a tough Green Run squad in the conference semifinals. Look at Highland Springs. Bottom line 5a South got it so wrong on so many levels.
