PLAYOFF PICTURE STARTING TO CLEAR UP

The District 9 Class A Playoff picture is almost set as teams head into the ninth and final week of the regular season.

Seven of the eight Class A playoff berths have been clinched with Clarion-Limestone (8-0), Curwensville (8-0), Coudersport (8-0), Clarion (6-2), Elk County Catholic (5-3), Port Allegany (5-3) and Smethport (5-3) all clinching berths.

The final berth will be clinched by one of three teams: Otto-Eldred (3-5), Johnsonburg (3-5) or Keystone (2-6).

Otto-Eldred controls its own destiny. A Terror win and they go to the playoffs. Otto can also clinch a playoff spot with a loss and loses by Johnsonburg and Keystone.

Johnsonburg can clinch a playoff spot with a win and an Otto-Eldred loss.

Keystone can only get the berth if both Otto-Eldred and Johnsonburg lose and the Panthers win.

Otto-Eldred hosts Brockway (7-1), who beat Otto two weeks ago, Friday, Johnsonburg is at Sheffield (2-6) Saturday and Keystone is at Redbank Valley (5-3) Friday.

Seeding is almost set as well. C-L, Curwensville, Coudersport and Clarion have all clinched home playoff games in the first round.

C-L will be the No. 1 seed if it beat Moniteau (4-4) Friday night.

If the Lions lose to the Warriors then they are the No. 2 seed and the winner of Saturday’s AML Championship game between Coudersport and Curwensville will be the No. 1 seed. If C-L wins Friday, the winner of the AML Title game will be the No. 2 seed.

The loser of the AML Title game will be the No. 3 seed no matter what happens in the top two seeds, and Clarion will be the No. 4 seed no matter what happens.

Winner of Saturday’s game between ECC and Port Allegany will get the No. 5 seed, while Smethport will be the No. 6 seed if it beats Ridgway (1-7) Friday night.

If Smethport loses to Ridgway, then the Hubbers will be the No. 7 seed and loser of the ECC-Port Allegany game will be the No. 6 seed.

If Smethport beats Ridgway then the loser of the Port Allegany-ECC game will be the No. 7 seed.

The team that clinches the final playoff berth will be the No. 8 seed.

Class AA, because it is an open tournament, could still contain all seven teams, although it is more likely that it will be a four or five-team bracket.

Brockway (7-1) and Redbank Valley (5-3) are definitely in, and Karns City (4-4) is all but a lock with the Gremlins finishing up against winless Union Friday night. Brookville (3-5) will probably decide to enter, while Moniteau (4-4) is still up in the air. Information on A-C Valley (3-5) and Sheffield (2-6) was unknown.

Brockway does have the top seed sewn up, and Redbank Valley will be the No. 2 seed. Karns City will have the No. 3 seed if they enter, and Moniteau the No. 4 spot. Brookville will be No. 5 if it enters and wins, but if the Raiders lose and enter and A-C Valley wins and enters the Falcons will be the fifth seed and Brookville the sixth seed. Sheffield, if it would enter, would be the seventh seed.

Just like in Class AA, Class AAA is an open tournament.

Clearfield (8-0) and Bradford (5-3) are locks to go, while Punxsutawney (2-6) might also decide to enter. St. Marys will not enter.

Because DuBois (5-3) is suppose to enter the playoffs in a combined bracket with District 10, and because District 10 is considered a subregion by the PIAA, the Beavers might catch a break and get a bye into a District 9-10 title game if District 10 decides it wants to play a championship game between Erie McDowell and Erie Cathedral Prep. If D10 decides against a champion, then Prep and DuBois will play in the first round with the winner facing McDowell.