MANSFIELD — One team already has secured its first-ever postseason berth, one is virtually guaranteed of a spot in the playoffs regardless of what happens Friday night and two others need a win to punch their tickets to the tournament.
Welcome to Week 10 of the high school football season.
For Plymouth, there will be a Week 11 no matter what happens in the regular season finale against Crestview. The Big Red (7-2) are third in Division VI, Region 23 and already have locked up a home game, according to computer points mavens Joe Eitel (joeeitel.com) and Drew Pasteur (fantastic50.net). The Big Red will be making their maiden voyage into the postseason. Coming into the 2014 season, Plymouth was one of 88 schools never to qualify for the playoffs.
Lucas (5-4) has quietly gone about its business this fall and in all probability will advance to the regional quarterfinals no matter the outcome of Friday’s game against Allen East (3-6). The Cubs are sixth in Region 23 and are gunning for the third postseason appearance in school history (2000, 2006). Even with a loss Lucas should sneak in as the No. 8 seed, according to Pasteur’s comprehensive projections.
The playoff picture is a little more murky for Madison and Galion.
The Rams (6-3) host crosstown rival Mansfield Senior (4-5) in a game in which neither team’s record matters much. Madison is seventh in Division III, Region 8 and a win would send the Rams to the playoffs for the second time in three years and the fifth time in school history.
Galion (6-3) will have its hands full in the search for its third straight postseason bid and seventh overall. The Tigers, who are seventh in Division IV, Region 12, host unbeaten Marion Pleasant. A loss wouldn’t necessarily bring an end to Galion’s season. In fact, Pasteur give the Tigers a 93 percent chance of making the playoff field even if they were to lose to Pleasant.
The playoffs begin next week with Divisions II, III, IV and VI playing at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Divisions I, V and VII playing at 7 p.m. Saturday. The top eight teams in each of the four computer regions in Division II to VII qualify for the playoffs, with the top four teams in each region hosting a quarterfinal game.
Click here for an infographic with breakdowns of all four teams’ chances.
