D9 unveils football playoff plan

Ridgway head coach Mark Heindl (left) receives the D9 Class 2A championship plaque from D9 tournament chairman Bob Tonkin after winning last year's title. D9 released its playoff plan Wednesday.

by Rich Rhoades D9and10sports.com

It’s official. District 9 has its football playoff plan.

District 9 Football Chairman Bob Tonkin released the format for all four classes in which the district has teams. With the PIAA opening the state playoffs the week of Nov. 6-7, the district playoffs were scheduled to start Oct. 23-24.

What that means is that there will be a four-team bracket in Classes 1A to 4A, although the number of D9 teams getting playoffs berths vary. In Classes 1A and 2A, it’s four. Because of a sub-regional set up in Classes 3A and 4A, it’s a maximum of two D9 teams in each bracket.

Here’s a closer look at each classification setup:

CLASS 1A

Small School South: Curwensville, Keystone, Otto-Eldred, Redbank Valley and Union/A-C Valley.

IU9 North: Cameron County, Coudersport, Elk County Catholic, Otto-Eldred, Port Allegany, Smethport.

Maximum number of teams in tournament: Four.

Process: Top two teams in each grouping using following criteria: 1. Overall record, 2. Head to Head, 3. Power Rating (see below).

Semifinal Dates: Oct. 23-24, games played at higher seed field. D9 will determine game site if field conditions merit or if a school declines to host.

Championship: Oct. 30-31, at site TBA

Winner advances to PIAA playoffs vs. the District 5 champion Nov. 6-7 at site TBA

CLASS 2A

Large School South: Brockway, Brookville, Central Clarion, Karns City, Moniteau.

IU9 North: Kane and Ridgway.

Maximum number of teams in tournament: Four, three in Large School South and one from IU9 North.

Process: Three teams in the South determined by: 1. Overall record, 2. Head to Head, 3. Power Rating. Kane or Ridgway advances in the North by: 1. Overall record, 2. Head to Head, 3. Power Rating.

After four teams are selected, the teams will be seeded by: 1. Overall record, 2. Head to Head, 3. Power Rating.

Semifinal Dates: Oct. 23-24, at higher seeded team (1 vs. 4, 2 vs. 3). D9 will determine game site if field conditions merit or if a school declines to host.

Championship: Oct. 30-31, TBA

Winner advances to PIAA playoffs vs. the District 10 champion Nov. 6-7 at site TBA

CLASS 3A

Sub-Regional with Districts 5, 6 and 9

D9 teams: Punxsutawney, Clearfield and St. Marys.

D6 teams: Huntingdon, Penn Cambria, Tyrone and Westmont Hilltop.

D5 teams: Somerset and Bedford.

Maximum number of D9 teams: Two.

Maximum number of D5 teams: Two.

The setup has the D5 and D9 championship games being played Oct. 23-24. The winners of those games meet Oct. 30-31 with that winner taking on the D6 champion Nov. 6-7 in the first round of the state playoffs.

Process to determine selection and seeding in D5 and D9: PIAA Ranking System. Points divided by games played.

CLASS 4A

Sub-Regional with Districts 6, 8, 9

D9 teams: DuBois and Bradford

D6 teams: Bellefonte, Johnstown, Juniata.

D8 teams: Carrick, University Prep.

Maximum number of teams: Two.

Selection Process: PIAA Ranking System, points divided by number of games played.

Sub-Regional Final: Oct. 30-31.

Winner advances to state playoffs Nov. 6-7 against the D10 champion.

Read more at D9and10sports.com.

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