CR Gazette Playoff Predictions

[KidSilverhair]

Just for grins (and I do mean grins), here's how the Cedar Rapids Gazette thinks the 3A playoff field might be set for the first round:

Class 3A
East Bracket​

Decorah (7-2 overall, 5-2 D3-WC) at Solon (9-0 overall, 7-0 D5-CH)

Waverly-Shell Rock (8-1 overall, 6-1 D3-RU) at Davenport Assumption (7-2 overall, 6-1 D4-RU)

Oskaloosa (6-3 overall, 5-2 D5-WC) at Cedar Rapids Xavier (9-0 overall, 7-0 D3-CH)

Washington (8-1 overall, 6-1 D5-RU) at West Delaware (7-2 overall, 6-1 D4-CH)

West Bracket​

Spencer (7-2 overall, 5-2 D1-RU) at Dallas Center-Grimes (9-0 overall, 7-0 D2-CH)

Carlisle (8-1 overall, 6-1 D6-RU) at Harlan (8-1 overall, 7-0 D7-CH)

Webster City (8-1 overall, 6-1 D2-RU) at Pella (8-1 overall, 7-0 D6-CH)

Glenwood (8-1 overall, 6-1 D7-RU) at Sergeant Bluff-Luton (9-0 overall, 7-0 D1-CH)


Here's the main issue with how the Gazette tries to predict the playoffs - they make an effort to keep district teams separated even into the second round. I haven't seen any evidence over the past few years that the IHSAA takes that into account at all. Their policy is to keep district teams apart for the first round, but after that, hey, geography has to come into play.

So that's why you end up with predictions like WSR going all the way to Davenport, or Decorah coming to Solon while Washington drives past them on the way to Manchester. Again, as I mentioned in the Playoff Cruncher thread, long-distance travel costs the IHSAA money. They're not going to come up with teams driving willy-nilly all over the east half of the state just so there aren't any rematches possible in the second round.

Anyway, thought you guys might like to see this.

 

[ronsss]

yea...i don,t like the way boone does it....the 3 teams from each district should not face each other till 3rd round...if i had my way about it....the 2 teams from each district would not meet until the finals...there could be teams in one district better than all others, and is unfair to have them meet in 2nd round

 

[Cheese2]

What do you think would make for better crowds at the Dome? The best teams meeting up or the current system where geography plays such a big part in deciding how teams are assigned in the playoffs. I would like to see the BC Moore rankings and strength of schedule be more of a factor than geography. Get the best teams playing against each other on the big stage. Thoughts?

 

[screwloose]

I can about guess who put these together at the Gazette...and I'm not a fan of either of the potential guys who did. These pairings have a 25% chance of happening. And when I say that, I mean Glenwood @ Sergeant Bluff-Luton and Oskaloosa @ CR Xavier are possible.