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2/18/08 Once a year I launch a rant about the MHSAA Playoff District structure, and it’s that time of year again. I started it in November 2003 when Adrian HS, a football team with a 10-0 record and a #2 State ranking had to travel 55 miles to play Novi, another team with a 10-0 record. Novi prevailed 26-24, in one the greatest games you’d ever see, but the shame was that it had to happen so early in the playoff tournament. It was a contest that should’ve been reserved for a Regional Final, not a second round tilt. The question I had was simple, and I’ll get to it, hold that thought. This week MHSAA Districts begin for Girls Basketball, and Novi finds themselves in one of the more loaded groupings in the State. Host Ladywood is ranked #3 in Class A, and in addition to Salem, another fine team with an 18-2 record, they are also bunched in with Northville, their cross-town rival. Now, back to the earlier question… Where is the reward for an outstanding regular season? I have always believed and always will that where I grew up in California, the governing body of HS athletics had a much better playoff format. The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), had a way of rewarding teams for a good regular season. Conference champions were always given at least one home game, and teams that finished 2nd or 3rd in their conference, or those that had received ‘at-large’ bids would have to travel. You would never have 2 or 3 conference champs in the same pairing so early like you have at Ladywood. On the other hand, the MHSAA doesn’t turn anyone away. Everybody gets a tournament bid regardless of record. But other than that, pairings seem to be constructed on the basis of geography and little else, and when that happens you have a lopsided playoff field which does little to help the integrity of the overall tournament. Up the street, Brighton HS is grouped with several teams they’ve already beaten this season, and they have what seems to be an easier road even though they didn’t win the KVC. This is not to say Novi can’t advance to Regionals, when the 2nd Season starts anything can happen, so I have no idea where this week ends up. In the meantime though it’s a question worth pondering. A successful regular season should translate to a more favorable postseason opening round. Consideration should be given to conference champs regardless of convenient proximity in assembling District matchups… (c) 2008 Novi
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