District 9 Announces Football Playoff Format

BROOKVILLE, Pa. – District 9 football chairman Bob Tonkin released the playoff format for District 9 teams.

The 24 District 9 schools are broken into four classifications with two of the classifications (1A and 2A) having a straight District 9 championship, a third classification (3A) playing a championship with the Pittsburgh City League and one classification (4A) playing a sub-regional championship.

Here is a breakdown of each classification.

CLASS 4A

In 4A a Regional playoff format is being used in conjunction with Districts 5 and 6.

The three District 9 schools in the six-team sub-regional are Bradford, Clearfield and DuBois. They are joined by District 6 schools Bellefonte and Johnstown and District 5’s Somerset.

Of those six teams, a maximum of four will qualify for the sub-regional playoffs. The four will be decided and then seeded using the PIAA Power Ranking System – an explanation can be found at the bottom of this story.

The semifinal games will take place either Nov. 4 or Nov. 5 at the higher-seeded team with the Sub-Regional Championship game taking place Nov. 11 or Nov. 12 at a neutral site. The Sub-Regional Champion will move into a Regional playoff game against the District 4 champion Nov. 18 or Nov. 19 at a neutral site with that winner playing a PIAA Quarterfinal game against the winner of a sub-regional between District 1 and District 11 Nov. 25 or Nov. 26 also at a neutral site. The semifinals will be played Dec. 2 or Dec. 3 with the PIAA Championship Game to take place in Hershey either Dec. 8, Dec. 9 or Dec. 10

CLASS 3A

There are three 3A schools in District 9 – Karns City, Punxsutawney and St. Marys – and they will be joined by Perry Traditional Academy out of the Pittsburgh City League to form a sub-regional.

All four teams will make the postseason unless one or more of them elect out of the postseason. They will be seeded using the PIAA Power Ranking System (see below).

The Sub-Regional semifinals are set for Nov. 4 or Nov. 5 at the higher-seeded team with the championship game taking place Nov. 11 or Nov. 12 at a neutral site.

The District 8-9 Champion will then move into a Regional Game against the District 10 champion at a neutral site Nov. 18 or Nov. 19 with the PIAA quarterfinals pitting that winner against the District 5 or District 6 champion Nov. 25 or Nov. 26 at a neutral site. That winner will then play the WPIAL Champion (District 7) at a neutral site Dec. 2 or Dec. 3 with the PIAA Championship game to take place in Hershey Dec. 8, Dec. 9 or Dec. 10.

CLASS AA

There are five District 9 teams in 2A – Brockway, Brookville, Clarion, Kane and Moniteau. Four of those teams will qualify for the District 9 playoffs (again teams can opt out if they so choose).

The four teams will be determined using the PIAA Power Ranking System (see below) and will be seeded using the Ranking System.

The District 9 semifinals will be played Nov. 4 or Nov. 5 at the higher-seeded team with the championship game the following weekend – Nov. 11 or Nov. 12 – at a neutral site.

A Regional championship game will be played Nov. 18 or Nov. 19 at a neutral site pitting the District 9 champion against the winner of the District 5/District 8 sub-regional, which features Obama Academy, Westinghouse, Chestnut Ridge, Berlin BrothersValley and Everett.

The Regional Champion will move into the PIAA Quarterfinals where it will face the District 10 champion at a neutral site Nov. 25 or Nov. 26 with that winner taking on the WPIAL (District 7) champion in the PIAA Semifinals Dec. 2 or Dec. 3 at a neutral site. The PIAA Championship Game will be played in Hershey Dec. 8, Dec. 9 or Dec. 10.

CLASS 1A

There are 13 District 9 1A schools (see list below) including nine from the AML and four from the KSAC.

Eight of those teams will qualify for the playoffs (again teams can opt not to participate). Two teams from the KSAC are guaranteed entry, four teams from the AML are guaranteed entry and two wild card teams will be picked.

The KSAC and AML teams will be selected using the PIAA Ranking System (see below) based on all games played. The two wild card teams will also be selected using the PIAA Ranking System based on all games played.

Once the eight teams are selected, the teams will be seeded using the PIAA Power Ranking System with no guaranteed pre-seeds like in the past.

The District 9 quarterfinals will take place Nov. 4 or Nov. 5 at the higher-seeded team’s home field. The semifinals will then be played Nov. 11 or Nov. 12 at a neutral site with the District 9 title game taking place Nov. 18 or Nov. 19 also a neutral site.

The District 9 champion will move into the PIAA quarterfinals against the winner of a Regional title game between District 5 and District 10 Nov. 25 or Nov. 26 at a neutral site. The semifinals will be Dec. or Dec. 3 with the winner of the District 9 side of the bracket taking on the WPIAL (District 7) champion. The PIAA Championship Game will be played in Hershey Dec. 8, Dec. 9 or Dec. 10.

DISTRICT 9 CLASS A TEAMS

Cameron County
Clarion-Limestone
Coudersport
Curwensville
Elk County Catholic
Keystone
Otto-Eldred (with co-op with Oswayo Valley)
Port Allegany
Redbank Valley
Ridgway (with co-op with Johnsonburg)
Sheffield
Smethport
Union (with co-op with A-C Valley)

PIAA POWER RANKING SYSTEM

Points are awarded for a win only

BASIC POINTS

CLASS AAAA
120 Points for a win over a Class 6A Opponent
110 Points for a win over a Class 5A Opponent
100 Points for a win over a Class 4A Opponent
90 Points for a win over a Class 3A Opponent
80 Points for a win over a Class 2A Opponent
70 Points for a win over a Class 1A Opponent

CLASS AAA
130 Points for a win over a Class 6A Opponent
120 Points for a win over a Class 5A Opponent
110 Points for a win over a Class 4A Opponent
100 Points for a win over a Class 3A Opponent
90 Points for a win over a Class 2A Opponent
80 Points for a win over a Class 1A Opponent

CLASS AA
140 Points for a win over a Class 6A Opponent
130 Points for a win over a Class 5A Opponent
120 Points for a win over a Class 4A Opponent
110 Points for a win over a Class 3A Opponent
100 Points for a win over a Class 2A Opponent
90 Points for a win over a Class 1A Opponent

CLASS A
150 Points for a win over a Class 6A Opponent
140 Points for a win over a Class 5A Opponent
130 Points for a win over a Class 4A Opponent
120 Points for a win over a Class 3A Opponent
110 Points for a win over a Class 2A Opponent
100 Points for a win over a Class 1A Opponent

POWER POINT
A team picks up 10 points for every win an opponent it has beaten earns throughout the system
FORMULA
Add basic points to Power Points to give total points (Note – Do NOT divide by the number of games played).

TIEBREAKING
Refer to PIAA Handbook – Policies and Procedures, pages 69 and 70

NOTES FOR ALL CLASSES

Schools must declare their intention to enter the tournament before or immediately after their last game played

If a team elects not to participate in the playoffs, the next team via the Power Rankings will be given the option to enter the playoffs

Only games scheduled before the first play date will be counted toward the power rating points

Conference or league championship games will count towards a team’s power rating points

PIAA rules concerning strikes, cancellation or contents, forfeitures, etc will be in use.

If a school has a home site for a game and the school’s field is unplayable, the District 9 football committee will pick the site where the game will be played.

If a school has a home site for a game and the school chooses not to host the game, the District 9 committee will pick the site where the game will be played