Chandler, Stroud, Prague, Davenport positions
Week 10 of the regular season will be decisive for area schools fighting for better playoff rankings.
Heading into the final game, four teams are guaranteed to make the playoffs, but the question is: where they final in the district rankings.
At stake is a home-field game in the first round and a presumably more favorable opponent.
In District 2A-2, there is a three-way tie at the top between Crossings Christian, Chandler and Jones, all tied with 5-1 records, and Prague lurking in fourth place with a 4-2 mark.
The Lions and Red Devils play Friday at Prague, and the Red Devils’ only hope of finishing higher than fourth is to beat Chandler. If that happens and if Crossings and Jones both win, Chandler would be fourth, Prague third, Jones second and Crossings first.
Prague and Chandler would be tied with 5-2 marks,but Prague would have the head-to-head win.
Jones and Crossings would have 6-1 marks, but Crossings would have the head-to-head tie-breaker win.
If Chandler beat Prague, there’s a good chance there would be a three-way tie between the Lions, Crossings and Jones.
The three teams beat each other in rotation - Chandler beating Crossings, Crossings beating Jones and Jones beating Chandler - so the tie-breaker becomes the margin of victory in district games.
Teams can earn or lose up to 15 points per game based on the outcome of district games, and the one with the highest gets the highest seed. The teams with the secondand third-highest totals get the second- and third-highest seeds.
This week’s games will change the margin of victory points, but, for right now, Crossings has the lead, Chandler is second and Jones is third.
Should things stay in that order, the Lions would get a first round game at home.
Prague will have a first-round road game, as would Chandler with a loss to the Red Devils.
The situations in the other area districts are much more clear-cut.
If Davenport beats Regent Prep, the Bulldogs are district champions in B-8. Don’t and they are runnersup.
It’s a similar story for Stroud when the Tigers go to Okemah.
Beat the Panthers and they finish No. 2 and open the playoffs at Jack Poskey Stadium. Otherwise, they are third and have to hit the road for the first round.
McLoud and Meeker are eliminated from the playoffs, and North Rock Creek and Wellston aren’t eligible because they are finishing up independent schedules.
Both will play in districts next season.