Standings

[SCONELBRO]

Looking at the standings, I'm saying probably 3 of the 4 Wildcards come from District 2. District 1 likely won't have any. When El Paso and Amarillo dropped, it left our district scrambling for games. We all ended up with at least 2 byes and some games v. teams that are only worth 2 wild card points as a result. I'm not complaining because if you finish 3rd of 3 teams, you don't deserve the playoffs. But, neither should 5th of 6 teams in district 2, and they might be in.

 

[Box Dad]

I agree that the 3rd and 4th shouldn't be in the playoffs let alone the 5th and 6th. I say that being in district 4 with only 4 teams. And that's a mess now with injuries and such. I think, Top 2 teams in each district, 3rd game is the championship game. The best team will be in that bracket. BUT there is no perfect way to run a playoff, especially in our division when one injured player will pretty much cost you a game, if it's moderately close.
The other thing is why does a 5th place wild card team even want to travel 4 hours to a far superior teams field to get 45ed by the half in the first round, which happens in a small division.

 

[Coach Emerson]

I think a 5th place team in our District deserves to be in especially if they have a better record than a third place team from another district. Our district is very tough this year. All of our teams have played a tough schedule thus far and will definatly be battle tested once playoffs come around. But at the end wildcard points count for everything. Looking at our teams in district 2....our 5th place team could more than likely have a winning record. Lot of football left though....good luck to everyone the last few weeks.

Thomas Emerson
Trinity School of Texas
Longview, TX

 

[Box Dad]

The bottom line is "what is the purpose of playoffs?" If you want to find the best team in the division, it would be the top 2 from each district. I would almost 100% guarantee the best team would be in that bracket. If the playoffs are to try and rank the teams versus other districts, well that would be a different story.

 

[Box Dad]

And since I took the conversation to brackets, why don't we send the 2nd from the north to the firsts in the south and vice versa. D1-1 plays D4-2, D2-1 plays D3-2, D3-1 plays D2-2 and D4-1 plays D1-2. That way we wont have what might happen this year, D3-1 playing D3-2 and D2-1 playing D2-2, that is if D2 is all of what the coach is saying. But as was stated there is still some weeks left, might shift drastically.

 

[Godsmightywarrior]

It would be beneficial if we had a season with no teams dropping their season. It's especially tough when two teams from a district drop. I know things happen and athletes get injured. It would just be nice to have a season where all teams are active and every team gets a full slate of district games.

 

[Coach Emerson]

The purpose isn't to rank teams. The purpose is to find out who the best team in the state is. Yes the top two teams go automatically. Then 4 wildcards based on wildcard points. A team with a better record will usually have more wildcard points than a team with a lesser record if they have played some teams worth more points. TAPPS set this bracket up for 12 teams to go to the playoffs and I think they did a great job with it. The two teams that play on December 5th will deserve to be there. Wildcard teams could come from all districts or one district....it just depends on how they handle business in pre district and district. Good luck!

 

[Box Dad]

Absolutely true, Gods warrior. The blessing is that we can play football with small numbers, the other side is, we have to play football with small numbers. I think Belville is dropping from our district, at least the game against BCA has been cancelled for next week. And if anybody knows whats up with ALS, my kids are saying they have 2 star players with broken bones. That would really stink, for them and the district. So can anyone confirm Alvin Living Stones status?

 

[Box Dad]

Coach, I would be interested to look back and see if any wildcard team has ever won state in our Division. I really don't know. As for me, sure, I love to see the boys possibly play an extra game. But I think we could fill the bracket if every team that was able to play except 2 or 3 were in the playoffs and at that point, the season doesn't mean much for needing to win district games.

 

[Coach Emerson]

Well technically no one has won state at our division. I would like to know if a wildcard team has won a sate title in any division of TAPPS. The teams left can't control who stays, goes, or drops their program.I do know that wildcard teams beat number 2s and number 1s. Look at Freddy beaing Notre Dame and Brownwood beating Lubbuck Christ the King just last year. Nonetheless, it will interesting. Good Luck to you guys the rest of the way.

 

[SCONELBRO]

I was never questioning that a 5th place team in district 2 might not be better than a 3rd from another division. Like has already been said, we want to find the best team and odds of it being that 5th place team when they already have 4 teams ahead of them, and likely 4 teams in the playoffs that already beat them once is slim. With less than 20 teams, 8 playoff teams is enough.

 

[Box Dad]

True that coach. Good luck to you also!

 

[Godsmightywarrior]

Ah, the football playoff system. A matter of debate, regardless of what level of play.

 

[Game Traveler]

My opinion

District 1
Notre Dame
Wichita Christian
Kingdom Prep (out)

District 2
Granbury
Canyon Creek
Longview Trinity
Fort Worth Classical
Fulton (out)
Victory Life (out)

District 3
Fredricksberg
Lifegate
Hill Country
River City (out)
New Life (out)

District 4
Brenham
Alvin
Houston
Bellville (out)

 

[Godsmightywarrior]

Are those your predicted order of finish Game Traveler? This Friday will most likely determine 2nd place in district 1. It should be an exciting finish.

 

[FreyBCA]

I'm pretty sure there will be no wildcards from District 4. It's first or second. If not, you are done. We don't have enough wildcard points to earn a spot. I'm pretty sure another one from District 2 will get a wildcard spot (either Heath or Brownwood).

 

[Game Traveler]

Yes Sir thats my order of finish. I think district 3 has been played out like.most thought it would except for maybe hill.country getting the nod. District 4 may surprise us. District 2 I think NCTA has it in the bag. I do believe Canyon Creek is the clear second place team as they were a few points away from upsetting Granbury.

 

[david9h]

Just hypothetically speaking and using Game Traveler's logic and predictions, if Longview Trinity manages to "upset" Canyon Creek on Friday and since Canyon Creek is "the clear second place team" because they were only a few points away from upsetting "Has district in the bag" Granbury, will Longview Trinity get the respect they deserve or will they have to continue soundly defeating every team they face in District 2? I'm good either way.

 

[Godsmightywarrior]

I don't think Trinity is being disrespected. In the same way, we are not disrespecting NCTA or Canyon Creek or any other team. All three have a legitimate shot at the district title. We're just making predictions. Most of us have only seen a couple teams play live. It's difficult to gauge a team without seeing them play.

 

[Game Traveler]

If they can beat canyon creek....that will be a start. They still have to beat Granbury and I have seen Granbury...they are good! Longview also has to make a trip over to Granbury and on Halloween night at that....spooky!