SE District Sectional Seedings

[Ironman92]

Who are the folks in charge of the way we seed each division? I don't think I've ever heard a coach say they agree with it.

Athens D3 Sectional

Four teams advanced to the districts....here are their outcomes in the district semis:

#1 seed loses to a #4 seed from another sectional by 21 points

#2 seed loses to a #3 seed from another sectional by 33

#6 seed handles #3 seed and then loses by 27

#4 seed loses by 27

The OHSAA wants to be all about fairness but allows this to happen.

[Ironman92]

Sorry....#4 seed lost by 24

[bman]

The district does the seeding process. I totally agree that the current system in the SE needs to be changed. I'd do either an open draw or one super sectional. I'd also use all of the high schools for the different tournament games. For example, we had Logan, Southeastern, Jackson, Athens, Waverly, Valley and Meigs this year for boys sectional sites. Let's say Westfall and Nelsonville are seeded to play in a first tournament game under the D3 super sectional. That game would most likely be assigned to Logan. Let's say Circleville and Fairland are seeded to play in a first tournament game under the D2 super sectional. That game would most likely take place at Waverly.

The last eight teams left in the D2 sectional would advance to districts this year. The last 12 teams left in the D3 sectional would advance to districts this year.

[art_vandelay]

Yep...the district semi games in D3 have become a joke. Sectional games are actually tougher for teams from Jackson sectional. Thought about heading up to Convo tonight, but glad I didn't waste my time to see three mismatches.*

[Crab's Brother]

Couldn't agree more. Piketon hung around for awhile but I believe there were at least 6 (maybe 7 in you include Wheelersburg) that could have been still playing if we used a super sectional. We (Valley) didn't play real well tonight and still beat the Athens #1 by 21. With all due respect, the Buckeyes would have been the 7 seed at Jackson.

If the 12 teams winning sectionals were, say:

Chesapeke
Portsmouth
Ironton
Valley
Eastern
Peebles
Piketon
Huntington
Minford
Oak Hill
Wheelersburg
and say Zane trace.....the matchups would have been much better.

[Crab's Brother]

Your district semi matchups could have been (as an example):

Cheaspeake - Zane Trace
Peebles - Piketon..........Winners play for District Title

Portsmouth - Wheelersburg
Eastern - Huntington.....Winners play for District Title

Ironton - Oak Hill
Valley - Minford....Winners play for District Title

You may still have some mismatches, but at least more deserving teams would get to continue playing.

[d2dragon]

don't forget in div II all 4 teams remaining are from same sectional

[defenserules]

wow - thanks for pointing that out d2dragon - didn't even realize that!
I agree with bman - the SE district should come up with a 'super sectional' and do like the central district. For example:
D2 - you would have two brackets (2 district champs) just like today. voting would occur and ALL teams would be assigned a seed. Then #1 puts their name on the bracket, followed by #2, followed by #3, etc... until all teams are done. rather than 4/5 , 1/8, 3/6, 2/7 matchups that you currently have.

This eliminates all of the 'good ole boy' politics that everyone complains about....how you ask? well if i am the #4 seed, I am going to take the best route to the district championship - so if I think that the team voted #1 in the district isn't really that good - then I put my team in the same district bracket with them. But if I think #1 is unbeatable - then you might have the #2-6 teams all pick the opposite bracket as #1.... it is a lot fairer way to advance the best teams, regardless of regular season records or politics.

[tossithigh]

Who are the folks in charge of the way we seed each division? I don't think I've ever heard a coach say they agree with it.

Athens D3 Sectional

Four teams advanced to the districts....here are their outcomes in the district semis:

#1 seed loses to a #4 seed from another sectional by 21 points

#2 seed loses to a #3 seed from another sectional by 33

#6 seed handles #3 seed and then loses by 27

#4 seed loses by 27

The OHSAA wants to be all about fairness but allows this to happen.

Good question 92! Who is in charge of the seeding/selection process, is it the SE District Board or the area coaches?? Since each District does it difference I doubt OHSAA has any input. Each year it seems to be getting worse.

[Ironman92]

I've always heard it was the district board....but don't know.

All 4 D2 teams left from Southeastern sectional

All 4 Jackson sectional teams won by double digits and all the Athens sectional teams lost by 20+

Now we have the complete rigging of D4 ensuring an SOC 1 team advanced beating mostly othe SOC 1 schools, while leaving South Webster, Manchester, Southern, Fairfield and Whiteoak to knock each other out.

This might be the most obvious year needing a better way.

[bman]

I also like opening up all of the sectional high schools for different divisional games.

[vchoops]

The Southeast District Board is SOLELY responsible for deciding the seeding process for the district. The coaches association has made their feelings known. Representatives have met with the board and explained the associations concerns. Unfortunately, the board refuses to budge, even though the system that the coaches want has proven successful in other districts throughout the state, while our current system has proven to provide lopsided district contests in many cases and possibly decreased attendance/revenue at some of these games. The overwhelming majority of coaches want to go to the same seeding process currently used in the Southwest and Central Districts where all teams are seeded and then can choose where they go onto the brackets based on that seed order. Teams are not tied to any particular site going into the draw. In other words, Portsmouth could play in the Jackson sectional, but they could also end up at Waverly or Athens. This is a much fairer way to do it for a couple of reasons. It eliminates much of the strategizing/politicking coaches currently participate in to try to better their teams seeds. It gives coaches some control of where they go, who they play, etc.... Also, it eliminates the problem that we currently have which is some sectionals are much tougher than others. The obvious one is the D3 at Jackson which had probably 4 or 5 of the best D3 teams in it for the last couple of years.

Why won't the SEODAB make the change....it's anyone's guess. There has really never been any explanation. Some folks speculate that travel is a concern, but does that argument really hold water? We send football teams all over the state for 1st round playoff games. Most of these sectionals are one game. Either you win and go to the Convo, or you lose and go home. What's the worst travel scenario? Eastern Brown to the Athens sectional? It could happen on some years, but travel would affect very few teams on most years.

Right now the current system basically determines who can play who, based on where your school is located on a map. It doesn't matter how good of year you've had, rather where you are located, that decides what sectional you're placed in. I think most would agree this isn't the best way.

[Jesco White]

I don't like the idea of having each team put their name on the bracket where they want it, as they are seeded. Think about it, what is the reward for being the 1 or the 2? They are just sitting there for a team that thinks they match up well with them to jump in their bracket. Just because teams have a strong record doesn't mean there aren't teams they'd prefer to avoid in the early rounds if they can help it. I just think the reward for being 1 or 2 should come with more say in who they play, instead of the other way around.

[Ironman92]

But you wouldn't choose that spot against the #1 or #2....down the road, yes.

I'm a little confused on how each seed is determined though?

In D4 for example.....how would they determine #1....vote by everyone? Is is that way thru all the seeds?

[Jesco White]

Yes, every seed in each respective sectional is voted by each coach 1-whatever, 1 at a time in order.

[defenserules]

jesco

that is the point....there is no "reward" for being the #1 or #2 seed. Each coach/AD should prepare their team for the tournament - not come up with a schedule that has you 15-1 at the draw. In my opinion -that is the problem with 1/2 the teams in the SE district - they would rather schedule an easy schedule and get "rewarded" for a great record against weak opponents, than actually playing up and IMPROVING and PREPARING for a nice, long tourney run. For an example - look at an Ironton, that regular season sched is how you prepare for the SE regional championship. Doing it where everyone is seeded 1-22 (or whatever) and let everyone put their name on the board........ no one can "hide" their weaknesses! That is how it should be in the post season. I think a lot more people would love the idea after a year or 2 in se ohio!

defenserules

[Jesco White]

defenserules,

I understand what you are saying, but at the same time, do you not see where that format benefits seeds 4 or 5 more than 1 or 2? If there's no purpose in benefitting the top seeds for what they accomplish, then why seed teams at all? Why bother letting teams put their name on a board in any kind of order? Do you see what I'm saying? No matter how you go about it, when you get to the tourney, the better teams should be rewarded for what they accomplish. I agree that a challenging schedule is absolutely more important than racking up wins against nobody. However, there has to be some balance as well. For instance, you used Ironton as an example, and the Tigers got the coveted 3-seed at Jackson this year...which is a direct reward for all they accompished against that excellent schedule.

I totally agree that there needs to be changes made to the current system. And, I'm a big fan of a super sectional as opposed to what we currently have. I think if you go to a super sectional and seed everyone, then break them down (as opposed to breaking them down then seeding them as we do it now); it would eliminate a tremendous amount of the "buddy system" and lack of balance that we have now. Again, that's just my opinion. I certainly would be in favor of change, because I think the current system allows for far too much politics and tends to reward otherwise undeserving teams.

[vchoops]

Jesco,

I should have explained myself better. Actually the top seeds would have the option of passing and not going on the board right away. This would prevent someone from jumping on them. They could pass and after each team goes on the board they would have the option of going on or passing again. Also, the vote is done the same way as it is now, except it would be every team in the district rather than just every team at a particular site.

Hope this clarifies some things. Enjoying the discussion.

[Hopper 11]

The top four from Jackson would have beat up on any first round teams not just teams from Athens sectional. They killed the teams in their own sectional too. Peebles and Eastern Brown will have their chance now.

[Crab's Brother]

I agree that the Jackson teams would have won, they didn't kill teams in their own sectional.

Valley beat Minford in a decent game by 14.....Beat NY by 21
Ironton beat Oak Hill by 10 in a game that was tight throughout.....Beat Wellston by 33
Portsmouth beat Wheelersburg by 16 but the game was tied late in the 3rd....Beat Piketon by 16 and it wasn't a game after half


The only point I'm trying to make is that teams such as NY and Wellston, were not as good as Minford, Oak Hill, and even Burg and had there been a Super Sectional, these teams would have advanced instead of the teams that did.