About the only way to set up the IHSAA tourney is how they do it, by record. Nobody has seen every team play and rankings (human and computer) are controversial. You could do it by geography but sometimes the two best teams are right next to each other. Even though the pairings sometimes (okay--usually) end up being pretty crazy, usually (not always) the best teams move on. I think at least four of the best five teams have moved to the semis. MOC-FV played a sensational game, no doubt, but that's the way it is in tournaments and in conferences. Sometimes teams just play out of their minds, or at a different level. Usually, the best team ends up winning it all, but sometimes the best team gets upset. How can one predict that MOC could shoot almost 100% over a six or seven-minute stretch? Personally, I think Waverly-Shell Rock is better than half the teams in the 3A tourney, and they didn't even get to Des Moines. This is all fun to talk about, but I think the IHSAA's hands are tied and they have to set pairings in the most predictable manner-- by record. I can tell you one thing, no matter which team wins the championship in 3A, an awful lot of people are going to think that two or three other teams were just as good or better. I personally don't see how anybody is going to beat Pella, but who knows, somebody might.
