Area coaches not receptive to expanding playoff field

~ Schools will vote on allowing district runners-up a second chance.

A district title should mean something.

That seems to be the sentiment among area football coaches regarding a Missouri State High School Activities Association football playoff proposal that would double the number of playoff teams. The proposal adds a new tier to the playoffs, sending the second-place team from each district into a new playoff round.

The proposal needs a simple majority to pass and is among 31 proposals on the annual MSHSAA ballot. Results of the ballot will be released in early May.

"I think it's a situation where some schools complained enough and it's on the ballot," Perryville coach Rick Chastain said. "I know I'm not in favor of it. To win a championship needs to mean something."

Under the proposal, a new playoff structure would resemble the tennis playoffs, with the two adjoining districts cross-bracketing in the first round. Due to the added playoff round, the proposal would call for the first week of the regular season to be pushed up a week.

With the cross-bracketing format, district champions could face teams they have already beaten in the sectional round.

"We could possibly play Hayti in Week 10 and then turn around and have to play them within eight or nine days," St. Vincent coach Keith Winkler said. "... If you want a true double elimination, then make a true double elimination [tournament]."

Under the current system, 80 of 324 football teams earn a trip to the playoffs by winning their respective districts. That number would double with the addition of a second playoff team from each district, meaning nearly half of all football teams will make the playoffs.

"I think it's pretty ridiculous, to be completely honest," Chastain said. "I think we should keep it fairly difficult to get into the playoffs. After all, it's a special deal to get into the playoffs. I think it's something you should earn. I think it needs to stay [the same]. It's been watered down already."

Jackson coach Carl Gross has led his team to the state championship game twice and made it to the state semifinals as recently as 2001. During the 18 years Gross has led the Indians, his teams have fallen just short of district titles on plenty of occasions.

"Me personally, I don't agree with [the proposal]," Gross said. "I like the system the way it is. ... Everybody gets the same opportunity going in. Everyone knows you have to win your district, and if you win your district, you have to win the next week to keep going.

"We're grown-ups, we're adults. We have to handle defeat just like we handle winning. I just believe we all have an opportunity, but the bottom line is one team's going to be the state champion."

While the gripe concerning the district playoff in the past has centered on the lack of importance of the regular season -- mainly the ability of playoff teams to possibly enter the state playoffs with as few as three wins -- the new playoff proposal would have rewarded a strong crop of Southeast Missouri teams last year.

Among the eight districts with ties to Southeast Missouri squads, only two would have had runner-up teams make the playoffs with less than seven wins. Scott City, which finished 6-4, would have been the lone area squad to make it in as district runner-up.

Rams coach Terry Flannigan said he would not mind seeing a No. 2 team in the district get a second chance in the playoffs.

"It's an opportunity," Flannigan said. "If you finish second, you'll play a No. 1 in the other bracket and you'll find out real quick [if you belong]. You may get your tail kicked and get sent home, or you'll prove yourself and get another chance."

In districts involving city schools, such as St. Louis and Kansas City, there have been cases where two of the state's top teams in a certain class reside in the same district. Last year McCluer North and Hazelwood East were among the top teams in Class 5, with McCluer North winning the district matchup in overtime.

"I imagine there have been years the state championship game was played in the district playoffs, but you still play it," Gross said. "Whether they got beat there or four weeks from there, your ultimate goal is to win the whole thing."

For every district where a 9-1 or 8-2 team finishes runner-up, there are plenty of districts like last year's Class 4 District 1. West Plains (4-6) would have earned the second-place spot from the district, as all four teams in Class 4 District 1 finished with losing records.

While the new proposal very well could reward even more teams with lackluster records, the purpose seems to be to reward teams that have shown their strength in the regular season and slipped up in district play.

"A team that's 9-1 and their only loss is in district play, the philosophy is to give that team an additional opportunity to get a chance in the playoffs," MSHSAA spokesman Rick Kindhart said. "I think the people that seem to be the most discontent with the current system are the schools who've had a great regular season then have a hiccup in the district tournament."

A playoff proposal consisting of eight-team, seeded districts was considered but did not make the annual ballot last year. An ad hoc Football Playoff Study Committee was appointed by the MSHSAA Board of Directors after the last playoff proposal was shot down.

While it would seem there are annual complaints made about the system -- judging by the recent slew of proposals -- most of the area coaches seem to feel comfortable with the current system.

"There may be some years I wish we had it [an extra playoff berth] and could get some revenge, and there's some years we've beat someone we shouldn't have," Winkler said. "You take the good with the bad. I think we have a good system."