Playoff Picture Becoming Clearer

Cameron Ihrig makes a play during the Tigers 10-0 loss at home last Friday to Monticello.  Also in the photo are Koby Johnston (34) and Caleb Wagner (76).  Tipton fell to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in district 4 in class 2A.  The Tigers still can make the playoffs this year, but, it starts by beating Mt. Vernon Friday and then getting some help.  Photo by Ryan Stonebraker, Sports Editor - Tipton Conservative.

TIPTON — The 2014 playoffs are just around the corner for area high school football teams.  This Friday is week 9 of the football season and the last regular season football game.  Here is a look at district football standings for the four high schools that I cover here at the Conservative:

Class 2A District 4

District Overall PF PA

Anamosa 5-0 7-1 234 106

Cascade 5-0 7-1 311 145

Mt. Vernon 3-2 4-4 185 173

Monticello 2-3 3-5 100 182

Tipton 2-3 4-4 183 206

Camanche 1-5 1-7 174 348

Northeast GL 0-5 1-7 130 266

Friday, October 17

Monticello 10, Tipton 0

Cascade 48, Mt. Vernon 35

Anamosa 31, Union 28

Camanche 42, NE Goose Lake 35 (OT)

Friday, October 24

Tipton at Mt. Vernon

Anamosa at Cascade

Durant at Camanche

NE Goose Lake at Monticello

In class 2A district four, the district championship will be decided this week as co-leaders and 5-0 district teams as Anamosa travels to #8 Cascade. The #3 and #4 spots haven't totally been decided. Mt. Vernon has the inside track having beaten Monticello and having a 3-2 district record. Three teams are still in the hunt for the final two spots in Tipton, Monticello and Mt. Vernon. Here is what can happen:

Mt. Vernon: 1. Win, and they are the #3 seed. 2. Lose, and they are at worst are tied with Tipton at 3-3 in district play. If Monticello wins, there would be a 3-way tie at 3-3 with the three teams. From there, it gets dicey. From what I see, this is just my thinking and how I interpret the tiebreakers, is that Tipton would be out and Monticello and Mt. Vernon would be in at that point. BUT, I also don't understand the point systems and things, so....

Monticello: 1. Win and they are in as the #4 seed regardless of what the Tipton-Mt. Vernon outcome is. The Panthers would likely have enough tiebreakers over Tipton to get the #4 spot.

Tipton: The Tigers can get as high as the #3 seed or be left out altogether. Best Case = Tigers win and Monticello loses and the Tigers get the #3 seed and Mt. Vernon gets the #4 seed. Worst Case = Tipton loses, Monticello wins and the Tigers are out of the playoffs. Worst Case 2 = Tipton wins and Monticello wins and the Tigers lose the tiebreakers.

Class 1A District 5

      District    Overall   PF   PA

West Branch    5-0     8-0   367 51

North Cedar   4-1     7-1   300 153

Bellevue      3-2     6-2   260 123

Alburnett     3-2     5-3   228 185

Wilton     2-3     3-5   106 275

Durant    1-5     2-6   123 208

Wapello     0-5     1-7   76 245

Friday October 17

North Cedar 41, Wapello 6

West Branch 56, Wilton 0

Bellevue 27, Durant 19

Alburnett 38, Louisa-Muscatine 6

Friday October 24

Wilton at North Cedar

Durant at Camanche

Alburnett at West Branch

Wapello at Bellevue

In class 1A, West Branch has clinched the District 5 title. The Bears are ranked #4 in class 1A. North Cedar has clinched the Runner-Up spot in district 5. The Knights are ranked #8 in class 1A.

The #3 and #4 spots are up in the air with Bellevue holding a slight edge, having beaten Alburnett 50-6 earlier this season.

Both the Comets and Pirates are 3-2 in district 5. Alburnett travels to West Branch while Bellevue hosts Wapello. The Comets have to win to secure the #3 spot. The only way Bellevue is not the #3 seed is if they lose and Alburnett somehow upsets the Bears in West Branch. I don't see that happening as West Branch has a very good football team and are anxious to end the regular season 9-0.

Playoff pairings will come out late Friday night (around midnight) or even early Saturday morning. The playoff schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, October 29 - First Round Games for All Classes - Games start at 7 p.m.

Monday, November 3 - Second round Games for All Classes - Games start at 7 p.m.

Quarterfinal Round - Friday, November 7 for All Classes - Games start at 7 p.m.

SEMIFINAL ROUND =

Class 1A and 2A = Saturday, November 15th

Class 1A - 10:06 - Game 1; 1:06 - Game 2

Class 2A - 4:06 - Game 1; 7:06 - Game 2

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND =

Class 1A = Friday, November 21st - 11:06 AM

Class 2A - Friday November 21st - 2:06 PM