If I were in charge of the Maryland Playoff system

[TDHelmick]

And had to keep the regions.
Consider this a repeat post.

Everyone plays 10 regular season games. Then the Top 8 in each region make the playoffs. Two teams in each class would have to play 15 games to win a state title.

If you want to argue that nobody wants to see these first round playoff match ups then I would advise not to complain when multiple regular season games have a running clock the second half.

Personally I would rather see a 1-16 set up. But that is never, never, never going to pass in Maryland. Get that through your thick head (for those that can't let this go). So understanding this, just let more people in. Play whoever you wish or don't wish to play in the regular season. No one cares anymore. It's frustrating watching people not understand what the problem is. Every coach wants his kids to participate in the playoffs if he feels they have a chance to do so and they all schedule as such. Do away with this mentality and just let them in already as they do in every other sport.

2017 MPSSAA PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

CLASS 1A WEST
Mountain Ridge at Fort Hill
Northern Garrett at Allegany
Francis Scott Key at Boonsboro
Catoctin at Southern Garrett

CLASS 1A SOUTH
Friendly at Douglass-PG
Largo at Fairmont Heights
McDonough at Surrattsville
Lackey (bye)

CLASS 1A NORTH
National Academy Foundation at Reginald Lewis
Randallstown at Dunbar
FAET at Chesapeake-B
Sparrows Point at Overlea

CLASS 1A EAST
Snow Hill at Havre de Grace
Washington at Bohemia Manor
Patterson Mill at Cambridge-SD
Perryville at Col. Richardson

---------------------------------------------------------

CLASS 2A WEST
Poolesville at Damascus
Seneca Valley at Walkersville
Williamsport at Oakdale
Middletown at Liberty

CLASS 2A SOUTH
Oakland Mills at River Hill
Calvert at Westlake
Marriotts Ridge at Thomas Stone
LaPlata at Glenelg

CLASS 2A NORTH
New Town at Gwynn Park
Carver Vo-Tech at Forest Park
Eastern Tech at Hereford
Lake Clifton at Edmondson-Westside

CLASS 2A EAST
Wicomico at North Caroline
North East-C at Harford Tech
Parkside at Elkton
Queen Anne's at Kent Island

---------------------------------------------------------

CLASS 3A WEST
North Hagerstown at Westminster
Manchester Valley at Linganore
Tuscarora at Blake
South Hagerstown at Watkins Mill

CLASS 3A SOUTH
Poly at Northern Calvert
St. Charles at Chopticon
Digital Harbor at Oxon Hill
City College at Potomac

CLASS 3A NORTH
Dundalk at Milford Mill
Woodlawn at Franklin
Bel Air at Edgewood
Parkville at C.M. Wright

CLASS 3A EAST
Mt. Hebron at J.M. Bennett
Stephen Decatur at Chesapeake-AA
Northeast-AA at Long Reach
Reservoir at Atholton

---------------------------------------------------------

CLASS 4A WEST
Wheaton at Quince Orchard
Clarksburg at Northwest
Winston Churchill at Richard Montgomery
Wootton at Einstein

CLASS 4A SOUTH
Parkdale at Wise
High Point at Flowers
DuVal at Roosevelt
Laurel at Suitland

CLASS 4A NORTH
Urbana at Paint Branch
Springbrook at Howard
Blair at Sherwood
Mervo at Perry Hall

CLASS 4A EAST
Glen Burnie at Broadneck
Annapolis at North Point
South River at Arundel
Old Mill at Meade

 

[Wvu21795]

Anything is better than the current format! You have teams being left out because they are in strong regions but yet are a lot better than other teams in weaker regions that make the playoffs

 

[OneRing]

Anything is better than the current format! You have teams being left out because they are in strong regions but yet are a lot better than other teams in weaker regions that make the playoffs

Teams that are left out always argue that they should have been in. NFL teams are left out because they play in a strong division, while a weaker team wins theirs. The patriots went 11-5 one year and didnt make the playoffs.
Teams from one NBA conference don't get in despite having better records than 3 or 4 teams in the other conference. Teams get into the NCAA tournament just for winning a 3- or 4-game conference tournament. They can literally lose every other game of the season and still get in over a team that deserves to get in.
The tears shed over the playoff situation are becoming unbearable.

 

[forthill#1]

Teams that are left out always argue that they should have been in. NFL teams are left out because they play in a strong division, while a weaker team wins theirs. The patriots went 11-5 one year and didnt make the playoffs.
Teams from one NBA conference don't get in despite having better records than 3 or 4 teams in the other conference. Teams get into the NCAA tournament just for winning a 3- or 4-game conference tournament. They can literally lose every other game of the season and still get in over a team that deserves to get in.
The tears shed over the playoff situation are becoming unbearable.

Your posts are unbearable.

 

[TDHelmick]

The tears shed over the playoff situation are becoming unbearable.

Exactly!!!

Even worse, most every team is avoiding competition to get a shot at making the playoffs. Just remove this whole ordeal with what I am telling you.

 

[4inarowtopthat]

Exactly!!!

Even worse, most every team is avoiding competition to get a shot at making the playoffs. Just remove this whole ordeal with what I am telling you.

question - fh is now the highest remaining seed, assuming dunbar/douglass/hdg all win, does fh play the lowest seed, douglass?

 

[towpath94]

yes the 4 teams in the semi's get reseeded

 

[OneRing]

Your posts are unbearable.

Your tears are hilarious though. Do keep crying for us.

 

[OneRing]

Exactly!!!

Even worse, most every team is avoiding competition to get a shot at making the playoffs. Just remove this whole ordeal with what I am telling you.

Then someone - not you - will complain how the ninth team in one region should have made the playoffs over a team in another region that was eighth. They just didn't get in because they played in a tougher region.

 

[GenSneaky]

question - fh is now the highest remaining seed, assuming dunbar/douglass/hdg all win, does fh play the lowest seed, douglass?

Yes, but if they are the “toughest” opponent, wouldn’t it be better to have home field on them?

 

[GenSneaky]

Only downside is that’s the 3 hardest schools in 1A 3 weeks in a row. Poetic, going for a record breaking streak. It will be very well earned this year if so lucky

 

[wing_left]

Sorry I’m missing it , I haven’t seen any game or film that would make me think Douglass is as good as some on this board thinks. I personally think ALCO is a much better team, and the 2 best teams in 1A will be playing at greenway on Friday.

 

[GenSneaky]

Sorry I’m missing it , I haven’t seen any game or film that would make me think Douglass is as good as some on this board thinks. I personally think ALCO is a much better team, and the 2 best teams in 1A will be playing at greenway on Friday.

Also Douglass PG is who we beat in 75 right?

 

[wing_left]

I was thinking that too but they barely squeaked by edmondson, who dunbar beat 42-18. maybe they aren't as good as we thought? also, there is a chance that lackey beats them - it's at lackey and they can match douglass with athletes.

I watched the Potomac game and some posted highlights , if you run across anything else post a link.

 

[4inarowtopthat]

I watched the Potomac game and some posted highlights , if you run across anything else post a link.

i goofed, it wasn't douglass it was gwynn park i was thinking of who beat edmondson.

 

[NG Huskies Fan]

48-6, 49-7, 57-6, 38-0, 56-6, 48-0 were the scores of the 6 out of 8 1A playoff games that were decided by the 35 point rule this weekend.
I highly doubt if Maryland went to a 1-16 format that 75% of the games would be decided by the 35 point rule. Maybe Todd's idea would be an improvement, but I just don't see any regional format being better than a straight 1-16. Honestly 16 is all you need in a state playoff, I don't think we need to double it to 32. I'm sure whoever is 17th ranked will feel left out, but honestly there has to be a cut off somewhere and if you make it top 16 regardless of region, then you eliminate this nonsense of 3-6 teams in 1A south getting in over an 8-2 Catoctin team or whatever they were, you truly take the best teams in a 1-16 format instead of the top 4 teams in each region, which aren't balanced to begin with. Lets say you take top 8, lets say one year one of the 1A south teams that only has 7 teams finish 0-10, but you have a 9th seeded 1A west team that is 4-6 or something, how is that fair then that an 0-10 team gets in but a team that won 4 more games gets left out?
I also think you'll have much better games that actually might draw some fans and make the state some money instead of what we have now. It was said above where someone said they thought Alco and FH were the 2 best teams in 1A, well then why not let them have a chance to meet in the state title game instead of a meaningless region title game?

 

[wvbossman]

Maryland's football playoff system is indeed broken and needs fixed. Go over to WV Metronews and look through the scores from the WV playoffs this past weekend. Several upsets in all 3 classes and #1 East Hardy taken down to the wire by a #16 seed who is from an area where single A football has several strong teams (hence the 16 seed, they played a tough schedule).

It's simple, it's fair and I will never understand why MD uses money as an excuse If WV can do it then Maryland can. Competition is improved and kids can travel and see parts of their home states they may never see.

 

[OneRing]

48-6, 49-7, 57-6, 38-0, 56-6, 48-0 were the scores of the 6 out of 8 1A playoff games that were decided by the 35 point rule this weekend.
I highly doubt if Maryland went to a 1-16 format that 75% of the games would be decided by the 35 point rule. Maybe Todd's idea would be an improvement, but I just don't see any regional format being better than a straight 1-16. Honestly 16 is all you need in a state playoff, I don't think we need to double it to 32. I'm sure whoever is 17th ranked will feel left out, but honestly there has to be a cut off somewhere and if you make it top 16 regardless of region, then you eliminate this nonsense of 3-6 teams in 1A south getting in over an 8-2 Catoctin team or whatever they were, you truly take the best teams in a 1-16 format instead of the top 4 teams in each region, which aren't balanced to begin with. Lets say you take top 8, lets say one year one of the 1A south teams that only has 7 teams finish 0-10, but you have a 9th seeded 1A west team that is 4-6 or something, how is that fair then that an 0-10 team gets in but a team that won 4 more games gets left out?
I also think you'll have much better games that actually might draw some fans and make the state some money instead of what we have now. It was said above where someone said they thought Alco and FH were the 2 best teams in 1A, well then why not let them have a chance to meet in the state title game instead of a meaningless region title game?

Funny how FortHill#2 doesn't find this unbearable, even though its the exact same thing I said. Trollers gone troll, I guess.

 

[OneRing]

Maryland's football playoff system is indeed broken and needs fixed. Go over to WV Metronews and look through the scores from the WV playoffs this past weekend. Several upsets in all 3 classes and #1 East Hardy taken down to the wire by a #16 seed who is from an area where single A football has several strong teams (hence the 16 seed, they played a tough schedule).

It's simple, it's fair and I will never understand why MD uses money as an excuse If WV can do it then Maryland can. Competition is improved and kids can travel and see parts of their home states they may never see.

There were four games in the entire state decided by less than 10 points. Martinsburg won 61-0. Mingo Central scored 76 points. What teams belong in the playoffs giving up 76 points? Maryland had at least twice that number of close games.
Maryland is no more broken than WV or any other playoff system. It just isn't.

 

[wvbossman]

There were four games in the entire state decided by less than 10 points. Martinsburg won 61-0. Mingo Central scored 76 points. What teams belong in the playoffs giving up 76 points? Maryland had at least twice that number of close games.
Maryland is no more broken than WV or any other playoff system. It just isn't.

If you look at the 24 playoff games in the three classes you will also seven games in which a higher seeded team was defeated by a lower seeded team. Martinsburg and Mingo Central are strong programs who traditionally score lots of points so I wouldn't look at that but rather the overall picture. Without a doubt WV's system is far superior that MD's at this point.

 

[forthill#1]

Funny how FortHill#2 doesn't find this unbearable, even though its the exact same thing I said. Trollers gone troll, I guess.

You just referred to NG huskies post saying you said the same thing. Which was about the playoff system not being fair, then two posts later you say nothing is wrong with the playoff system. Whose the troll.

 

[TDHelmick]

48-6, 49-7, 57-6, 38-0, 56-6, 48-0 were the scores of the 6 out of 8 1A playoff games that were decided by the 35 point rule this weekend.
I highly doubt if Maryland went to a 1-16 format that 75% of the games would be decided by the 35 point rule. Maybe Todd's idea would be an improvement, but I just don't see any regional format being better than a straight 1-16. Honestly 16 is all you need in a state playoff, I don't think we need to double it to 32. I'm sure whoever is 17th ranked will feel left out, but honestly there has to be a cut off somewhere and if you make it top 16 regardless of region, then you eliminate this nonsense of 3-6 teams in 1A south getting in over an 8-2 Catoctin team or whatever they were, you truly take the best teams in a 1-16 format instead of the top 4 teams in each region, which aren't balanced to begin with. Lets say you take top 8, lets say one year one of the 1A south teams that only has 7 teams finish 0-10, but you have a 9th seeded 1A west team that is 4-6 or something, how is that fair then that an 0-10 team gets in but a team that won 4 more games gets left out?
I also think you'll have much better games that actually might draw some fans and make the state some money instead of what we have now. It was said above where someone said they thought Alco and FH were the 2 best teams in 1A, well then why not let them have a chance to meet in the state title game instead of a meaningless region title game?

You keep missing what I am saying.
THE MPSSAA IS NEVER MOVING AWAY FROM THE REGIONAL SET UP.
THE MPSSAA IS NEVER MOVING AWAY FROM THE REGIONAL SET UP.
THE MPSSAA IS NEVER MOVING AWAY FROM THE REGIONAL SET UP.
THE MPSSAA IS NEVER MOVING AWAY FROM THE REGIONAL SET UP.

If anyone is to have an intelligent solution you have to stop beating the 1-16 format. Is 1-16 better? Yes. Doesn't matter. The 1-16 format has been pushed and voted on a dozen times in 30 years. NO, they say every time. Some people are so stubborn they just cannot let it go and see that to remedy the playoff problem you have to incorporate regions. There is no need to discuss 1-16 ever again other than to hear yourself type it.

63-7, 49-8, 48-13, 49-21, 48-0, 42-0, 75-8, 59-0, 42-10, 73-12, 56-6, 49-3, 41-17, 42-7, 54-6, 52-0, 42-0, 42-0, 42-18, 49-7, 49-7, 59-0, 56-0, 69-6, 69-0, 40-10, 61-6, 76-7

These are regular season scores for just four teams in the West - Alco, FH, Damascus and Walkersville.

If you want to argue that nobody wants to see these first round playoff mismatches in my playoff proposal then I would advise not to complain when most every regular season game is a mismatch. Open the playoff up to everybody and the regular season games against better competition happens.

 

[4inarowtopthat]

You keep missing what I am saying.
THE MPSSAA IS NEVER MOVING AWAY FROM THE REGIONAL SET UP.
THE MPSSAA IS NEVER MOVING AWAY FROM THE REGIONAL SET UP.
THE MPSSAA IS NEVER MOVING AWAY FROM THE REGIONAL SET UP.
THE MPSSAA IS NEVER MOVING AWAY FROM THE REGIONAL SET UP.

If anyone is to have an intelligent solution you have to stop beating the 1-16 format. Is 1-16 better? Yes. Doesn't matter. The 1-16 format has been pushed and voted on a dozen times in 30 years. NO, they say every time. Some people are so stubborn they just cannot let it go and see that to remedy the playoff problem you have to incorporate regions. There is no need to discuss 1-16 ever again other than to hear yourself type it.

63-7, 49-8, 48-13, 49-21, 48-0, 42-0, 75-8, 59-0, 42-10, 73-12, 56-6, 49-3, 41-17, 42-7, 54-6, 52-0, 42-0, 42-0, 42-18, 49-7, 49-7, 59-0, 56-0, 69-6, 69-0, 40-10, 61-6, 76-7

These are regular season scores for just four teams in the West - Alco, FH, Damascus and Walkersville.

If you want to argue that nobody wants to see these first round playoff mismatches in my playoff proposal then I would advise not to complain when most every regular season game is a mismatch. Open the playoff up to everybody and the regular season games against better competition happens.

Maybe we should just agree not to discuss it then? If somebody brings it up just ignore it? It is what it is.
Can we add the "schedule" to that list of things that don't need addressed any further?

 

[OneRing]

You just referred to NG huskies post saying you said the same thing. Which was about the playoff system not being fair, then two posts later you say nothing is wrong with the playoff system. Whose the troll.

Obviously you. Please show where I said nothing is wrong with the playoff system. Or are you just going to keep trolling and crying?

 

[OneRing]

If you look at the 24 playoff games in the three classes you will also seven games in which a higher seeded team was defeated by a lower seeded team. Martinsburg and Mingo Central are strong programs who traditionally score lots of points so I wouldn't look at that but rather the overall picture. Without a doubt WV's system is far superior that MD's at this point.

There were 10 games in the Maryland playoffs that were upsets based on seeding. By your logic, Maryland is far superior to West Virginia. More close games and more upsets than the 1-16 creates. Now because so many people on here like to cry about the state screwing western Maryland, nobody else will say it, but by your own standards, the West Virginia playoffs are less exciting than Maryland's.
So please, how is WV's superior in your mind?

 

[OneRing]

You keep missing what I am saying.
THE MPSSAA IS NEVER MOVING AWAY FROM THE REGIONAL SET UP.
THE MPSSAA IS NEVER MOVING AWAY FROM THE REGIONAL SET UP.
THE MPSSAA IS NEVER MOVING AWAY FROM THE REGIONAL SET UP.
THE MPSSAA IS NEVER MOVING AWAY FROM THE REGIONAL SET UP.

If anyone is to have an intelligent solution you have to stop beating the 1-16 format. Is 1-16 better? Yes. Doesn't matter. The 1-16 format has been pushed and voted on a dozen times in 30 years. NO, they say every time. Some people are so stubborn they just cannot let it go and see that to remedy the playoff problem you have to incorporate regions. There is no need to discuss 1-16 ever again other than to hear yourself type it.

63-7, 49-8, 48-13, 49-21, 48-0, 42-0, 75-8, 59-0, 42-10, 73-12, 56-6, 49-3, 41-17, 42-7, 54-6, 52-0, 42-0, 42-0, 42-18, 49-7, 49-7, 59-0, 56-0, 69-6, 69-0, 40-10, 61-6, 76-7

These are regular season scores for just four teams in the West - Alco, FH, Damascus and Walkersville.

If you want to argue that nobody wants to see these first round playoff mismatches in my playoff proposal then I would advise not to complain when most every regular season game is a mismatch. Open the playoff up to everybody and the regular season games against better competition happens.

You're the only one who gets it, man. Everyone else just wants to cry. The Maryland playoffs have always been based off of region. When it was 8 teams, the four region winners got in. Not the top 8 teams. Don't remember anyone crying about that.
The crying didn't start happening until Fort Hill and Allegany both reached 1A, and Cumberland started thinking it was entitled to have both schools play in the state title game every year.
They don't complain because its unfair. They complain because the rules don't benefit them.

 

[TDHelmick]

I don't really care about the complaints, although the schedule discussions have been beaten to death on this forum. My issue here is that adults are teaching kids to avoid anything difficult in a an extremely widespread fashion. Not a fan of the participation mentality. And no, I am not a fan of watching almost an entire season of running clocks. Which is a direct product of playoff scheduling. And as I have said many times, it's just as bad in WV with their 1-16 format.

Remove the participation mentality like they do in every other sport.

 

[OneRing]

I don't really care about the complaints, although the schedule discussions have been beaten to death on this forum. My issue here is that adults are teaching kids to avoid anything difficult in a an extremely widespread fashion. Not a fan of the participation mentality. And no, I am not a fan of watching almost an entire season of running clocks. Which is a direct product of playoff scheduling. And as I have said many times, it's just as bad in WV with their 1-16 format.

Remove the participation mentality like they do in every other sport.

Yep, everyone thinks their team deserves to get. That their team is the only one that worked hard and practiced in the heat.
And honestly, if football went the soccer and basketball route and let everyone in, there would still be crying about it.

 

[TDHelmick]

Yep, everyone thinks their team deserves to get. That their team is the only one that worked hard and practiced in the heat.
And honestly, if football went the soccer and basketball route and let everyone in, there would still be crying about it.

Agreed on the first two sentences. But the last statement I don't think so.

Case in point...

Having filled the FH schedule for a decade there is a reason why the Pittsburgh City League teams are on there. There is a reason Hollidaysburg and Serra Catholic have popped up. There is a reason why teams like MATHS, Silver Oak and Capitol Christian don't care if they get beat...Because losing does not affect their playoff situation one bit. They don't cry about their situation ever.

Who cries about the soccer and basketball playoffs?

 

[OneRing]

Agreed on the first two sentences. But the last statement I don't think so.

Case in point...

Having filled the FH schedule for a decade there is a reason why the Pittsburgh City League teams are on there. There is a reason Hollidaysburg and Serra Catholic have popped up. There is a reason why teams like MATHS, Silver Oak and Capitol Christian don't care if they get beat...Because losing does not affect their playoff situation one bit. They don't cry about their situation ever.

Who cries about the soccer and basketball playoffs?

They'd cry about the seedings.

 

[money316]

They'd cry about the seedings.

SOCCER AND BASKETBALL? THIS IS A FOOTBALL FORUM !!!!!

"My feet hurt" POY

 

[OneRing]

SOCCER AND BASKETBALL? THIS IS A FOOTBALL FORUM !!!!!

"My feet hurt" POY

So then why keep mentioning your FOOT FETISH, Rex Ryan?

 

[towpath94]

McFadden picked Lackey to beat Douglass. Interesting.

 

[4R341]

McFadden picked Lackey to beat Douglass. Interesting.

Not gonna happen.

 

[Wvu21795]

So we have our 2a championship this week in Walkersville vs Damascus and our 1a championship with FH vs Allegany! Whoever thinks the current playoff format is ok is totally nuts!

 

[OneRing]

So we have our 2a championship this week in Walkersville vs Damascus and our 1a championship with FH vs Allegany! Whoever thinks the current playoff format is ok is totally nuts!

So you're saying that none of the lower seeds have a chance of winning in West Virginia? Why let them in the playoffs then? Seems pointless.

 

[Wvu21795]

I'm saying under md' s current format the two best teams are meeting a lot of times before the championships! I'm saying under the current format a lot of good teams are getting left out decreasing the chances for upsets

 

[MCsoccerplex]

So you're saying that none of the lower seeds have a chance of winning in West Virginia? Why let them in the playoffs then? Seems pointless.

You make a valid point.

Do I personally believe two of the top three teams in MD 1A will play each other on Friday night at Greenway? Yep. Do I believe Damascus and Walkersville are two of the best three schools in 2A? Yep.

Then, there is 1A in West Virginia. Undefeated and #1 East Hardy only beat #16 Williamstown 14-10 in first-round playoff action last weekend.

As noted by TH, a 1-16 seeding is not going to happen, but I do believe the match-ups could potentially be much better throughout the playoffs. While Reginald Lewis is a # seed, I could see a #16 beating them in a given year (i.e. if the #16 seed was a Southern Garrett, Northern Garrett, Boonsboro, etc.).

 

[nomad974]

I dont think this conversation goes away regardless of what format you use. There will always be a vocal group who thinks X team should have made it and X team shouldn't have. We will still get early matchups that some deem as the "real state championship". And we will still have some less than steller games.

On a different note, 10 (11 if you count the Overlea win) out of the 32 1st round games ended in "upsets". Thats more than the average of 1st round upsets in March Madness (8).

 

[OneRing]

I dont think this conversation goes away regardless of what format you use. There will always be a vocal group who thinks X team should have made it and X team shouldn't have. We will still get early matchups that some deem as the "real state championship". And we will still have some less than steller games.

On a different note, 10 (11 if you count the Overlea win) out of the 32 1st round games ended in "upsets". Thats more than the average of 1st round upsets in March Madness (8).

Yep, been saying this for a while. Teams can still schedule for the playoffs in a 1-16 format. There were more upsets in Maryland week one than West Virginia, which people keep saying is so much better.