If it were me making the call, and, of course, it's not, here's how I'd break the classes down.

 

1) Take the 221 teams and divide it into 3 classes. The smallest 74, the middle 74 and the biggest 73.

 

2) Geographically, break these 73-74 teams into 12 districts, with 6 or 7 teams in each district.

 

3) At the end of the season, the top 2 teams in each district would represent 1 class and the 3rd and 4th place teams would represent the other class. In other words, the top 2 teams in each district in the lowest class would play in the 2a playoffs. The 3rd and 4th place teams would play in the 1a playoffs.

 

4) There would be 24 teams that would qualify for the playoffs in each class. The Top 8 seeds would draw a 1st round bye.

 

5) I would also end the regular season a week earlier and play the championship games on Thanksgiving weekend.

 

IMO, this would improve parity in the playoffs. Teams like BGreen would be playing in the 6a playoffs. Teams like Mayfield, Beechwood, Hazard playing in the 2A playoffs. The 6a, 4a, 2a games would pit the best teams of there size against each other. On the other hand, teams like Union Co, Somerset, Bardstown, for example, who didn't make the top 2 in there districts, but, were still very good teams, would have there chances in the 1a playoffs.

Why is there this desire to finish the weekend of Thanksgiving? I see it continuously and it baffles me.

This would punish the smaller schools in their best years forcing them to play better schools. For the schools you talk about like Highlands and Mayfield could be good. But for other schools like Williamsburg and Wayne County you would force them to play up in their years when they actually have a chance to go far in their true class size playoffs.

Why is there this desire to finish the weekend of Thanksgiving? I see it continuously and it baffles me.

 

That's when it used to end "Back in the day"

I like the proposal someone posted else where that would move dominant teams up to the next class after repeated years of high performance. Let teams play themselves up to stronger and stronger competition.

 

With current streak they are on under that plan; Central would be up to 4a or 5a, Highlands and Bowling Green would be up to 6a, Mayfield to 2a or 3a and NCC to 3a or 4a. Deep runs in the playoffs would allow a team to get enough points to move up also meaning a team like Somerset would be up to at least 3A and Belfry would be at least to 4A for example.

That's when it used to end "Back in the day"

 

…and, its been a long time back in the day. Close to 30 years or so, if not more. I know it was back in the 70's, but since the early 80's it's been the first weekend of December and even the 2nd weekend in December a couple of years.

 

I'm right there with you. I don't understand it either.

Basketball folks would love to have it done by Thanksgiving, just as baseball folks would love basketball to be done by the first weekend in March. It is what it is.

This would punish the smaller schools in their best years forcing them to play better schools. For the schools you talk about like Highlands and Mayfield could be good. But for other schools like Williamsburg and Wayne County you would force them to play up in their years when they actually have a chance to go far in their true class size playoffs.

It would punish a ton of schools. It may sound good saying take the biggest 73 teams, but has anyone looked at the difference from that 73rd team and that 1st team in male enrollment? It's a huge difference and is in no way fair competition.

 

This whole idea is bad.,

Why is there this desire to finish the weekend of Thanksgiving? I see it continuously and it baffles me.

 

A lot of casual fans could attend since it is typically a holiday weekend. They are not as likely to attend if their school is not playing.

The difference in your proposal and what they do in Texas is small but important. The setup is the same until the playoffs. They take the top 4 teams but they don't make 1-2 play in the higher class and 3-4 play lower. They look at the enrollment of those 4 teams and make the largest 2 play in the higher and smaller 2 play lower. It is called 1A div 1 and 1a div 2 for example.

The difference in your proposal and what they do in Texas is small but important. The setup is the same until the playoffs. They take the top 4 teams but they don't make 1-2 play in the higher class and 3-4 play lower. They look at the enrollment of those 4 teams and make the largest 2 play in the higher and smaller 2 play lower. It is called 1A div 1 and 1a div 2 for example.

 

Tennessee does it this way also. They have 3 classifications of districts, then split them into 6 classes at the end of the season. That's basically what I'm talking about, as well.

A lot of casual fans could attend since it is typically a holiday weekend. They are not as likely to attend if their school is not playing.

 

Correct. Would mean bigger crowds. Plus, the fact that you can get basketball started a little earlier, too.

I like the December finish.

This would punish the smaller schools in their best years forcing them to play better schools. For the schools you talk about like Highlands and Mayfield could be good. But for other schools like Williamsburg and Wayne County you would force them to play up in their years when they actually have a chance to go far in their true class size playoffs.

 

It would definitely make it tougher to win a championship, but, everyone complains now that we have too many classes. Wouldn't be much different then the old 4 class setup.

I like the proposal someone posted else where that would move dominant teams up to the next class after repeated years of high performance. Let teams play themselves up to stronger and stronger competition.

 

With current streak they are on under that plan; Central would be up to 4a or 5a, Highlands and Bowling Green would be up to 6a, Mayfield to 2a or 3a and NCC to 3a or 4a. Deep runs in the playoffs would allow a team to get enough points to move up also meaning a team like Somerset would be up to at least 3A and Belfry would be at least to 4A for example.

 

How would it be fair to Scott County this year to say well you survived Trinity, Male, St. X ....how about you beat Bowling Green and Highlands too? Meanwhile, Mayfield eliminates Murray, Caldwell Co, Desales etc. and wins 2A. How is that fair? Meanwhile, the team that Mayfield replaced in 2A drops down to 1A and beats Frankfort after Frankfort eliminated Beechwood.