8Man League Breakdown

8man League Breakdown

Arkansas Valley

The Arkansas Valley league title will finally have its champion. Granada plays Springfield and this figures to be a huge game. Springfield will be a slight favorite mainly due to being undefeated. Both played tough non-league schedules. The loser will get in regardless, this will have a bigger implications on the seed for the playoffs. The loser will likely be on the road. I don’t think this league will get another team into the playoffs. I will break it down more at the end.

Granada vs Springfield McClave vs Las Animas

Holly vs Wiley

Central

Vail Christian locked up the league title a few weeks ago. They have dominated league play and in my rankings I finally ranked Vail Christian. The problem with this league is that they played each other and not many teams outside there league. Elbert is the only other team that has a chance at making the playoffs. At 6-2 you would think they would be an automatic lock into the playoffs but because there only non-league game was a loss to Kiowa who will not make the playoffs it will be hard for them to get in. Elbert does have a very important game this week against third place Gilpin County and basically a must win to even give them a chance at the playoffs.

Justice vs Longmont Christian Pikes Peak Christian vs Swink

Gilpin County vs Elbert Vail Christian vs West Grand

Nederland vs Rocky Mountain Lutheran

Mountain

Sangre De Cristo locked up the league title last year and the automatic berth. Sangre de Cristo has a very tough game against Sanford who needs a big win or good showing to get into the playoffs. Sanford who is 5-3 has had a tough run in league. Sanford at least needs to have a good showing to have a chance at the playoffs. Sargent locked up second place last week with a win over Dove Creek. Sargent essentially locked up a playoff spot as well with the win. Dove Creek sits in third and cannot afford to lose this game,a loss will knock them out of the playoffs. A win will get them into the playoffs. This league has the potential to get four teams into the playoffs.

Mancos vs Dove Creek Sanford vs Sangre De Cristo

Sargent vs Sierra Grande

Plains

This league has big games every weekend. Last week was Caliche big win over Akron. Caliche clinched second place from that win. This week Caliche plays Merino. In what figures to be a big game. Merino has yet to win against the top three teams in the league. Merino can still finish in the top two with a win but I believe they will finish fourth. I believe regardless of the outcome either team will get into the playoffs. Dayspring Christian has locked up the league title and is in the driver seat for the number 1 overall seed. Another key game is Akron vs Sedgwick County. Currently Sedgwick County has 1 league win and is in fifth. What will be key is how Akron handles the adversity of a huge loss to Caliche. If Akron can get back into form they will lock up third and a berth into the playoffs. This league can get 5 teams into the playoffs. There is not another league that has a quality four teams. Will go into more depth here at the end.

Akron vs Sedgwick County Dayspring Christian vs Haxtun

Merino vs Caliche

Southern

Simla huge win over Hoehne clinched them the league title and the automatic berth. For Hoehne that makes this week’s game very important. Hoehne plays Custer County in a fight for second place. If Hoehne wins they finish in second and will get into the playoffs. Custer County with the loss could potentially put them in fourth and more than likely out of the playoffs. Another big game for this league is between Kiowa and Fowler. Fowler lost big last week to Sangre De Cristo and could possibly not help their case if they take third. They still have a chance at the playoffs if they can take third but cannot afford to lose this weekend. If they do lose this weekend it creates a 3 way tie for 3^rd. This league possibly could get three teams in.

Pikes Peak Christian vs Swink Kiowa vs Fowler

Hoehne vs Custer County Cripple Creek vs Simla

Western Slope

The League champion was decided a few weeks ago and that is Norwood. Norwood should either get a 2 or 3 seed. The only other team that could get into the playoffs is Soroco. Soroco needs to win this weekend and get their record to 5-3. They don’t have a key non-league victory and a huge blowout loss to Sanford who is in fourth in the Mountain League and not quite sure in the playoffs. They could possibly be sitting on the outside looking in.

Hayden vs Soroco Rangely vs Plateau Valley

Playoff Picture

These are my predictions for who gets into the playoffs. The 8 man playoff selection is completely different from any other Classification. The league champion get in automatic and is the only team that is a guaranteed into the playoffs. The selection committee then select the remaining seeds. You can get more info on the selection process at chsaanow.com.

Automatic Berths:

Springfield, Vail Christian, Sangre De Cristo, Dayspring Christian, Simla, Norwood

At-Large Berths:

Caliche, Granada, Hoehne, Akron, Sargent, Merino

Last Four In:

Dove Creek, Sedgwick County, Fowler, Sanford

Last Four Out:

Elbert, Soroco, McClave, Custer County

Notes:

I decided to pick Springfield over Granada for the automatic berth based off record. The At-Large bids were simple to select. All of them have taken second in their League or like Akron and Merino placed 3^rd and 4^th in the best League in 8man. The last four in were a little tougher. If I read the rules correctly for the selection committee there is a chance for four or five teams from one league to get in. Dove Creek just as long as they beat Mancos will finish third in the second best league in 8man and will get in. From there on I think anything can happen. If I read the rules correctly five teams from one league can get in. Usually this would not happen but because most leagues don’t have a solid 2 or 3 teams in there league this can be the year for it to happen. Sedgwick County who had not lost a game going into league should get an invite to the playoffs. Fowler just as long as they beat Kiowa should also get into the playoffs. They had a tough non-league schedule and two good teams that finished ahead of them. The fourth and final spot is much more difficult to decide. Currently I have Sanford in but that would be four teams from the Mountain League. Sanford though has wins over Soroco who is also trying to get into the playoffs and also beat Gilpin County who plays Elbert this weekend. They also played Granada and lost by 22. There game against Sangre De Cristo will be a big deciding factor if they are going to make it into the playoffs. Elbert I think with a big win over Gilpin County get at least give them a chance at the playoffs but they do not have a big non-league win. It would also be hard to put Soroco into the playoffs because of their loss to Sanford.

Seed Predictions

1 Dayspring Christian

16 Fowler

8 Vail Christian

9 Merino

5 Springfield

12 Sargent

4 Akron

13 Dove Creek

3 Norwood

14 Sedgwick County

6 Simla