BROCKWAY, Pa. – The District 9 softball brackets will be released later this week, and teams continue to battle for the top spots in the bracket.
Through games Saturday, May 13, St. Marys has locked up the top spot in Class 4A while Class 2A and Class 1A top spots are still up for grabs (DuBois is the lone Class 5A team out of D9 and Punxsutawney is the lone Class 3A team. Both will play in a subregional as will the winner in Class 4A).
District 9 operates an “open” playoff system meaning any team may choose to play in the playoffs if they so desire. However, many school districts have “.500 rules” meaning their teams may not participate in the postseason in an open tournament without achieving a .500 record. Some districts have strict .500 rules, others have looser ones that require teams to only be .500 against teams from the same classification or loser. Each district makes that determination on its own. In addition, some schools may choose not to send teams even if they finish at .500 or better. All of those decisions are made on a school-by-school basis and are not within the purview of the District 9 committee.
To seed the softball postseason, District 9 uses a power rating formula. 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 cutoff date for games to count toward the postseason is Wednesday, May 17.
Currently, only one Class 4A school is above .500, St. Marys (11-2). Defending District 9 and PIAA champion Clearfield is 7-10, and Bradford is 5-10. Most likely, at least Clearfield will join St. Marys in the bracket setting up a rematch of the last two D9 title games since the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 season.
As we take a look at Class 1A and Class 2A, keep in mind these are based on our math and understanding of the power point system and are not the official position of District 9. Because stats like New York and other do classifications differently than Pennsylvania, there is a chance that a team that played a team from New York or other places might end up with a power point rating that is slightly different than what we are anticipating, which could swing the formula in a close race.
Class 2A is where the most movement could occur, as five teams sit between 3.4 and 3.8 average power points.
Moniteau currently holds the catbird seat with an average of 3.781. The Lady Warriors have games left against Cranberry Monday and Forest Area Wednesday that count toward the postseason.
Keystone is second with an average of 3.563 with Cranberry third at 3.536, Curwensville fourth at 3.469, and Johnsonburg fifth with 3.433.
Moniteau holds its own destiny in its hands. If the Lady Warriors win out they will be the top seed. But, if they slip up once it opens the door for the other five teams.
In fact, a loss Monday to Cranberry would actually appear to put the Berries in control of their own destiny for the top spot. although Cranberry still has to play Forest Area Tuesday and Karns City Wednesday and would need to win both of those games as well. Moniteau beat Cranberry, 9-6, April 27.
Also vying for that top spot is Keystone, which finishes with a doubleheader against A-C Valley/Union Monday, Curwensville, which has four games left – Monday vs. Juniata Valley, a doubleheader Tuesday vs. North Star, and a single game Wednesday vs. Moshannon Valley – and Johnsonburg, which takes on St. Marys Monday, is at Kane Tuesday, and hosts Port Allegany Wednesday.
Because of only having two games left, Keystone could find itself anywhere between the top seed and way down in the bracket at No. 8, that is how tight this bracket currently is.
Curwensville probably holds the best chance to move up with very winnable games against North Star and Moshannon Valley and a contest against a team it lost to, 2-1, in Juniata Valley.
In Class 1A, the top seed is down to either defending champion DuBois Central Catholic, Otto-Eldred, or Elk County Catholic.
DCC clinches the No. 1 spot with a win over either Kane Tuesday or St. Marys Wednesday. If the Lady Cardinals would lose both of those games, Otto-Eldred would get the top spot if it wins final three games against Cameron County (Monday) and Port Allegany (doubleheader Tuesday). ECC could claim the top position with two DCC losses and one loss from Otto-Eldred as long as the Lady Crusaders beat Smethport Monday and Warren Wedensday.
Otto-Eldred would have to lose at least once while ECC wins its final two games that count toward the postseason to fall out of being at no worse the No. 2 seed.
ECC, it appears, can be no worse than the No. 3 seed with four, five, and six to be fought for between the three KSAC teams – Forest Area (which hosts Kane Monday, travels to Cranberry Tuesday, and host Moniteau Wednesday), A-C Valley/Union (which plays a doubleheader with Keystone Monday), and Redbank Vally (which is at Brockway Monday, hosts Clarion-Limestone Tuesday, and is at C-L Wednesday). Redbank Valley is currently a game under .500.
Here is a look at the current power ratings in Class 4A, 2A, and 1A through games Saturday, May 13, along with the games remaining for each team that count towards the postseason seeding.
CLASS 4A
1. St. Marys (5.769) – at Johnsonburg, vs. DCC
2. Clearfield (3.529 – Currently under .500) – vs. Punxsutawney
3. Bradford (2.833 – Currently under .500) at Oswayo Valley, vs. DuBois, vs. Brockway
CLASS 2A
1. Moniteau (3.781) – at Cranberry, at Forest Area
2. Keystone (3.563) – Doubleheader vs. A-C Valley/Union at Keystone
3. Cranberry (3.536) – vs. Moniteau, vs. Forest Area, vs. Karns City
4. Curwensville (3.469) – at Juniata Valley, doubleheader at North Star, at Moshannon Valley
5. Johnsonburg (3.433) – vs. St. Marys, at Kane, vs. Port Allegany
6. Karns City (3.231 – Currently under .500) – at Clarion, at Cranberry
7. Brookville (3.125 – Currently under .500 as but has declared it will go) – doubleheader at Clarion, at Punxsutawney
8. Coudersport (2.833 – Currently under .500) – vs. Port Allegany, at Wellsboro
9. Kane (2.800 – Currently under .500) – at Forest Area, vs. Johnsonburg, vs. DCC
CLASS 1A
1. DuBois Central Catholic (5.529) – at Kane, at St. Marys
2. Otto-Eldred (5.308) – vs. Cameron County, doubleheader at Port Allegany
3. Elk County Catholic (4.967) – at Smethport, vs. Warren
4. A-C Valley (3.800) – doubleheader at Keystone
5. Forest Area (3.667) – vs. Kane, at Cranberry, vs. Moniteau
6. Redbank Valley (3.200 – currently under .500) – at Brockway, vs. Clarion-Limestone, at C-L
7. Oswayo Valley (2.750 – currently under .500) – vs. Bradford, vs. Bucktail
