I went to the game last night where Alco dominated this team.. The Campers pitched a shutout and we all know how bad Alcos defense can be.. Seriously can a team this bad actually make the playoffs due to scheduling?
Could Northern really make the playoffs?
- Thread starter camper21502
- Start date
They looked more like a 1 win team rather than a 1 loss team.. I knew Alco would win big but I atleast expected them to score a few times..
In the immortal words of the late Denny Green "They are who we thought they were!". That's not being disrespectful to Northern as I think Coach Carr is a very good coach who uses what he has to get the best outcome for his players. Looking at their schedule, and with many area teams such as Moorefield and Tucker being down this year, I expected them being successful the first half of their schedule. Their tougher teams this year were their last few games. They benefitted the last few years from a large, solid class of players who graduated last year. Classes like that do not come along on the mountaintop too often. Southern is enjoying the same thing right now with their Junior class. But.. as I said in another thread before the game about Northern, they don't have the o or d line this year to compete with ALCO.
So to answer your question... no.. they won't make the playoffs. Not with 2 and maybe 3 losses plus their schedule and only 9 games.
So to answer your question... no.. they won't make the playoffs. Not with 2 and maybe 3 losses plus their schedule and only 9 games.
So the team ranked 17 never complains about being better than No. 15 or 16?
I've asked this before and never gotten an answer. Can anybody show me a team that would have won a state title that has never made the state playoffs? How about a team that won the championship, but shouldn't have made the playoffs?
OneRing, The issue is teams in strong regions that have winning records get left out while 4-6 (or worse) teams from weak regions get in. The other issue is people harp on the travel would be too hard on the kids, and that Maryland can't afford it, when WV is a much larger state, and much poorer, and pulls it off every year. Again, the longest possible matchup at this time is Southern/Snow Hill, and that won't happen very often. I'm sure #17 seed in a 1-16 probably feels jipped, but in reality it's a much better system than this regional 4 team format. No, a #16 may not win a state title, much less a game against a 1 seed very often (see NCAA mens basketball tourney), but in the end you'll have better playoff matchups overall, plus the Cumberland fans could see an Alco/FH state title game one day, something that is impossible now.
To answer the original question, Northern can still make the playoffs, they need to win out and get help. I doubt it will happen the loss to MR hurt in more ways than 1, but I think they'll put up a good fight the last 2 weeks and might surprise a lot of the doubters on here.
To answer the original question, Northern can still make the playoffs, they need to win out and get help. I doubt it will happen the loss to MR hurt in more ways than 1, but I think they'll put up a good fight the last 2 weeks and might surprise a lot of the doubters on here.
You'd have a better playoff match up if you only took 8 teams.
I myself dont really care about seeing them play in the state championship. You have to beat them either way. It's really no difference whether it's the last week or earlier. If the entire point is to win the title, what does it really matter when you are eliminated.
I also find it funny that conservative Western Maryland wants the government to spend more money on expenses.
Again, when you can show me the 4-6 team that wins the state championship I'll say you have a point. What area team has been denied a state title from the playoff setup?
Why would you cut it a 8 teams when there is already 16? 4 teams from each region! There have been cases where a 8-2 or 7-3 team has been left out in a strong region when you have a 5-5 or 6-4 make it in from a weak region! All these kids work their tails of and deserve to make the playoffs for a great season
Don't worry Northern folks, Allegany will crush Southern. 56-8. Absolutely no contest. Southern comes back to reality. Friday night. Allegany will pound on them on them and soften them up for the Northern game. Southern gets pounded physically and on the scoreboard
Nobody deserves to make the playoffs. The playoff system in Maryland is still comparatively young, and people in Cumberland we're perfectly happy with Turkey Day. And why would you go from 8 to 16? I don't think an 8 seed ever won it when they only took 8 teams.
You already said you don't like the region setup, so why stick to the four teams from each region?
Oh, you had to do it didn't you? Bringing up them bad memories. :-(
I would not care if it was 1-8 or 1-16, but the reality is it is currently not a fair system.
Yes, the "cream will come to the top" in state level competitions, but the most competitive games are often times played in regional finals. The end result: One team goes home that likely had the potential to move forward in the playoffs.
AHS has played FHHS as good or better than any other team during the Appel era with no chance of moving beyond a regional final. There have been occasions when AHS would have been the #2 seed and FHHS the #1 seed in a 1-16 or 1-8 playoff format.
I've said this before...track and field experiences the same thing due to the regional format. A sprinter can place 5th in a region with a time of 11.3 in the 100 meter dash and not qualify for the state meet while a person in another region and the three people who place second, third and fourth in said region qualify for the state meet with times ranging from 11.5 - 12.5. In a sprint race at the state meet it is not as noticeable, but in a distance event such as the 1600 or 3200 and slower runners get lapped at the state meet it becomes very noticeable - all in the name of having equal representation from each region.
Bottom line for both sports: There are teams/individuals who have no chance to make the state finals due to four teams/individuals from each region qualifying to participate.
This is not about the best teams/individuals qualifying for state championship competitions. This is about the MPSSAA attempting to make things equal in an unfair manner. If that last statement doesn't make any sense it is because the current system doesn't make any sense.
Yes, the "cream will come to the top" in state level competitions, but the most competitive games are often times played in regional finals. The end result: One team goes home that likely had the potential to move forward in the playoffs.
AHS has played FHHS as good or better than any other team during the Appel era with no chance of moving beyond a regional final. There have been occasions when AHS would have been the #2 seed and FHHS the #1 seed in a 1-16 or 1-8 playoff format.
I've said this before...track and field experiences the same thing due to the regional format. A sprinter can place 5th in a region with a time of 11.3 in the 100 meter dash and not qualify for the state meet while a person in another region and the three people who place second, third and fourth in said region qualify for the state meet with times ranging from 11.5 - 12.5. In a sprint race at the state meet it is not as noticeable, but in a distance event such as the 1600 or 3200 and slower runners get lapped at the state meet it becomes very noticeable - all in the name of having equal representation from each region.
Bottom line for both sports: There are teams/individuals who have no chance to make the state finals due to four teams/individuals from each region qualifying to participate.
This is not about the best teams/individuals qualifying for state championship competitions. This is about the MPSSAA attempting to make things equal in an unfair manner. If that last statement doesn't make any sense it is because the current system doesn't make any sense.
Last edited:
Musselman won the WV AA State championship as the 16th seed in the mid 90's.
The MD playoff system does not pit the best TWO teams against each other in the finals every year, sure. Over the last few years, it does seem that the 1A west final has been the real championship game, anecdotally.
But it is historically accurate to say that the best team in each classification absolutely has won the title. And other than that Joppatowne team linked above (who had a crappy record because of the super tough schedule they played) I can't think of a single team that didn't at least have the opportunity to play for a shot at the finals. If they lost in the semi's, they still had their shot. Joppatowne got their shot. And they won
I dont like the idea that regional teams aren't required to play each other more during the regular season, or moreso that regional records aren't really indicative of regional seeding. For scheduling sake, having a 4 or 5 game regional record required to be eligible for the playoffs would make sense, and allow for more tough games or potential out of region losses - but I don't really feel like watching Fort Hill play Hancock, Smithsburg or Southern every year any more than I like watching them play Silver Oak or Westinghouse.
But again, other than not always getting the two best teams in the finals, the playoff system (and it's flaws) has allowed the best team in each classification to be accurately crowned.
But it is historically accurate to say that the best team in each classification absolutely has won the title. And other than that Joppatowne team linked above (who had a crappy record because of the super tough schedule they played) I can't think of a single team that didn't at least have the opportunity to play for a shot at the finals. If they lost in the semi's, they still had their shot. Joppatowne got their shot. And they won
I dont like the idea that regional teams aren't required to play each other more during the regular season, or moreso that regional records aren't really indicative of regional seeding. For scheduling sake, having a 4 or 5 game regional record required to be eligible for the playoffs would make sense, and allow for more tough games or potential out of region losses - but I don't really feel like watching Fort Hill play Hancock, Smithsburg or Southern every year any more than I like watching them play Silver Oak or Westinghouse.
But again, other than not always getting the two best teams in the finals, the playoff system (and it's flaws) has allowed the best team in each classification to be accurately crowned.
"I dont like the idea that regional teams aren't required to play each other more during
the regular season"
I was at the Northern game and wanted some dust to settle before commenting. Northern had some injured players out of uniform on the sideline. By the end of the half two more were carted off the field. The entire affair was a total mismatch. I sat on the Northern side and the fans were great, the tiny band was outstanding and there were many students attending the game.
The players and the coaches took the situation quite well. They were undermanned but a class act. No question playing Alco should be their biggest stretch as a small school. Playing Fort Hill, with its demographic gifts from God, would be criminal to any system that demanded it.
I type this with the recent knowledge of a public statement by a certain Cumberland coach who feels his team should not be subject to those things he willingly desires to inflict on other student athletes of lesser ability. This would be accomplished by forcing local schools to play his team. Funny, I thought all student athletes matter.
This exact same attitude exists in this forum - even to an extreme. I have come to believe it might go beyond the mere focusing on a championship. It may well reach the depth of a twisted desire to make one's self feel superior by celebrating humiliation and physical punishment against others.
Yes and no. I mean I get it, and I also don't like the idea presented by coaches who feel that FH is only allowed to inflict ass beatings without taking a few. I did clarify my statement tho, to say that I dont really want to play most of the teams in the region for the same reasons you mention.
On the other hand, the regions are the regions. Its a weird setup, for sure. My only point in posting in this thread was to nix the idea that the current playoff format has prevented the true best team from being in and winning the title.
I believe it takes away from the championship game for one because in a lot of cases you are not getting the two best teams.....you get one and the 2nd best team is already knocked off in a regional game!
There is no reason a 5-5 or 6-4 team should make it in because they are in a weak region when you have teams with better records in other regions
Those other teams aren't going to get out of the region 99.9% of the time. The playoff system isn't based on records, it's based on points. Just like it is in West Virginia. If getting to the playoffs and losing is your only goal, then you have a point. If it's winning a title, it doesn't matter.
The Problem with Maryland is there isn't enough small schools to have those teams even compete.
They should add another class of schools under 350-400 students
add Private Schools and by Private Schools I mean the ones that don't go out and recruit all over for Athletics
like Bishop Walsh, St James, MD School for deaf, Maths, Silver Oak Type Schools that will play by the rules set forth like how many games each can play and that eliminates Dematha Type Programs.
Who cares is 1A only has 15 or so Schools, have an 8 Team Playoff.
Set a number on 1A and no matter how many schools that is, take the other 3 classes and divide evenly for 2A,3A and 4A
Those small Private Schools are not any different than Magnet/Charter Schools like Dunbar getting players from all over the City of Baltimore.
Stop wasting so much money to play At Ravens Stadium,Byrd Stadium and play these State Semi-Finals at Smaller College Stadium or High School Venues like Greenway
in 1A 8 Team Playoffs if under 16 Teams compete for those spots if you get up to 20 schools competing take 12 with Bye in first round.
2A 3A & 4A should be 16 Teams Each and nobody will be worried about Scheduling the way it happens now.
The MPSSAA should't reject schools from other states or even Canada the way they do now.
This would also help small schools in other sports like basketball and such.
Teams like Westmar,Hancock and Oldtown that went to the State Tournament years ago would never happen in this crazy system now.
They should add another class of schools under 350-400 students
add Private Schools and by Private Schools I mean the ones that don't go out and recruit all over for Athletics
like Bishop Walsh, St James, MD School for deaf, Maths, Silver Oak Type Schools that will play by the rules set forth like how many games each can play and that eliminates Dematha Type Programs.
Who cares is 1A only has 15 or so Schools, have an 8 Team Playoff.
Set a number on 1A and no matter how many schools that is, take the other 3 classes and divide evenly for 2A,3A and 4A
Those small Private Schools are not any different than Magnet/Charter Schools like Dunbar getting players from all over the City of Baltimore.
Stop wasting so much money to play At Ravens Stadium,Byrd Stadium and play these State Semi-Finals at Smaller College Stadium or High School Venues like Greenway
in 1A 8 Team Playoffs if under 16 Teams compete for those spots if you get up to 20 schools competing take 12 with Bye in first round.
2A 3A & 4A should be 16 Teams Each and nobody will be worried about Scheduling the way it happens now.
The MPSSAA should't reject schools from other states or even Canada the way they do now.
This would also help small schools in other sports like basketball and such.
Teams like Westmar,Hancock and Oldtown that went to the State Tournament years ago would never happen in this crazy system now.
This is more for basketball, but I think a lot of those private schools would rather play in the postseason prestige tournaments than in a state playoff. I think BW would rather lose three games in the ACIT than play for a state title.
They don't play football anymore but yeah that would be for them to decide, there would be years where they may have a chance to win a state title and if not they could play in the ACIT but I have a feeling the ACIT's won't last much longer anyways.
There is many small private schools, The state could also make the better Private schools play in 4A as long as they followed the rules.
Hancock,Clear Spring,Snow Hill types of schools would have outright wars in the playoffs with MD School for Deaf.
I agree and there is some schools that will never have the talent to win a state championship so just making the playoffs is a big deal to those schools..
