Now that there’s 13 teams in Region 3-A, getting into the playoffs may just be a little bit harder.
Only four of the 13 will get a spot in the Class A state playoffs, so in order to give everybody a shot, the top eight teams in the region — four from Region 3A-A and four from Region 3B-A — will go head-to-head in a play-in game to decide who advances.
While that does give eight teams hope heading into the last week of the regular season, it also means that an undefeated team would have to put its season on the line in Week 10. Hypothetically, a 9-1 season may not be enough to get you in.
Emanuel County Institute coach Milan Turner — whose Bulldogs finished the 2007 season 15-0 and won the state championship — feels that a team that has proven its worthiness throughout nine regular-season games should not be in jeopardy of having its season end early.
“I think it’s a result of poor planning and organization,” ECI coach Milan Turner put it bluntly. “We kind of have to go with the hand that we’re dealt.
“I’ll say this, 13 teams sub-divided — I’m not a fan of it. It’s ridiculous. But we can’t change it, so we have to go with it.”
Turner went on to express his concern with the possibility of a team — not his own — going 9-0, then sitting at home at 9-1 after losing the ‘play-in’ game in Week 10.
“They’re rewarded for your one bad game and for their one night of glory,” Turner added. “You’re punished for what should’ve been a great season. I think it’s a terrible way to decide the top four teams.”
Claxton coach Allen Cartwright saw his 2007 Tigers get a playoff berth at 2-8.
While Claxton’s heads-up region wins were good enough to grab that fourth spot in the playoffs last year, that record may not even be good enough to earn a place in a play-in game this time around.
“It didn’t help any of us over here — to be honest with you,” said Cartwright. “It’s a lot harder now to make the playoffs. But with that being said, I expect it to be really competitive and very interesting. I think it’s going to be a fun year.”
Still, because there are so many teams battling for the precious few spots, every game will still impact who gets in and who stays home. The eight teams will be seeded based on their regular season record, so subregion games will be key, and any tiebreakers will be decided by non-region wins.
With so many teams in the region, Portal coach Justin Chester is relieved that his Panthers will not have such a tough schedule this time around. In ’07, PHS started the season against four-straight teams from higher classifications. Because all of the games on Portal’s 2008 schedule are against Class A competition, Chester feels he will have more of an opportunity to have his Panthers ready each week.
“With 13 teams in the region and only four playoff spots, it’s going to make it very difficult for anyone to get that second season,” said Chester. “We just got to take care of ourself first and foremost. We’re actually kind of excited about it. This is our first time playing a Class A schedule for 10 games. Last year we had to open with four AA schools. It was tough — I don’t think anyone wants to do that four-straight weeks. … Playing teams from our classification is going to make it a fun season.”
The Metter Tigers feel the same way. They feel like if they can put themselves in position to compete for a playoff spot, they can worry about that play-in matchup when they get there.
“We’re going to play to win every game, obviously,” Hill said. “But what (the play-in game) does is it places more emphasis on your first three games which, with us subdivided, are not counted toward the standing of the sub-region. In the event of a tie, it counts toward the tiebreaker. Our goal right now to hopefully get in to week 10 with a chance to be one of the teams that still has a chance to get a playoff spot.”
Love it or hate it, the new playoff structure was chosen by the GHSA to decide which four of the 13 teams will make the playoffs.
Since nobody will know which Region 3-A teams will make the playoffs after Week 9, at least the final week of the season will be fun to watch.
Only four of the 13 will get a spot in the Class A state playoffs, so in order to give everybody a shot, the top eight teams in the region — four from Region 3A-A and four from Region 3B-A — will go head-to-head in a play-in game to decide who advances.
While that does give eight teams hope heading into the last week of the regular season, it also means that an undefeated team would have to put its season on the line in Week 10. Hypothetically, a 9-1 season may not be enough to get you in.
Emanuel County Institute coach Milan Turner — whose Bulldogs finished the 2007 season 15-0 and won the state championship — feels that a team that has proven its worthiness throughout nine regular-season games should not be in jeopardy of having its season end early.
“I think it’s a result of poor planning and organization,” ECI coach Milan Turner put it bluntly. “We kind of have to go with the hand that we’re dealt.
“I’ll say this, 13 teams sub-divided — I’m not a fan of it. It’s ridiculous. But we can’t change it, so we have to go with it.”
Turner went on to express his concern with the possibility of a team — not his own — going 9-0, then sitting at home at 9-1 after losing the ‘play-in’ game in Week 10.
“They’re rewarded for your one bad game and for their one night of glory,” Turner added. “You’re punished for what should’ve been a great season. I think it’s a terrible way to decide the top four teams.”
Claxton coach Allen Cartwright saw his 2007 Tigers get a playoff berth at 2-8.
While Claxton’s heads-up region wins were good enough to grab that fourth spot in the playoffs last year, that record may not even be good enough to earn a place in a play-in game this time around.
“It didn’t help any of us over here — to be honest with you,” said Cartwright. “It’s a lot harder now to make the playoffs. But with that being said, I expect it to be really competitive and very interesting. I think it’s going to be a fun year.”
Still, because there are so many teams battling for the precious few spots, every game will still impact who gets in and who stays home. The eight teams will be seeded based on their regular season record, so subregion games will be key, and any tiebreakers will be decided by non-region wins.
With so many teams in the region, Portal coach Justin Chester is relieved that his Panthers will not have such a tough schedule this time around. In ’07, PHS started the season against four-straight teams from higher classifications. Because all of the games on Portal’s 2008 schedule are against Class A competition, Chester feels he will have more of an opportunity to have his Panthers ready each week.
“With 13 teams in the region and only four playoff spots, it’s going to make it very difficult for anyone to get that second season,” said Chester. “We just got to take care of ourself first and foremost. We’re actually kind of excited about it. This is our first time playing a Class A schedule for 10 games. Last year we had to open with four AA schools. It was tough — I don’t think anyone wants to do that four-straight weeks. … Playing teams from our classification is going to make it a fun season.”
The Metter Tigers feel the same way. They feel like if they can put themselves in position to compete for a playoff spot, they can worry about that play-in matchup when they get there.
“We’re going to play to win every game, obviously,” Hill said. “But what (the play-in game) does is it places more emphasis on your first three games which, with us subdivided, are not counted toward the standing of the sub-region. In the event of a tie, it counts toward the tiebreaker. Our goal right now to hopefully get in to week 10 with a chance to be one of the teams that still has a chance to get a playoff spot.”
Love it or hate it, the new playoff structure was chosen by the GHSA to decide which four of the 13 teams will make the playoffs.
Since nobody will know which Region 3-A teams will make the playoffs after Week 9, at least the final week of the season will be fun to watch.
