Quarter pairings posted:
Decorah @ West Delaware
Pella @ Assumption
Norwalk @ DCG
Webster City @ SBL
Decorah @ West Delaware
Pella @ Assumption
Norwalk @ DCG
Webster City @ SBL
Quarter pairings
- Thread starter fmclonefan
- Start date
Kinda what I figured. Not much choice but to match up Webster City and SBL.
I'm sure top-ranked Pella isn't too happy to have to travel to 2-loss Assumption, but that's the way the alphabet crumbles. They could have sent Decorah to Assumption and West Delaware to Pella, but that's a haul for Decorah.
I'm sure top-ranked Pella isn't too happy to have to travel to 2-loss Assumption, but that's the way the alphabet crumbles. They could have sent Decorah to Assumption and West Delaware to Pella, but that's a haul for Decorah.
Pella can't be happy at all...How do they let two #2 seeds play each other (who both have losses to Pella) and make Pella travel to D'Port? I get the geography thing...but how much different would it have been to send Norwalk to D'Port and DCG to Pella? Seems to make much more sense in terms of competitive balance.
Why even have seeds if we are going to just blatantly ignore them?
Well, we don't have overall seeds. Not in the sense of seeding for brackets. After the first round (4s at 1s and 3s at 2s) the only "seeding" for second round is that 1s can't play each other. By the third round, all seedings are out (except for home field purposes) and the state looks at geography, mostly.
It could be set up differently, I guess, but this is the way it's been.
It could be set up differently, I guess, but this is the way it's been.
Norwalk or DCG are both nearly 180 miles from Davenport. Decorah is 165 miles away. Pella is around 140-ish miles from both Davenport and Manchester. As far as overall travel (read: total travel money going out to all schools) goes, the pairings the state came up with were about the best they could do.
A good example of why they should take a look into neutral sites for the quarters. Just like in basketball. In my opinion if you are a #1 seed you shouldn't be playing another #1 seed unless that is what is left. Two #2 seeds should not be paired up but have based of physical location. Also would suggest for brackets to help with where teams for neutral sites and who is involved in those games.
I have no issues with travel dictating the matchups
Neutral sites make the most sense but it isn't likely to ever happen. Probably effect the gate.
It case of a 125 mile trip, one team plays at home and has a massive turnout while the other has a following largely of parents, ect. and a few die hard fans. Put the trip in the middle at 60+ miles and you suddenly have 2 schools showing up with a following largely of parents, ect. and a few die hard fans with not many more fans than if they had to travel 125 miles.
If the travel involves a newcomer with a potential first time trip to the done you would probably see more people travel but for someone like Pella? No. Even at 60+ miles the fans without a dog in the fight will stay home and catch them in the dome if they make it.
Accept it and worry about the team in front of you. Pella still wins at Davenport and probably gets to spank a team they already spanked in the first round at the dome.
Neutral sites make the most sense but it isn't likely to ever happen. Probably effect the gate.
It case of a 125 mile trip, one team plays at home and has a massive turnout while the other has a following largely of parents, ect. and a few die hard fans. Put the trip in the middle at 60+ miles and you suddenly have 2 schools showing up with a following largely of parents, ect. and a few die hard fans with not many more fans than if they had to travel 125 miles.
If the travel involves a newcomer with a potential first time trip to the done you would probably see more people travel but for someone like Pella? No. Even at 60+ miles the fans without a dog in the fight will stay home and catch them in the dome if they make it.
Accept it and worry about the team in front of you. Pella still wins at Davenport and probably gets to spank a team they already spanked in the first round at the dome.
Steady, while I agree with neutral sites this is different than basketball. Basketball = more gate for Boone due to everyone participating in the playoffs. Also in basketball you have 16 teams playing at neutral sites for the 8 spots at the Well. In football you have 8 teams playing for 4 spots. That means with half the teams in football those 4 neutral sites will be longer drives for everyone than basketball which will also translate into a loss of revenue.
I would also expect a school hosting a neutral site would command (for obvious reasons) more money for the use of their football field than their gym.
The funny thing about this is I'm guessing That Pella is ready to take there show on the road let the eastern part of the state see what they have.Pella probably will have as many fans there as DA.
Completely agree. I doubt the Pella team and parents are doing much complaining over this. They are focusing on another title and it probably makes little difference to them if they face DA in the dome, road, or home......they will have to face them sometime to get another title.
I would like to see once Iowa goes to 16 teams and starts playing the games on friday's only, i would like to see a "true" bracket. Put the teams into two division (North/south or East/West) and match them up, regardless of distance. Have the 16 split into divisions and then do a 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, and so on.
I noticed that both Illinois, Missouri, and other surround states do that and I think it gives them a "true" road to the championship. They split their class into 2 sections (north/south) and regardless of distance #1 plays #16, 2 vs 15 and so on. Some of these teams are traveling 2+hrs, but its how it should be.
Regardless there should be some good games Friday night.
I noticed that both Illinois, Missouri, and other surround states do that and I think it gives them a "true" road to the championship. They split their class into 2 sections (north/south) and regardless of distance #1 plays #16, 2 vs 15 and so on. Some of these teams are traveling 2+hrs, but its how it should be.
Regardless there should be some good games Friday night.
What ever happened to putting games like this into the dome? Pella vs Assumption at the dome would be truly neutral.
To tell you the truth this is a bad break for DA .if their goal was to make it to the Dome.
I'm sure they would rather travel and play anybody but Pella.
yes this is what I mean by blatantly ignoring the seeds... for the third round
The state stopped using the Dome for anything except semifinals and championship games a couple of years ago. I'm not sure if the biggest reason was UNI or complaints from schools about losing concession revenue. Since the state picked which games to move up there, rather than schools volunteering to lose a home game, I'd guess it was the latter.
I couldn't agree anymore with this post. It works so well in those states. It's like the IHSAA wants it to be like professional wrestling where they get to pick and choose the matchups each week regardless of the regular season or first few rounds of the playoffs. What a terrible draw for Pella and DA, and what a lucky draw for DCG and Norwalk. Assuming DA has their eyes on the championship, this could actually be looked at as a positive, getting a shot against the top team at home instead of at the dome. Still think Pella will win, though, and DA have to settle for a quarterfinal loss when they plenty good enough to get in.
The problem with putting games at Neutral sites is you have to have a place willing to host the game. Concessions, chain gang, ticket takers, press box workers, security, custodians for clean up. When 95% of schools have their facilities cleaned up for the winter putting this together in a matter of a few days is not always possible. Especially with what the state is willing to pay to host sites. Is Assumption vs. Pella something everyone would rather see in the dome? I'm sure it is, but if you look at the 8 teams that are remaining in 3A there is a clear divide when it comes to geography which is the big determining factor for the quarterfinals as well as district finish. The fact of the matter is there are 8 teams left. At this point in any sport you are going to have match-ups of teams that could potentially be the two best in the class.
Well, can't say I'm very surprised. I felt that the state would send Pella to Assumption if they both won. Geography seems to be the trump card in the playoff pairings and these pairings make the most sense from a geography stand point. But, I would like to have seen Pella take on DCG and Norwalk go to Assumption in a perfect world.
Pella will bring a huge crowd. I don't know what the visitors section is like in Davenport, but I doubt it will hold the crowd that will be coming. Pella travels very well. Also, I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing for Pella. They are on a nice winning streak and sometimes a team needs a new wrinkle or challenge thrown in to keep motivated and sharp. This would definitely do it.
Pella will bring a huge crowd. I don't know what the visitors section is like in Davenport, but I doubt it will hold the crowd that will be coming. Pella travels very well. Also, I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing for Pella. They are on a nice winning streak and sometimes a team needs a new wrinkle or challenge thrown in to keep motivated and sharp. This would definitely do it.
Brady Street holds 10,000 people. Plenty of parking on site. Consessions on the visitor side suck. There is an Arby's across the street.
That stadium can hold a lot of people. I think the biggest crowd I saw there was when AHS played City High back in like 03 or 04 or something around there. That was a LARGE crowd and that was a for a trip to the Dome I do believe.
It is a large stadium, it will hold plenty of people.
Obviously revenue and money are the big reason for not having neutral sites both for the IAHSSA and the host schools. I think they could do it for quarterfinal games. Split the gate between host, the two teams playing and the association. Just bump the ticket price to $8. If neutral sites are used only for games to make the dome, people will travel especially the small classes. Its a big deal and I think neutral site makes it feel like a bigger game. However in the current playoff scenario, my opinion is if you win a district championship you should not have to travel unless it is against another district champ. I just don't agree with two #2 seeds playing and that means one gets to host. What's the point of seeding and winning a district title if they are going to base it mainly off geography? I would agree Pella coaches and players could care less but from a logical scenario tough to understand.
Go back to predetermined pairings. The 125 mile rule had great intentions. But its not working. Go back to sister district concept.
In fall of 1976, #1 Davenport Central played #2 Davenport Assumption at Brady Street in 1st round of playoffs. I believe they said attendance was 12,000 - not sure if that number was accurate, but I do know that both sides were full and they had a good number of seats in one end zone that were full. As stated by others, there is plenty of seats for the visitors at Brady Street.
I would just go with a bracket and seed the teams 1-16 on their respective sides. So for example if you look at the playoffs this year. Pella would be overall #1 seed in 3A and have home field all the way to the Dome. Then you would seed the teams in order. Regardless of distances/conferences you played your match-up. I realize the 125 mile limit was so some teams weren't traveling that far, but i am sure 100% of coaches would rather have a true bracket set up and not worry about the distance factor.
I hope next year when they go to 16, they go back to a bracket set up. Just have the state split into 2 divisions and have 8 team bracket. Since the games are played on Fridays next year, there should be no excuse for a mileage limit. There is no school the next day and if its a long haul Im sure most schools would dismiss early. Whatever they did this year is not working and there are some strange quarterfinal round match-ups.
So does anyone know how they figure the semifinal round match-ups next week? I saw someone mention that Pella and Norwalk (2 teams from same district) could possibly play each other for the title if they both win out.
There is no "official" east-west split, but based on last year's pairings at the dome of Xavier-Pella and Heelan-Creston, I think it is pretty safe to say that they will be divided by I-35.
First of all I have no clue just having fun with this.
How would you seed these final 8 teams right now.
I have
1 Pella
2Norwalk
3 W D
4 Webster City
5 SBL
6 DCG
7 DA
8 Decorah
So that would be
1-7
2-6
3-8
4-5
How would you seed these final 8 teams right now.
I have
1 Pella
2Norwalk
3 W D
4 Webster City
5 SBL
6 DCG
7 DA
8 Decorah
So that would be
1-7
2-6
3-8
4-5
There could be 3 teams on the east side of I35
That is true, but I was just counting the DCG-Norwalk pairing as being on the "west" side of I-35.
This will be resolved in football with only allowing 16 teams. But as it relates to other sports, the state needs to seed all sports. As of late certain areas of the state have no business being in sub-states and regional finals. Forget geography. Get the best show in the championships. Find a way to seed the teams! Boys and girls.
I think it is kinda hard to seed the teams here because how do you handle Assumptions loss to 4A power Bettendorf? If I were to honestly rank them I would probably do this.
1. Pella
2. West Delaware
3. Assumption
4. Webster City
5. DCG
6. Norwalk
7. SBL
8. Decorah
I also don't think there would be a ton of argument looking at 3-7 you could put those teams in any order
1. Pella
2. West Delaware
3. Assumption
4. Webster City
5. DCG
6. Norwalk
7. SBL
8. Decorah
I also don't think there would be a ton of argument looking at 3-7 you could put those teams in any order
And you've hit on the problem. The state has no interest in trying to seed teams statewide. The only "seeds" they use are district finish/records - all 6-0 district champions are equal, all 4-2 second-place teams are equal, all 3-3 fourth-place teams, and so forth.
So yeah, right now a 3-3 3rd-place Decorah team would get the last seed. Pella, as defending champion with 25 straight wins, makes sense to put them on top. But Webster City, West Delaware, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Assumption - they are all 6-0 district champs. Remember, the state doesn't give any weight whatsoever to non-district games, so they don't count here. What would you use to sort them out?
So yeah, right now a 3-3 3rd-place Decorah team would get the last seed. Pella, as defending champion with 25 straight wins, makes sense to put them on top. But Webster City, West Delaware, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Assumption - they are all 6-0 district champs. Remember, the state doesn't give any weight whatsoever to non-district games, so they don't count here. What would you use to sort them out?
That's the point I was trying to make how in the world could the state seed them.
I really don't think DA is a top 4 team but heck I can't even compare them to anybody else but Pella.So that's not fair.
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