Speaking of Sports Column Archive

Speaking
of
Sports

by
Bernie
Fratto

Enough Already

June 6, 2005

In the last 12 months, the Northville Mustangs and Novi Wildcat Girl’s Soccer teams have played 3 times. For the record, each team was victorious once, and one contest ended in a tie.

Last season, Northville defeated Novi in the District Finals, en route to a State Championship. Back in April, the two teams tied. Last Friday night in front of a packed house in the District Finals, Novi prevailed 4-1, en route to what I believe will be a State Championship for this year’s Cats.

Memo to the MHSAA… Why do these two powerhouses face each other so early in the playoffs? It seems to me that when assembling playoff brackets, simple geography prevails over season records, league titles or historical performance. I find that very bothersome. In other words, under this system, there is no reward for a great regular season. This isn’t the first time I’ve ranted about the District format.

Back in Nov. 2003, during the Football District Playoffs, I lamented that 10-0 Adrian should not have to travel 50 miles to face 10-0 Novi in only the second round of the playoffs. The teams were State-ranked #3 and #5 respectively, and they play in the 2nd round?

I continued on by saying I was biased toward the HS Playoff system where I grew up. The CIF (California Interscholastic Federation), would never allow for two league champs to face each other in the 2nd round, nor would they allow for two undefeated teams to face each other so soon.

The current system, which I believe is flawed, paves the way for lopsided districts where the balance of power is unfairly skewed due to geography.

Granted, the football Wildcats prevailed back in the ’03 District final, 27-25, just as their lady counterparts did the other night, so I can’t complain there.

However, that doesn’t mean the shoe might not be on the other foot someday. If the football Cat’s go 10-0 next season, and they are forced to take a 1-hour bus ride, to go on the road to face another 10-0 team in only the second round, would you be happy with that?

The Novi-Northville tilt was a great game Friday night. It pitted the defending State Champs vs. the pending State Champs.

Two great schools… Two great programs. One had to go home, but not this early.

Wake up MHSAA.

These kids deserve better…

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Bernie Fratto is a freelance writer, radio personality, and motivational speaker. His passion for sports comes in part from his experience as a former Cincinnati Red farm- hand. "Behind every sports story lies the hearts and minds of real human beings" said Fratto. "These athletic endeavors often serve as a metaphor for the game we call life."

Bernie is also on the broadcast team at Live 97.1FM talk-radio, and is a frequent co-host on the popular "Parker & The Man Show," a nightly sportstalk show which airs Monday-Friday from 7-11pm.