New Playoff Format This Year

[Wofford Dad f/k/a SJA Dad]

I actually didn't realize that this had been changed this year -- guess I've been distracted by my ejections.

But no more automatic playoff qualifiers for any district finisher worse than 2nd. Only top 2 automatically qualify.

Now there are a boatload of wildcards. Div I has 14. Div II has 6. Div III has 12. And the everyone gets seeded.

Rule 18.5.1 --

lhsaa.org/uploads/handbook/Section_18-_Soccer4.pdf

How wildcards are selected is as follows --

18.5.7[/u] The following criteria (in order) shall be used to select wildcard teams for state playoffs:

1. The team with the best won-loss percentage records in district play shall be selected in descending order until wildcard
positions are filled on the bracket.

2. If application of the first criterion creates a tie, the team with the best overall won-loss percentage record against teams in the same division, including district and non-district games, shall be the wildcard team.

3. If application of the second criterion creates a tie, the best overall won-loss percentage against all schools shall be the wildcard team.

4. If a tie still exists after applying Rules 18.5.7.1 through 18.5.7.3, the wildcard team(s) shall be selected by a draw conducted
in the Executive Director’s office by the Executive Director and witnessed by at least one assistant Executive Director and a principal, athletic director or head coach whose school is not involved in the tie.

[barnacle13]

There's a lot of talk about this on the Boys forum. It especially effects tough districts like Div I Dist5. Not sure it'll have as big an impact on the girls side of the district, but take a look at the boys side and you'll see 2 very good teams in Woodlawn and McKinley with a very remote chance at the playoffs at this point. All but one of Woodlawn's losses are within district. McKinley is a similar story. Both also have quality wins against Top 10 teams. Still once the district record is looked at their both sitting at 3-5 with a very tough road to even wildcard status. You'll likely see the same thing on the girls side of this district in years to come. Not sure about this year. Many like the idea of Division record being the first wildcard decider. In the end there's no perfect way to make this decision. Someone (a quality team) will always be left out that may have a better chance at a run in the playoffs. At the end of the day though you can always say you have to beat the best to be the best and if you didn't beat the best in your district then you likely aren't the best.

[cajunsfan]

I am really shocked by what is being allowed to happen with DIII playoff selection. Here is why. The following decisions were made by others.

1. The districts in DIII are totally inequitable in the GNO area. You have a 'bottom of the barrel district' with Ridgewood, Ecole, etc, and a 'district of death' with Sacred Heart, Newman, Country Day, McGehee, Lusher, and DeLaSalle.

2. De La Salle decides not to play for district honors, which took two wins away from every other team in that district.

So, after district play, we are left with an easily top 16 in state CD team at 2-6 in district and a easily top 32 Lusher team at 0-6 in district all because of the decisions of others. Lusher won't make the playoffs, and CD team may not make the playoffs either, because De La Salle dropped from district play in the 'district of death'. While whoever the top 2 or even 3 teams in the 'bottom of the barrel district' make it into the playoffs?

No only is this a horrible result, but it was predictable (and predicted) once the districts came out.

My only question is am I missing something here?

[uhscubs1]

cajunsfan
I have tried to determine who is in District 8 and if it really exists. The LHSAA site shows Ecole, Fisher and Ridgewood in that district but I cannot find much about any of those teams.

I have no knowledge but it almost seems like LHSAA created District 8 to try and encourage those schools to keep playing soccer. If this comment is out of line I apologize in advance. Just an opinion based on no information and no more .

De La Salle has also been a mystery until now. I see they are playing games but it did look like they were playing games in their district.