BROOKVILLE, Pa. – With less than a week’s worth of games left that count towards the playoffs, a battle has ensued for the top spots in the District 9 Class 1A and Class 2A playoffs.
District 9 uses a power rating formula to determine its baseball seedings. The formula awards five (5) points per win and then a sliding scale of schedule points based on games played (a team doesn’t have to beat the team to get schedule points). A game against a Class 6A opponent is worth three (3) points, a game against a Class 5A opponent is worth 2.5 points, a game against a Class 4A opponent is worth two (2) points, a game against a Class 3A opponent is worth 1.5 points, a game against a Class 2A opponent is worth one (1) point, and a game against a Class 1A opponent is worth a half (0.5) of a point.
The deadline for games to count toward the District 9 playoff seedings is Wednesday, May. 17. Teams must declare fo the postseason by noon on May 17 and games through that night count toward the seeding. The playoffs are an “open” tournament in District 9 meaning schools can choose to play in them regardless of record, although many schools have a .500 rule that only allows a team to go to the postseason if they are .500 or above (some .500 rules are based on all games, others on games against teams in that school’s classification). Every school differs, and District 9 doesn’t set any parameters on whether or not a school can elect to play in the postseason. That is strictly a decision made by each school.
Unofficially, through games Thursday, May 11, Redbank Valley holds the top seed in Class 2A and DuBois Central Catholic is in the top spot in Class 1A.
Neither of those teams, though, has locked anything up.
While the Bulldogs hold that top position in 2A with an average of 4.9 power points, Port Allegany is nipping at their heels with 4.875 and Karns City sits in third at 4.494 (all points are unofficial).
In Class 1A, DCC’s 5-2 comeback win over Clarion Thursday voted the Cardinals ahead of the Bobcats into the top spot with an average of 4.95 power points to Clarion’s 4.78. Otto-Eldred is a close third at 4.7 followed by Cameron County at 4.678.
In 3A and 4A, the top seeds appear set with St. Marys leading Clearfield by nearly a half a power point average (4.088 to 3.52) in 4A and Punxsutawney ahead by an average of almost two power points over Brookville in 3A (5.857 to 4.029).
Here is an unofficial look at the current power points in each classification based on the teams who could potentially enter the playoffs (and it is not guaranteed that all of these teams will enter the postseason or that a team that we don’t list might). Also, keep in mind that because other states do classifications differently than Pennsylvania some of the schedule points are estimated for those opponents.
CLASS 4A
1. St. Marys – 4.088
2. Clearfield – 3.5625
CLASS 3A
1. Punxsutawney – 5.857
2. Brookville – 4.029
CLASS 2A
1. Redbank Valley – 4.906
2. Port Allegany – 4.875
3. Karns City – 4.593
4. Johnsonburg – 4.333
5. Clarion-Limestone – 4.133
6. Kane – 3.643
7. Moniteau – 3.323 (Team currently under .500)
8. Coudersport – 3.038
9. Cranberry – 3.000 (Team currently under .500)
CLASS 1A
1. DuBois Central Catholic – 4.911
2. Clarion – 4.781
3. Otto-Eldred – 4.700
4. Cameron County – 4.679
5. A-C Valley/Union – 3.3
