Playoff Seeds - Ashland and Eagle Point have one game season.

It will be interesting to open the newspapers in Coos Bay, Eugene, Medford and Ashland after the first 'league' games on September 10th and see what the standings look like. Will there be standings for the MWL 5A teams, separate standings for the Southern Oregon 5A teams, and a third standings for the MWL/SO hybrid 'league'?

Ashland could upset Marist on September 10th and be 0-0 in league.  That's the Southern Oregon 5A league.  Or maybe Ashland could say they are 1-0 in the Midwestern/Southern Oregon Hybrid league.  Or, they just don't exist against their six scheduled opponents of the 'MWL only 5A league'. 

Hmnnn.... or, let's say Eagle Point runs the table against the six MWL schools and Ashland tanks against the MWL schools.  That would put Eagle Point at 6-0 and Ashland at 0-6. But then the entire Eagle Point team gets the flu for the Ashland-Eagle Point game and Ashland wins by forfeit.  Ashland, 1-6 in league, would be the Southern Oregon number one seed.  Eagle Point, 6-1 in league, would be Southern Oregon's number two seed.  Weird?  Now get this.  If the Southern Oregon #2 seed wins the first play in game against Mid-Willamette #7, it will play, guess who.... the Midwestern League's number 1 team in the second round playin game.  That's right, they'll immediately play a team in their own 'league'.  It gets better.  If the MWL #5 seed beats the Mid Willamette #8 seed in the first round playin game, the MWL #5 seed plays.... guess again - the Southern Oregon number one seed in the second round play in game.

Then the playoff fun begins.  After the second round of play in games, there will be 16 teams left in the playoffs.  Power rankings will apply.  Coaches won't be able to scout their opponent prior to their Sweet Sixteen game because there is no bracket until after the round of 32 teams. 

The bottom line is that you still have to win em all to be champs, and no matter who you face in the first or second round you eventually have to beat them all.  I do feel sorry for Ashland and Eagle Point.  A league should be bigger than two teams, and teams should have more than one counting game during the season.

Fortunately, things work differently for the other team sports.  When basketball rolls around, the hybrid leagues are all in the same  geographic area with a mixture of 5A and 6A teams (and sometimes 4A), with all  hybrid league games counting towards playoff seeding. 

Here are some links to interesting articles or information sites about the football hybrid situation:
5A playoff "bracket" OSAA info
The Medford Mail Tribune article about Power Ranking
The Medford Mail Tribune take on the Ashland-Eagle Point league

PS.  Thanks to the person who commented that I goofed on the Miller QB name in last Thursday's blog.  Springfield's QB is Levi Green.  I gave Levi a new last name by using a receivers last name. I don't think you'll have a problem remembering Green's name once you see him play.