Thursday, October 21, 1999
Eight weeks and still no focus to playoff picture
By Chris Homan and Dave Feltner
Sports Writers
It's funny how, in these final two weeks of the regular season, football coaches can become mathematicians as well as preparing their teams for battle. And it's all because of the expanded eight-team-per-region playoff system.
Locally, there are a few teams living on the edge - Columbian in Division II and Mohawk in Division V. Each are in win-or-stay-home situations over the next two weeks with huge games and league championships on the line.
Another team, Calvert, can concentrate solely on the Warriors for the time being. The Senecas (8-0, 5-0) wrapped up a playoff spot about three weeks ago and have a stranglehold on Region 22. They, along with Mogadore, have the most second level points of anyone in Division VI, while just Delphos St. John's has more first level points. The Senecas also have the largest point differential between the first-place team and eighth-place team in Division VI.
What Columbian faces is a must win over Bellevue in the season's final week for any hope of postseason play. That's assuming a win over Galion this week. The Tornadoes (7-1, 4-1) are stuck in Region 5, where it seems as though no one will help them out by losing. Five teams in the region stand at 8-0, the most of any region in the state. By contrast, Region 5 in Division II has just one unbeaten (Madison) and just four teams with one loss. Sylvania Southview, Amherst Steele, Grafton Midview, New Carlisle Tecumseh and Clay are all ahead of the Tornadoes with big games of their own ahead.
Mohawk (Region 18, 8th place) not only needs to upend Calvert this weekend, but may need a victory over Fremont St. Joseph (Region 22, 8th place), who will also be fighting for a playoff spot, to qualify. The Warriors also must be concerned with the teams behind them. Elmwood (Region 18, 9th place) visits Gibsonburg (Region 18, 2nd place) in the final week.
Below is an in-depth look at who is still alive in each of the local team's regions and their remaining schedules with opponents' records in parentheses.
Division II, Region 5
On the bubble:
Sylvania Southview 6th, 15.1250 (Anthony Wayne, 8-0; Northview, 4-4)
Amherst Steele 7th, 14.8250 (Rocky River, 2-6; at Fairview Park, 5-3)
Grafton Midview 8th, 14.0250 (Keystone, 4-4; at Wellington, 7-1)
New Carlisle Tecumseh 9th, 12.8250 (at Springfield Northeastern, 2-6; at Springfield Kenton Ridge, 3-5)
Oregon Clay 10th,12.2370 (Fostoria, 0-8; Whitmer, 7-1)
Columbian 11th, 12.1020 (at Galion, 2-6; Bellevue, 7-0)
Perrysburg 12th, 11.3345 (Bowling Green, 4-4; at Maumee, 0-8)
The most likely of teams to fall in this region, even by winning out, are Grafton Midview and New Carlisle Tecumseh because of small-school schedules. Columbian stands to get the most out of its final two games if it wins both. They won't be passed by anyone, but need to leapfrog three teams in the final two weeks. Fostoria offers little to Clay, but a win over Whitmer could be golden. Columbian will be rooting for an Anthony Wayne win over Southview. That could knock the Cougars behind the Tornadoes. Should Southview beat the Generals it would virtually assure the Cougars a playoff berth, though. Perrysburg needs a miracle.
Division V, Region 18
On the bubble:
Sherwood Fairview 7th, 11.0625 (at Edgerton, 1-7; at Wayne Trace, 6-2)
Mohawk 8th, 10.8500 (at Calvert, 8-0; at Fremont St. Joseph, 4-4)
Elmwood 9th, 10.7625 (Northwood, 1-7, at Gibsonburg, 8-0)
Crestline 10th, 10.1750 (Wynford, 6-2; at Buckeye Central, 5-3)
Evergreen 11th, 9.4495 (at Montpeiler, 1-7; Bryan, 4-4)
In arguably the most competitive region in the state, the top six teams &emdash; Liberty-Center, Gibsonburg, Columbus Grove, Smithville, Delphos Jefferson and Bluffton each seem to take a break in the final two weeks of the season. Not one of those teams play a team with a record better than .500. As for the five teams on the bubble, each could cause major confusion should they win out. Mohawk though, would more than likely get the nod if they beat Calvert and St. Joseph. Crestline could also move up as Wynford and Buckeye Central have combined for 11 wins so far. Fairview stands to pick up the least amount of points overall due to a week schedule. Evergreen needs help after losing three straight. If you go down even further, Wynford, Patrick Henry, Hillsdale, Wayne Trace, Apple Creek Waynedale and Ashland Crestview are all within 3.5 points on the average within the eighth spot.
Division VI, Region 22
On the bubble:
Arlington 6th, 7.4500 (Vanlue, 1-7; at McComb, 6-2)
McComb 7th, 7.3250 (at Liberty-Benton, 1-7; Arlington, 6-2)
Fremont St. Joseph 8th, 6.4125 (at North Baltimore, 1-7; Mohawk, 7-1)
West Unity Hilltop 9th, 5.9400 (North Adams, Mich.; at Edon, 5-3)
Fort Recovery 10th, 5.5500 (at St. Henry, 6-1; Rockford Parkway, 5-3)
Ottawa Hills 11th, 5.4625 (at Cardinal Stritch, 7-1; Toledo Christian, 3-5)
Edon 12th, 5.2395 (Waldron, Mich.; West Unity Hilltop, 6-2)
Danbury 13th, 5.2375 (at Woodmore, 3-5; Cardinal Stritch, 7-1)
In one of the most lopsided regions, eight teams are mathematically alive. Realistically, just Arlington, McComb, Fremont St. Joseph, Hilltop and Edon have a shot. Three spots are basically available as Calvert, Marion Local, Pandora-Gilboa, Cardinal Stritch and Antwerp are locks. The winner of the Arlington-McComb game should claim one of those spots and the loser may as well. St. Joseph could claim the other with a win over Mohawk in Week 10. Should the Streaks finish 1-1 in the final two games, it opens the door to the winner of the Edon-Hilltop matchup. Fort Recovery, Ottawa Hills and Danbury would have to shock the world in the final two games to have a shot. Of course anything can happen. Five of the eight teams in this Region lost a week ago and neither of the eight teams stand to gain many second-level points. Also not mentioned is Leipsic (14th, 5.1790), which finishes out with Blanchard Valley Conference frontrunners Hardin Northern and Pandora-Gilboa. Should the Vikings pull off a pair of stunners, they might make a move in the standings.