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With football dictating conference realignment. should Mshsaa consider the Texas district format?

thesnow.flakegazette

Well-Known Member
Mar 10, 2023
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When it comes to conference affiliation it seems like football is taking over. It has ended good conferences across the state and made it difficult for some schools like Fatima or Rolla to find a home.

Using a format similar to Texas of 6, 7 or 8 teams districts (which would end conferences for football) would more flexibility in forming conferences that are more travel friendly and not strictly based on football and enrollment.

One thing MSHSAA could capitalize on is creating East and West Championships similar to what Mississippi does with its North and South championships.

There wouldn’t even need to be a lot of changes made to implement this. Class 6 at 42 teams, 5 through 2 at 56 teams. And class 1 is the catch all. Class 1 and 6 would have 6 districts and class 2-5 would have 8. Top 4 district teams make the playoffs. So you would have 24 in each class 1 and 6, and 32 in classes 2-5. Seed regionally like Texas does.

Districts would start week 3 for 7 and 8 team districts and week 5 for 6 team districts.

The one major change is schools would need to report enrollment numbers sooner so AD and fill schedules. I say report numbers December 1st, districts released second Friday of January. Official district schedule then released second Friday of March.

If you want to see what this might look like here is an example of class 6. Class 2-5 would look the same for the most part.

East Region
District 1
Jackson
Lindbergh
Northwest (Cedar Hill)
Oakville
Seckman
Vianney
Waynesville

District 2
Christian Brothers College
De Smet Jesuit
Kirkwood
Lafayette (Wildwood)
Marquette
Ritenour
SLUH

District 3
Francis Howell
Francis Howell Central
Ft. Zumwalt West
Hazelwood Central
Hazelwood West
Pattonville
Troy Buchanan

West Region
District 4
Joplin
Kickapoo
Lee's Summit
Lee's Summit West
Nixa
Ozark
Raymore-Peculiar

District 5
Blue Springs
Blue Springs South
Hickman
Lee's Summit North
Rock Bridge
Rockhurst
Truman

District 6
Central (St. Joseph)
Liberty
Liberty North
Oak Park
Park Hill
Park Hill South
Staley
 
Conferences are an antiquated concept, left over from before there was a state playoff system.
Who won ________________ conference last year? Exactly. Nobody cares.
They should have no affect on the post season format.
Also, there is nothing wrong with the current playoff format. Just like there was nothing wrong with the old 4 team districts.
 
Last edited:
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When it comes to conference affiliation it seems like football is taking over. It has ended good conferences across the state and made it difficult for some schools like Fatima or Rolla to find a home.

Using a format similar to Texas of 6, 7 or 8 teams districts (which would end conferences for football) would more flexibility in forming conferences that are more travel friendly and not strictly based on football and enrollment.

One thing MSHSAA could capitalize on is creating East and West Championships similar to what Mississippi does with its North and South championships.

There wouldn’t even need to be a lot of changes made to implement this. Class 6 at 42 teams, 5 through 2 at 56 teams. And class 1 is the catch all. Class 1 and 6 would have 6 districts and class 2-5 would have 8. Top 4 district teams make the playoffs. So you would have 24 in each class 1 and 6, and 32 in classes 2-5. Seed regionally like Texas does.

Districts would start week 3 for 7 and 8 team districts and week 5 for 6 team districts.

The one major change is schools would need to report enrollment numbers sooner so AD and fill schedules. I say report numbers December 1st, districts released second Friday of January. Official district schedule then released second Friday of March.

If you want to see what this might look like here is an example of class 6. Class 2-5 would look the same for the most part.

East Region
District 1
Jackson
Lindbergh
Northwest (Cedar Hill)
Oakville
Seckman
Vianney
Waynesville

District 2
Christian Brothers College
De Smet Jesuit
Kirkwood
Lafayette (Wildwood)
Marquette
Ritenour
SLUH

District 3
Francis Howell
Francis Howell Central
Ft. Zumwalt West
Hazelwood Central
Hazelwood West
Pattonville
Troy Buchanan

West Region
District 4
Joplin
Kickapoo
Lee's Summit
Lee's Summit West
Nixa
Ozark
Raymore-Peculiar

District 5
Blue Springs
Blue Springs South
Hickman
Lee's Summit North
Rock Bridge
Rockhurst
Truman

District 6
Central (St. Joseph)
Liberty
Liberty North
Oak Park
Park Hill
Park Hill South
Staley
East and west champions is a bad plan.
800 miles across tx. 241 miles across MO.

Ask Pierce City
 
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East and west champions is a bad plan.
800 miles across tx. 241 miles across MO.

Ask Pierce City

Yes because class 1 district 1 is a good idea? You’re going to have to travel in the playoffs. It is what it is but under the current format I’ve seen Hannibal travel to West Plains and Kearney twice each.
 
Yes because class 1 district 1 is a good idea? You’re going to have to travel in the playoffs. It is what it is but under the current format I’ve seen Hannibal travel to West Plains and Kearney twice each.
in the playoffs not in districts.

Districts should be regional and I think everyone agrees with that.
Will there be some travel? Sure.
There should never ever be a situation like class .5, district 1.

MSHSAA doesn't know what they're doing.

If you left them to set up an east/west champ thing it'd end up looking like class 2 this year.

Yikes.
 
Conferences are an antiquated concept, left over from before there was a state playoff system.
Who won ________________ conference last year? Exactly. Nobody cares.
They should have no affect on the post season format.
Also, there is nothing wrong with the current playoff format. Just like there was nothing wrong with the old 4 team districts.

It’s not about if the current or previous format are bad. I should have gone into a little more detail but when it comes to conferences, schools are starting to get left and put into tough situations. Building a schedule is difficult which is why schools form conferences to begin with. If you were an AD and 5 to 7 games against schools within a reasonable distance and in your class that are already built in and you knew you had byes week 1 and 2, that makes building schedule that much easier.
 
in the playoffs not in districts.

Districts should be regional and I think everyone agrees with that.
Will there be some travel? Sure.
There should never ever be a situation like class .5, district 1.

MSHSAA doesn't know what they're doing.

If you left them to set up an east/west champ thing it'd end up looking like class 2 this year.

Yikes.

The districts would still be regional so I’m not sure I’m tracking. The east/west champ would just be the semifinals, which is what Mississippi does. I think

For Example Class 1 would have looked like this.

East Region
District 1
Chaffee
Charleston
Crystal City
Hayti
Portageville
St. Vincent

District 2
Fayette
Harrisburg
Louisiana
Russellville
Tipton
Van-Far

District 3
Marceline
Milan
Putnam County
Salisbury
Scotland County
Westran

West Region
District 4
Gallatin/Tri-County
Maysville/Winston
North Platte
Penney
Polo
West Platte

District 5
Crest Ridge/Chilhowee
Lincoln
Midway
Skyline
Wellington-Napoleon
Windsor

District 6
Ash Grove
Cabool
Marionville
Miller
Pierce City
Thayer
 
The districts would still be regional so I’m not sure I’m tracking. The east/west champ would just be the semifinals, which is what Mississippi does. I think

For Example Class 1 would have looked like this.

East Region
District 1
Chaffee
Charleston
Crystal City
Hayti
Portageville
St. Vincent

District 2
Fayette
Harrisburg
Louisiana
Russellville
Tipton
Van-Far

District 3
Marceline
Milan
Putnam County
Salisbury
Scotland County
Westran

West Region
District 4
Gallatin/Tri-County
Maysville/Winston
North Platte
Penney
Polo
West Platte

District 5
Crest Ridge/Chilhowee
Lincoln
Midway
Skyline
Wellington-Napoleon
Windsor

District 6
Ash Grove
Cabool
Marionville
Miller
Pierce City
Thayer
well that's a common sense approach.
Now someone show what MSHSAA would put out there.

I'll help:

Class 2 semis

FG at Valle
BG at Lamar.
 
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