Saturday, September 27, 2008

PIAA Bracketology

Other than a few stragglers who are playing at teams whose fields don't offer lights -- looking outside, the portable brand might be needed today -- Week 5 is in the books and we're halfway through the regular season.

A big topic of conversation through the offseason and early this season was that of how the PIAA state playoff brackets were restructured.

The biggest change for area teams is in Class AAA. The District 3 champion will participate in the western bracket and meet the WPIAL (District 7) champion in the state semifinals. In previous years District 3 qualified for the state semifinals out of the eastern bracket.

Another change involving the Mid-Penn comes in Class AAAA. No longer will Mid-Penn affiliates Altoona and State College, who call District 6 home, qualify for the District 3 field. Rather, those two are in a subregional with Erie McDowell, Allderdice, DuBois and Central Mountain. The winner of that meets the WPIAL champion in the quarterfinals with the survivor there taking on the District 3 champion. Those games are in the western bracket.

But that's all far down the road. If you're headed to a Saturday matinee, enjoy the rain.

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