Perfect pods

[No Bias---Just Reality]

If you look at the graphic from the IHSAA with the 16 pods and take the pods across from each other and on top of each other and draw a circle around each of the 4 it makes for the perfect 4 pods of 4. So it would be like this:

Pod A- current pods #1,2,9,10

Pod B- current pods 3,4,11,12

Pod C- 5,6,13,14

Pod D- 7,8,15,16

every pod is 2 Des Moines area and 2 eastern half schools. And you have the 2 Des Moines areas play and 2 eastern sides play and the eastern winner plays Des Moines winner in round of 8 to go to dome. So it looks like this:

Pod A
pleasant valley vs Waterloo West
Waukee vs centennial

Pod B
SEP vs indianola
Cedar falls vs CR kennedy

Pod C
Ankeny vs urbandale
CR prairie vs Hempstead

Pod D
Dowling vs Valley
IC west vs Bettendorf

 

[Reasoned]

Those are actually pretty decent looking “pods”...doubt they will happen but seem to be balanced

 

[oldtimefootball]

I like the concept, but it basically throws any attempt at seeding out the window. Not sure Boone is ready for that.

 

[No Bias---Just Reality]

I like the concept, but it basically throws any attempt at seeding out the window. Not sure Boone is ready for that.

The seeding here works pretty well while also meeting their desire to limit travel when they can... They are considering pleasant valley, sep, ankeny, and IC west #1’s. They are all separated. Then a 2nd quality opponent in each like Waukee, Cedar falls, Prairie and Dowling.

likely quarterfinals of:

pleasant Valley Vs waukee
Sep vs cedar falls
Ankeny vs prairie
IC west vs Dowling

that’s a very attractive elite 8 and both Des Moines and East side have fair shot at semis... but also 4 best teams still can all make semis even if all from Des Moines

 

[oldtimefootball]

POD A
Bettendorf at Pleasant Valley Dubuque, Hempstead at Iowa City, West
POD B
Ankeny Centennial at Southeast Polk
Prairie, Cedar Rapids at Cedar Rapids, Kennedy (Kingston Stadium)
POD C
Cedar Falls at Ankeny Indianola at Waukee
POD D
Waterloo, West at Dowling Catholic, W.D.M. (Drake Stadium) Valley, W.D.M. at Urbandale

 

[Hawked]

POD A
Bettendorf at Pleasant Valley Dubuque, Hempstead at Iowa City, West
POD B
Ankeny Centennial at Southeast Polk
Prairie, Cedar Rapids at Cedar Rapids, Kennedy (Kingston Stadium)
POD C
Cedar Falls at Ankeny Indianola at Waukee
POD D
Waterloo, West at Dowling Catholic, W.D.M. (Drake Stadium) Valley, W.D.M. at Urbandale

I think they did a good job with these. I think there will be 3 des moines teams and 1 eastern team in the dome. Seems fair this year.

 

[Reasoned]

I think they did a good job with these. I think there will be 3 des moines teams and 1 eastern team in the dome. Seems fair this year.

I’d agree for the most part, although as a Far East sider having Ankeny & Waukee (at least based on their competitors and results) in the same pod is a shame due to a perceived superiority to what we will produce... but you never know. I think Pod A will be between PV & West (West has the playoff pedigree but PV has some talent, hasn’t been tested with quality competition this year though. Gotta think Pod B it’s SEP, Pod C Ankeny & Pod D Dowling