NCHSAA "Seeding's"

First of all, an apology to the Porter Ridge baseball team for comments made about the school not having lights. The "run" this team is on is amazing and shouldn't be "tainted" by something they have no control over. For a team to come into the playoffs with a 8-11-1 record and knock off 4A powers Mooresville, Mallard Creek and A C Reynolds has been simply amazing. We must remember as adults, these are "kids" that just want to play ball and when we come on this "forum" we must show the same sportsmanship we try to teach our "kids".

Now, a few questions that I have with the "seedings":

1) Why are these brackets made so far in advance? Can't the NCHSAA sit down after Conference Tournaments and fill out the brackets?
2) The 3A West was divided into what seems like a "Eastern" and "Western" bracket and that cut down on traveling for the most part. But looking at the 4A West, I'm wondering why that same principal wasn't applied.
3) East Rowan has had the toughest road in the 3A west, it seems they were "punished" for being #1 seed from the NPC. Playoff pairings shouldn't be by conference seedings, sure you can give each conference a set number of berths, but that's where the whole conference seeding "scenario" should end.
4) I understand there will never be a perfect "bracket", but it could be improved. Baseball playoffs are played when "student athletes" are taking final exams, EOC test's...ect... travel time has to be a concern.

 

Very well said, weyco

 

I thought all first round baseball games were arranged with a heavy emphasis on geography.

 

No, all 1st round games are predetermined based on the seeds and conferences. If you fall into a 4 seed from X conf, you can find out quickly that you will be facing the 1 seed from Y conf--- you just may not know who the 1 seed from Conf Y is yet.

Its all predetermined, same as homefield in later rounds when 2 of the same seeds meet, the conferences rotate yearly having priority for home games.

3A west worked out good this year I agree, maybe it appears the 4A teams had to travel more because their fewer 4A teams or 4A conferences. I would imagine the 1A teams really hit the road a lot too, I don't know, just a suggestion.

But the baseball seedings (what seed plays who) is all predetermined. The NCHSAA just fills in the blanks after all seasons/conf tourneys are done.

 

Well put tj, how can the NCHSAA determine that seed X from conference y will face seed y from conference x, before the season even starts?!!!
OK, just a few examples from just the 3A West:
1) Harding #2 Seed from Mega 7 won 5 games total? First game against Spc # 3 Hickory Ridge who saved their ace for ER, good thing it didn't matter.
2) East Rowan #1 Seed NPC first game against Concord SPC #4, why wouldn't they get Harding?
3) Weddington "Southern Carolina" #1 hosts NPC #4 South Rowan in the 1st round? Thanks pal!!!
4) Marvin Ridge SCC#2 facing NPC #3 Carson in the 1st round???
Schools that have no lights, would not host games unless a neutral field is approved by NCHSAA. (Imagine if a "football" game was played at a site w/o lighting!!!) Last but not least, require that every team has qualified for a berth by playing in a Conference Tournament. Split conferences (4A/3A, 3A/2A ect...) should play the closest conference in the same category. Such as Mega 7 playing SCC it's right down Hwy 74 either way and within 30 minutes. Thank God all 3A West final 4 are 1 seeds and the best 4 made it to the final's. How did it go everywhere else?

 

Can not agree with the light requirement -if a team earns the right to have a home game (by being a higher seed), then play at their place.

Do believe at the last NCHSAA meeting there were some policies established with the playoffs that hopefully will minimize travel in the future.

Do you like the expanded playoff or should they go back to the smaller number of teams?

Always interesting in that if it is not the lights or weather, it is the umps or some other concern to make the playoffs "unfair". I say simply play and let it go from there. Will never be perfect in everyone's eyes.

 

Weyco, look at it from the other side,,,,,,,, predetermining that a 4 seed from Conf X will face a 1 seed from Conf Y is really the fairest way. When the NCHSAA sets this up, they don't know what teams will finish where. So they just fill in the blanks.

If it was done the way the NCAA seeds basketball, there would be folks complaining about the NCHSAA then giving a certain team an easy draw.

They way it is now, your team name gets put on a line, you play the hand that is dealt you, and nobody can say anyone got special treatment.

 

I do feel that lights should be a requirement, however if lights are not available the home team should pick the nuetral site as long as it is within a set distance from their home field. Due to budgets it wouldn't surprise me to see a pod system, limiting early round travel much like football is adopting. You will still have certain teams hurt since some pods will be much stronger, but no matter how you seed, someone's feelings, as well as opportunity to advance, get hurt.

 

I agree. You will have to beat the good teams at some point. i really like how SC does it.