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, 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
