It’d be much more easier to stomach if they only seeded the final 4 in each class, so there could still be region championships.

Is there a breakdown of East / West schools somewhere? I see the RPI listed on the KHSAA website but want to look at possible match ups for round 3

 

Go to the KHSAA Riherds scoreboard. They have brackets for every class that will show you east and west.

 

Or look at the BGP preview for the class you are interested in. It should be broken down for you there.

It’d be much more easier to stomach if they only seeded the final 4 in each class, so there could still be region championships.

 

Plus you avoid the risk of some crazy travel situations.

No matter how they set up the playoffs, you going to have to win the game at hand sooner or later. Some districts are stronger others so you have a rougher road then others. I'm sure CAL, DeSales & Mercer Co. can attest to this, but it is what it is. I prefer we cut it down a week and only advance to along only 2 teams to advance to playoffs in my opinion.

I liked the old rotating format better. Just one example I’m thinking of is Taylor County last year. They won their first region title in about 20 years and they got to host the state semifinals against Franklin-Simpson. Under the RPI format FS most likely would have hosted the game and Taylor County would have missed out on the opportunity to host. Schools who are not traditional powerhouses and only get deep into the playoffs every 10 or 20 years with a special team will have almost no shot to have home games in the late rounds because they likely will not have played monster schedules. The RPI will almost always give the traditional powerhouses even more home games than usual. At least under the old format such an underdog team would have a 50/50 shot to play at home. Plus if you’re going to hammer a hapless fourth place team at least it wouldn’t be the same one twice.

I liked the old rotating format better. Just one example I’m thinking of is Taylor County last year. They won their first region title in about 20 years and they got to host the state semifinals against Franklin-Simpson. Under the RPI format FS most likely would have hosted the game and Taylor County would have missed out on the opportunity to host. Schools who are not traditional powerhouses and only get deep into the playoffs every 10 or 20 years with a special team will have almost no shot to have home games in the late rounds because they likely will not have played monster schedules. The RPI will almost always give the traditional powerhouses even more home games than usual. At least under the old format such an underdog team would have a 50/50 shot to play at home. Plus if you’re going to hammer a hapless fourth place team at least it wouldn’t be the same one twice.

 

Another good point. The new format certainly favors the perennial powers getting home field advantage in rounds 3 and 4. Scheduling the "right" teams is going to be a big, big strategic item in the next scheduling period after next season if this system stays in tact.

3rd round is by RPI, top 4 in the east and top 4 in the west. Semifinals are reseeded top 4 state wide. You could have east vs east and west vs west or east vs west in both games, depending on final RPI.

 

With the semi-finals being 'state-wide' regardless of geography the semis should be at central, neutral site(s).

 

Five hour drives one way (10 hours round trip) are not probable but can be possible. Sometimes it seems logistics were tossed out the window when coming up with this plan.

For those of you saying only the top 2 teams from each district need to advance, I suggest we ask the following teams how they feel about that: Murray, Clinton County, Owen County, Newport, Union County, CAL, Madisonville-North Hopkins, and Dixie Heights. All were seeded #3 in their district and beat the #2 seed on Friday night.

I do agree with the old way of playing another district the first two rounds. I am sure those districts that were mentioned at the beginning of this thread would agree also. In most of the other sports, the top two teams from the district championship game move on to regions and the top team from regions moves on, with there being 16 regions. Why couldn't you play the other district the first two rounds and the third round being the regional championship with there being 8 regions?

I do like the RPI being used for home field advantage. Those teams that win their regular season games, and played a tough schedule should be rewarded with home field advantage.

No matter how they set up the playoffs, you going to have to win the game at hand sooner or later. Some districts are stronger others so you have a rougher road then others. I'm sure CAL, DeSales & Mercer Co. can attest to this, but it is what it is. I prefer we cut it down a week and only advance to along only 2 teams to advance to playoffs in my opinion.

 

If we advance only 2 teams, and I'm not saying I disagree, who would have gone to the playoffs out of your District? DeSales and Mercer? CAL would be hanging it up, right?

Totally agree Mustang!

I like the idea of 3 teams from district getting in with 1st place district team getting a bye 1st round. Pretty rare that a #4 seed is advancing.

New format protects teams in really weak districts and punishes teams in stronger ones. There are multiple districts that could win #1-4 against cross districts and all those teams go home early playing each other while weak teams survive. You will see more blowout games later in the playoffs this year when the "Champions" from a district play anyone else.

Without considering travel times and expenses, the most interesting thing about the old playoff format was seeing teams playing teams from other parts of the state. Besides I know the players enjoyed those playoff bus trips.

Actually the 3rd round will be called Regional Championships and there will be trophies. Because, technically these are still East only and West only games.

Since I'm up, I'll take a whack at the new playoff format.

 

Yes, the games we're seeing this week as District Championships would previously be probably third round games, but you'd still have this big knock out of top teams in an early round. Scott County/Douglass, Pikeville/Hazard, LexCath/Boyle all would happen too early in the old format, too.

 

The KHSAA has told me the third round will be a Regional Championship trophy round. So, that still exists, just later.

 

Now, at least, once we get past this round, and into RPI seeding there's no way I see for the top 2 RPI teams to face each other before Kroger Field. If Cov Cath and Douglass advance, they won't meet next round just because the bracket says so. They only meet in the final. Same for Male and North Hardin, Bell and Tilghman, KCD and Pikeville.

 

Do people hate having to play back through the district this week? Oh yeah.

 

Do people want to see the best two teams in each class at Kroger Field? I think so.

 

The old way meant Johnson Central-Boyle County could be the semifinal. The new way won't let that happen.

 

My philosophy on this is that no one is ever happy, regardless. Let's complain about something new. Here we go.