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Fort Bend Sun - Sports
District 23-5A football zone playoff scenarios
Wide receiver Ed'Marques Batties (4) and his Hightower football teammates are idle this week. They need help from Kempner against Elkins on Saturday to earn Zone A's berth in the district championship game. (Photo by Patric Schneider) |
By COREY ROEPKEN
Hightower coach Barry Abercrombie came out of the locker room Saturday night and didn’t even need to be asked a question before addressing the topic at hand.
“I hate that system,” he said.
It was an unfortunate moment after a victory that should have caused celebration. Hightower had just beaten a strong Kempner team, 42-21, but the elephant in the room was the touchdown the Hurricanes scored in the final minute.
Kempner was out of timeouts so all Hightower had to do was take a knee to end the game with a final score of 35-21. Instead, quarterback Bralon Addison connected with Joseph Giles for a 49-yard touchdown pass.
Without perspective there was no question Hightower was running up the score. Abercrombie, though, was preparing for a potential tiebreaker with Kempner and Elkins. If Kempner beats Elkins this week then those two and Hightower tie for first place in District 23-5A’s Zone A. In that case the tiebreaker is point differential in games played among those three teams.
The most points one team can have on another is 18. Before the final touchdown Hightower led by 14 points. The last score gives the Hurricanes the maximum of +18, which brings their point differential from -12 to +6. Without the last touchdown Hightower would be at +2.
Hightower already was guaranteed a spot in a zone playoff game, but the difference between finishing first and second or third is significant. The zone champ doesn’t have to sweat a Week 10 game to qualify for the UIL postseason. The second- and third-place teams have to win in Week 10 to qualify.
“The difference between +2 and +6 could be the difference in having a chance to play in the championship game,” Abercrombie said. “I respect (Kempner) coach (James) Brown. I respect his staff. I don’t like having to do that, but that’s the system. I owe it to my kids to put us in the best position I can. Now, ironically, we’re the biggest Kempner fans there are because we need them to beat Elkins by seven or more.”
A similar situation could arise on Friday when Clements and Dulles square off at Hall Stadium. Depending on the outcome of the Travis-Bush game at Mercer, Clements may need to beat Dulles by at least seven points to advance to the zone playoffs.
The system can lead to perplexing situations. The Sun is here to clear up any confusion about the race for the zone playoffs. Austin, Marshall and Willowridge have been eliminated.
ZONE A update
Effective standings: Elkins 3-0, Hightower 3-1, Kempner 2-1
Remaining game: Elkins vs. Kempner
Explanation: Elkins can clinch the zone title simply by beating Kempner. Elkins also can clinch the zone title if it loses to Kempner by fewer than seven points. Hightower can win the zone title only if Kempner beats Elkins by at least seven points. Because it cannot surpass Hightower’s point differential, Kempner cannot win the zone title.
ZONE B update
Effective standings: Bush 2-1, Dulles 2-1, Travis 2-1, Clements 1-2
Remaining games: Travis vs. Bush; Clements vs. Dulles
Explanation: Travis and Bush have clinched berths in the zone playoffs, but Travis is the only one that can clinch the zone championship simply by winning this week. Here is a closer look at what would happen given each possible combination of Friday winners.
If Travis and Clements win: Travis wins the zone title and the other three are tied for second place. In that case, the teams’ effective point differentials are Bush (+6), Dulles (+4), Clements (-10). Because Dulles and Clements both could not pass Bush, Bush would be guaranteed a berth in the zone playoffs. Clements would have to beat Dulles by at least eight points to claim the final zone playoff berth.
If Travis and Dulles win: Travis wins the zone title based on its previous victory over Dulles. Dulles and Bush would be in the zone playoffs.
If Bush and Clements win: Bush wins the zone title and the other three are tied for second place. In that case, the teams’ effective point differentials are Travis (+10), Clements (+4), Dulles (-14). Because Clements already is ahead of Dulles in that category the margin of victory for Clements over Dulles would not matter. Travis and Clements would be in the zone playoffs.
If Bush and Dulles win: Dulles wins the zone title based on its previous victory over Bush. Bush and Travis would be in the zone playoffs.
“I hate that system,” he said.
It was an unfortunate moment after a victory that should have caused celebration. Hightower had just beaten a strong Kempner team, 42-21, but the elephant in the room was the touchdown the Hurricanes scored in the final minute.
Kempner was out of timeouts so all Hightower had to do was take a knee to end the game with a final score of 35-21. Instead, quarterback Bralon Addison connected with Joseph Giles for a 49-yard touchdown pass.
Without perspective there was no question Hightower was running up the score. Abercrombie, though, was preparing for a potential tiebreaker with Kempner and Elkins. If Kempner beats Elkins this week then those two and Hightower tie for first place in District 23-5A’s Zone A. In that case the tiebreaker is point differential in games played among those three teams.
The most points one team can have on another is 18. Before the final touchdown Hightower led by 14 points. The last score gives the Hurricanes the maximum of +18, which brings their point differential from -12 to +6. Without the last touchdown Hightower would be at +2.
Hightower already was guaranteed a spot in a zone playoff game, but the difference between finishing first and second or third is significant. The zone champ doesn’t have to sweat a Week 10 game to qualify for the UIL postseason. The second- and third-place teams have to win in Week 10 to qualify.
“The difference between +2 and +6 could be the difference in having a chance to play in the championship game,” Abercrombie said. “I respect (Kempner) coach (James) Brown. I respect his staff. I don’t like having to do that, but that’s the system. I owe it to my kids to put us in the best position I can. Now, ironically, we’re the biggest Kempner fans there are because we need them to beat Elkins by seven or more.”
A similar situation could arise on Friday when Clements and Dulles square off at Hall Stadium. Depending on the outcome of the Travis-Bush game at Mercer, Clements may need to beat Dulles by at least seven points to advance to the zone playoffs.
The system can lead to perplexing situations. The Sun is here to clear up any confusion about the race for the zone playoffs. Austin, Marshall and Willowridge have been eliminated.
ZONE A update
Effective standings: Elkins 3-0, Hightower 3-1, Kempner 2-1
Remaining game: Elkins vs. Kempner
Explanation: Elkins can clinch the zone title simply by beating Kempner. Elkins also can clinch the zone title if it loses to Kempner by fewer than seven points. Hightower can win the zone title only if Kempner beats Elkins by at least seven points. Because it cannot surpass Hightower’s point differential, Kempner cannot win the zone title.
ZONE B update
Effective standings: Bush 2-1, Dulles 2-1, Travis 2-1, Clements 1-2
Remaining games: Travis vs. Bush; Clements vs. Dulles
Explanation: Travis and Bush have clinched berths in the zone playoffs, but Travis is the only one that can clinch the zone championship simply by winning this week. Here is a closer look at what would happen given each possible combination of Friday winners.
If Travis and Clements win: Travis wins the zone title and the other three are tied for second place. In that case, the teams’ effective point differentials are Bush (+6), Dulles (+4), Clements (-10). Because Dulles and Clements both could not pass Bush, Bush would be guaranteed a berth in the zone playoffs. Clements would have to beat Dulles by at least eight points to claim the final zone playoff berth.
If Travis and Dulles win: Travis wins the zone title based on its previous victory over Dulles. Dulles and Bush would be in the zone playoffs.
If Bush and Clements win: Bush wins the zone title and the other three are tied for second place. In that case, the teams’ effective point differentials are Travis (+10), Clements (+4), Dulles (-14). Because Clements already is ahead of Dulles in that category the margin of victory for Clements over Dulles would not matter. Travis and Clements would be in the zone playoffs.
If Bush and Dulles win: Dulles wins the zone title based on its previous victory over Bush. Bush and Travis would be in the zone playoffs.