Football playoff format...wishful thinking

[VolNation85]

Now that we have so many schools in Virginia, it is common for a team to travel long distances for playoff games. This year we've already seen Prince George travel to Fleming, JF travel to Sherando, and PH-Roanoke travel to Matoaca. All of those trips are over 2h 45min one direction. It's obvious that long trips doesn't matter to VHSL and I'm completely fine with it. Now to the point of my post.

I wish VHSL would re-seed the tournament after the second round of the playoffs based off of end of regular season power ratings. This would increase the likelihood of the two best teams meeting in the championship game. If they did this for this year we would have some interesting match ups that we usually wouldn't see. Under this format we would have the following games Thanksgiving week;

#8 Hampton @ #1 Dinwiddie
#5 Sherando @ #4 John Champe
#6 Tuscarora @ #3 Phoebus
#7 Salem @ #2 Varina

 

[Phoebus Fan]

Nah don’t like this idea. Regional championships would be eliminated. I like the idea of the 4 best teams from each area being in the final four. I like they switched the state semi matchups up

 

[VolNation85]

Nah don’t like this idea. Regional championships would be eliminated. I like the idea of the 4 best teams from each area being in the final four. I like they switched the state semi matchups up

I agree that not having Region champions would suck but I don't really care which areas are represented in the Final 4. I just want the best 4 teams, regardless of where they're from.

 

[SFUWO]

Now that we have so many schools in Virginia, it is common for a team to travel long distances for playoff games. This year we've already seen Prince George travel to Fleming, JF travel to Sherando, and PH-Roanoke travel to Matoaca. All of those trips are over 2h 45min one direction. It's obvious that long trips doesn't matter to VHSL and I'm completely fine with it. Now to the point of my post.

I wish VHSL would re-seed the tournament after the second round of the playoffs based off of end of regular season power ratings. This would increase the likelihood of the two best teams meeting in the championship game. If they did this for this year we would have some interesting match ups that we usually wouldn't see. Under this format we would have the following games Thanksgiving week;

#8 Hampton @ #1 Dinwiddie
#5 Sherando @ #4 John Champe
#6 Tuscarora @ #3 Phoebus
#7 Salem @ #2 Varina

I don't like the reseeding idea. Power points are determined by similar teams in the region. Let the best teams in the regions battle it out. Rotate the regions every yr.

 

[Phoebus Fan]

I agree that not having Region champions would suck but I don't really care which areas are represented in the Final 4. I just want the best 4 teams, regardless of where they're from.

if a team loses in their region then they’re not one of the best 4 teams then

 

[VolNation85]

I don't like the reseeding idea. Power points are determined by similar teams in the region. Let the best teams in the regions battle it out. Rotate the regions every yr.

What do you mean that power points are determined by similar teams in the region?

 

[VolNation85]

if a team loses in their region then they’re not one of the best 4 teams then

That'e not necessarily true. Some regions are inherently more challenging than others. That's evident by the power points. Perfect example is how Varina is the #2 team in their region this year but they would be #1 in any other region based on power points. The power points are based on the quality of teams that a team beats so that has to mean something.

I have a hard to believing that Varina and Dinwiddie aren't two of the four best teams in Class 4 this year but one of them will go home after next weekend while a team that was not as good during the regular season will advance to the Final Four just because of their geographic location.

 

[Agibbs757]

I say texas style it and just take the top 32 in each class. And rank 1-32 and play from there

 

[Phoebus Fan]

That'e not necessarily true. Some regions are inherently more challenging than others. That's evident by the power points. Perfect example is how Varina is the #2 team in their region this year but they would be #1 in any other region based on power points. The power points are based on the quality of teams that a team beats so that has to mean something.

I have a hard to believing that Varina and Dinwiddie aren't two of the four best teams in Class 4 this year but one of them will go home after next weekend while a team that was not as good during the regular season will advance to the Final Four just because of their geographic location.

Yes i agree Varina and Dinwiddie are in the top 4 of 4A and they’ll now get a chance to win their area and move on and play the best from another area. The only change that needed to be made was made and that was changing A vs B and C vs D in state semi round.

It’s a state playoff so having a final four bas d on geographic location is the best route. Plus imagine a year where a team from out west could come to play in 804 then the next week the 757 then the next week to the 804 again. Who’s paying for all of that?

 

[VolNation85]

Yes i agree Varina and Dinwiddie are in the top 4 of 4A and they’ll now get a chance to win their area and move on and play the best from another area. The only change that needed to be made was made and that was changing A vs B and C vs D in state semi round.

It’s a state playoff so having a final four bas d on geographic location is the best route. Plus imagine a year where a team from out west could come to play in 804 then the next week the 757 then the next week to the 804 again. Who’s paying for all of that?

The long travel distances are the norm now. Several regions already have long travel times every round. In 2022 Kettle Run had to make back to back trips to Lynchburg for the State-semifinals and finals. That's just one example but it happens quite often.

Clearly VHSL doesn't care about geographic locations. They wouldn't have changed the semifinal format last year and this year if so. They are trying to get the best matchup in the championship, even if it means having two teams from the "eastern" half of the state. Which, I am completely fine with. I just want to see the most competitive games possible, especially in the semifinals and finals.

 

[southbottomU]

Now that we have so many schools in Virginia, it is common for a team to travel long distances for playoff games. This year we've already seen Prince George travel to Fleming, JF travel to Sherando, and PH-Roanoke travel to Matoaca. All of those trips are over 2h 45min one direction. It's obvious that long trips doesn't matter to VHSL and I'm completely fine with it. Now to the point of my post.

I wish VHSL would re-seed the tournament after the second round of the playoffs based off of end of regular season power ratings. This would increase the likelihood of the two best teams meeting in the championship game. If they did this for this year we would have some interesting match ups that we usually wouldn't see. Under this format we would have the following games Thanksgiving week;

#8 Hampton @ #1 Dinwiddie
#5 Sherando @ #4 John Champe
#6 Tuscarora @ #3 Phoebus
#7 Salem @ #2 Varina

Let me say this succinctly as I can. No, Hell No

 

[VolNation85]

Let me say this succinctly as I can. No, Hell No

Lol Why not?

 

[SFUWO]

What do you mean that power points are determined by similar teams in the region?

What I mean is the power points come from playing common opponents in your region. This makes them more relative to those teams. With Region 4D being the outlier because half the region have no common opponents.

Ex. Some regions have more C5 and C6 schools on their schedules. Even if they are mid to bad teams you get more points. The further west you go, you have less C5 and C6 teams. Franklin County is the only C6 school. Then you have PH and William Fleming as the only C5 schools. Most schools are C1-C3. This is one reason the VHSL changed the point system to give a team 2 bonus points per classification that you play down to try and even it out.

Ex #2. In 2013 and 2014, both Lake Taylor and Salem were undefeated. Lake Taylor had more than a point lead both yrs in the power points.

Ex #3. This season Phoebus played 1 C6 and 6 C5 schools. They played 1 C3 school. Hampton played 4 C5 schools. Compared to Sherando who only played 1 C5 school.

You get the same points for beating a 5-5 C6 team (26w10) as you do for beating a 7-3 C3 (20w16) or C4 team (22w14) just because it's a C6 school doesn't mean they are better than the 7-3 C3 school.

 

[mike salem]

What I mean is the power points come from playing common opponents in your region. This makes them more relative to those teams. With Region 4D being the outlier because half the region have no common opponents.

Ex. Some regions have more C5 and C6 schools on their schedules. Even if they are mid to bad teams you get more points. The further west you go, you have less C5 and C6 teams. Franklin County is the only C6 school. Then you have PH and William Fleming as the only C5 schools. Most schools are C1-C3. This is one reason the VHSL changed the point system to give a team 2 bonus points per classification that you play down to try and even it out.

Ex #2. In 2013 and 2014, both Lake Taylor and Salem were undefeated. Lake Taylor had more than a point lead both yrs in the power points.

Ex #3. This season Phoebus played 1 C6 and 6 C5 schools. They played 1 C3 school. Hampton played 4 C5 schools. Compared to Sherando who only played 1 C5 school.

You get the same points for beating a 5-5 C6 team (26w10) as you do for beating a 7-3 C3 (20w16) or C4 team (22w14) just because it's a C6 school doesn't mean they are better than the 7-3 C3 school.

Franklin Co is C5 now also.