DISTRICT 9 PLAYOFF PICTURE STARTS TO TAKE FOCUS

SHIPPENVILLE –With just two weeks left in the regular season, the District 9 playoff hunt is going down to the wire, and getting clearer.

In Class AAA the field is probably set with Bradford (7-0) and Clearfield (5-2) being the only two teams likely to enter. St. Marys, A-C Valley and Punxsutawney have losing records.

In Class AA, five teams are fighting for four spots.

Brookville (6-1) and Brockway (7-0) have already clinched spots, leaving Karns City (5-2), Moniteau (5-2) and Otto-Eldred (4-3) fighting for the last two spots.

Karns City and Moniteau can both clinch by winning at least one of their two remaining games. Otto-Eldred needs some help. The Terrors need to win their final two games and then have either Moniteau or Karns City lose their final two games.

If Moniteau and Karns City would both happen to finish 5-4, Moniteau would go ahead of the Gremlins based on head-to-head competition. If all three teams would finish 5-4, Karns City and Moniteau would advance.

In Class A, Coudersport has clinched a spot in the four-team field, leaving five teams vying for the final three spots.

Port Allegany can clinch a spot with a win next week or a loss by Redbank Valley in one of its final two games.

Clarion-Limestone can clinch a spot with a win in either of its final two games or a Redbank Valley loss in Week 9.

Ridgway can clinch a spot with a win over Cameron County next week or one loss by both Clarion and Redbank Valley in the next two weeks. The Elkers come-from-behind win against Curwensville was huge, and
downright disappointing for Clarion Bobcats fans.

Still, Clarion can clinch a spot if it wins its last two games, Ridgway loses to Cameron County and some other more complicated things happen. A Ridgway loss to Curwensville would have put Clarion in a position to
determine its own fate.

Redbank Valley can still clinch the Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference’s automatic bid if it wins its last two games, C-L loses its last two (including a game next week against Redbank) and Clarion loses at least once in the final two weeks.

The Bulldogs can clinch a wild card spot by winning it final two games and Ridgway losing next week. Redbank Valley could also get in if it wins its last two games and Port Allegany loses next week and some other more complicated things happen.

One other scenario would have Redbank Valley, Clarion and C-L all tied at 6-2 in the KSAC leaving the conference in a bind to chose its one representative. One of the solutions then could be using the Gardner Point system to determine the representative.