To all NCHSAA football coaches: It's Time To Change The Process. The current method of seeding teams for the football playoffs is ridiculous! The method of having teams eligible for and seeded in the playoffs by conference finish is flawed. This is especially true for split conferences. With doing my ratings the last few years, one of the advantages I've had is receiving feedback, both positive and negative on those ratings.
One of the things I've heard over and over is that all conferences are not equal. I agree! This is one mistake the NCHSAA makes. It assumes all conferences are equal. They are not. Just because a team, in a split conference, was a top finisher among teams for its class, for example, McDowell, Mooresville or Lake Norman, doesn't automatically make them a top team worthy of a playoff spot. Lake Norman falls to Independence 31-0. Mooresville falls in the first round to a mid level Myers Park team. I won't even address McDowell. Granted, Mooresville and Lake Norman have had some success in the playoffs, especially Lake Norman last season. I'll get to that later.
Then in 4AA West, you have a game worthy of a regional final, or even a state final, being played in the second round...Mallard Creek and Butler. I'm sure some are getting tired of me repeating myself. But, some things need repeating. East Forsyth has gotten a pass with the bracket they are in. For example, they played a lower level Olympic team in their playoff opener. Now, they get to play Independence, a team that is down this year. Then, They'll either player a mid-level Myers Park team or a West Forsyth team they beat by three points during the regular season. This is the same West Forsyth that was fortunate to get by North Meck, AT HOME, in the first round. This is going on while Mallard Creek and Butler, who both could be state final worthy, meet in the second round!. Then you have Hough, who won the MecKa also in the bracket along with ArdreyKell.
This idea of having a draw to determine a top seed is ridiculous! This is no way of determining a top seed. The NCHSAA is supposed to be rewarding teams, but some teams are not rewarded. Butler and Mallard Creek, every year play top notch teams on their schedule. They even play each other. Mallard Creek plays arguably the toughest schedule in the state. They were only 7 points away from an 11-0 regular season record. And this is with injuries they've had. They're rewarded with a 6 seed. A two time defending state champion, playing the toughest schedule in the state, as a sixth seed. Now, the problem here even with my argument, is that Mallard Creek suffered those two losses. All the while a team like East Forsyth cruises with a lesser schedule and gets a top seed.
Hough, who beat that same Mallard Creek team, and who won arguably the toughest 4A conference in the state, gets a 2 seed. The message here is obvious. Under the current system, who you play means nothing, other than your conference opponents. So, teams are encouraged to soften their schedules.
Regarding East Forsyth, some will mention Page and how they had a very good team and won the title in 2011. The key difference here is, Page ran a gauntlet in winning that title. They beat both Butler and Mallard Creek, back to back, to win that title. East Forsyth is not required to do anything of the sort this season. My observation is this. I'll say it ahead of time, before East gets a chance to play a top Charlotte team and maybe upset them, and it won't be said this Charlotte guy is spewing sour grapes. Ever since 2012, when coach Willert of East talked about some the calls that went against his team in Charlotte, when they lost to Butler, it just so happens, East "won" the draw for the number one seed. At least last season and this one. I'm sorry, the law of probablity doesn't work that way. I'll go ahead and say what others think, but may not say. I'm not sure the so called "draw" is unbiased, especially when it pertains to Charlotte teams. They remember Tom Knotts and the dominance of Independence. They know all about the ridiculous accusations of recruiting. I think it's their way of "leveling the playing field". In other words, their way of punishing success.
What's the solution? Some sort of rating scale, to rate the teams. Eliminate the current conference finish set up and rate teams according to their rating. This is done in other states and can be done in North Carolina. So what if a McDowell's rating is so low they don't make the playoffs. Well, if they finish 4-5 or 3-6 in a split conference with 3A teams, they shouldn't make the playoffs. The same should hold true for a Mooresville or Lake Norman as well.
Either keep the regional format or eliminate it. Either way, use a rating scale, rating the teams from 1 to 32 or 1 to 16 in a regional format. But, this process of conference finish and "draws" for top seeding has got to go.
The kicker here is the coaches. The coaches have to initiate the change. But, I don't think a coach Willert from East or Coach Snow from West, would want to be a part of that. Neither would many other coaches from outside of Charlotte, They hear and read things too. They want that playing field leveled, in their minds.
So, the Charlotte teams will have to deal with it. But, I will say this. Let East play the schedule they played. Let them play in that easier bracket. But, if/when a Mallard Creek, Butler or Hough come rolling into town, and there's a 75% chance of that happening. Who's going to be more ready for adversity? An East Forsyth team, who played teams like Olympic or a Butler, who fought through team suspensions, a Mallard Creek who barely lost on the road to Byrnes, beat McDonogh with injuries and played in arguably the toughest conference in the state or Hough, who beat Mallard Creek and won that same conference?
East may have some physical talent. But, the mental side will definitely be in favor of a school from Charlotte. That was obvious last year from East's meltdown against Providence.
One of the things I've heard over and over is that all conferences are not equal. I agree! This is one mistake the NCHSAA makes. It assumes all conferences are equal. They are not. Just because a team, in a split conference, was a top finisher among teams for its class, for example, McDowell, Mooresville or Lake Norman, doesn't automatically make them a top team worthy of a playoff spot. Lake Norman falls to Independence 31-0. Mooresville falls in the first round to a mid level Myers Park team. I won't even address McDowell. Granted, Mooresville and Lake Norman have had some success in the playoffs, especially Lake Norman last season. I'll get to that later.
Then in 4AA West, you have a game worthy of a regional final, or even a state final, being played in the second round...Mallard Creek and Butler. I'm sure some are getting tired of me repeating myself. But, some things need repeating. East Forsyth has gotten a pass with the bracket they are in. For example, they played a lower level Olympic team in their playoff opener. Now, they get to play Independence, a team that is down this year. Then, They'll either player a mid-level Myers Park team or a West Forsyth team they beat by three points during the regular season. This is the same West Forsyth that was fortunate to get by North Meck, AT HOME, in the first round. This is going on while Mallard Creek and Butler, who both could be state final worthy, meet in the second round!. Then you have Hough, who won the MecKa also in the bracket along with ArdreyKell.
This idea of having a draw to determine a top seed is ridiculous! This is no way of determining a top seed. The NCHSAA is supposed to be rewarding teams, but some teams are not rewarded. Butler and Mallard Creek, every year play top notch teams on their schedule. They even play each other. Mallard Creek plays arguably the toughest schedule in the state. They were only 7 points away from an 11-0 regular season record. And this is with injuries they've had. They're rewarded with a 6 seed. A two time defending state champion, playing the toughest schedule in the state, as a sixth seed. Now, the problem here even with my argument, is that Mallard Creek suffered those two losses. All the while a team like East Forsyth cruises with a lesser schedule and gets a top seed.
Hough, who beat that same Mallard Creek team, and who won arguably the toughest 4A conference in the state, gets a 2 seed. The message here is obvious. Under the current system, who you play means nothing, other than your conference opponents. So, teams are encouraged to soften their schedules.
Regarding East Forsyth, some will mention Page and how they had a very good team and won the title in 2011. The key difference here is, Page ran a gauntlet in winning that title. They beat both Butler and Mallard Creek, back to back, to win that title. East Forsyth is not required to do anything of the sort this season. My observation is this. I'll say it ahead of time, before East gets a chance to play a top Charlotte team and maybe upset them, and it won't be said this Charlotte guy is spewing sour grapes. Ever since 2012, when coach Willert of East talked about some the calls that went against his team in Charlotte, when they lost to Butler, it just so happens, East "won" the draw for the number one seed. At least last season and this one. I'm sorry, the law of probablity doesn't work that way. I'll go ahead and say what others think, but may not say. I'm not sure the so called "draw" is unbiased, especially when it pertains to Charlotte teams. They remember Tom Knotts and the dominance of Independence. They know all about the ridiculous accusations of recruiting. I think it's their way of "leveling the playing field". In other words, their way of punishing success.
What's the solution? Some sort of rating scale, to rate the teams. Eliminate the current conference finish set up and rate teams according to their rating. This is done in other states and can be done in North Carolina. So what if a McDowell's rating is so low they don't make the playoffs. Well, if they finish 4-5 or 3-6 in a split conference with 3A teams, they shouldn't make the playoffs. The same should hold true for a Mooresville or Lake Norman as well.
Either keep the regional format or eliminate it. Either way, use a rating scale, rating the teams from 1 to 32 or 1 to 16 in a regional format. But, this process of conference finish and "draws" for top seeding has got to go.
The kicker here is the coaches. The coaches have to initiate the change. But, I don't think a coach Willert from East or Coach Snow from West, would want to be a part of that. Neither would many other coaches from outside of Charlotte, They hear and read things too. They want that playing field leveled, in their minds.
So, the Charlotte teams will have to deal with it. But, I will say this. Let East play the schedule they played. Let them play in that easier bracket. But, if/when a Mallard Creek, Butler or Hough come rolling into town, and there's a 75% chance of that happening. Who's going to be more ready for adversity? An East Forsyth team, who played teams like Olympic or a Butler, who fought through team suspensions, a Mallard Creek who barely lost on the road to Byrnes, beat McDonogh with injuries and played in arguably the toughest conference in the state or Hough, who beat Mallard Creek and won that same conference?
East may have some physical talent. But, the mental side will definitely be in favor of a school from Charlotte. That was obvious last year from East's meltdown against Providence.
