Perspective

Ray, remember, however, that MaxPreps uses point differential as a factor; Florida reportedly does not. 

My understanding boils down to this:  Seeding is all based on the FHSAA Power Rankings.  District champs who are in the top four seeds will host a first round game.   A district champ who is seeded 5-8 only hosts their first-round game if they are playing a higher seed that did not win their district.  So, if a district champ is seeded 7, they play the number 2 seed.  If that 2 seed also is district champ, the 2 seed hosts.  However, if that 2 seed did not win their district, the 7 seed would host the first round.   
After the first round, any references to district champion become moot and host site is determined solely by seeding. 

Ray, remember, however, that MaxPreps uses point differential as a factor; Florida reportedly does not. 

My understanding boils down to this:  Seeding is all based on the FHSAA Power Rankings.  District champs who are in the top four seeds will host a first round game.   A district champ who is seeded 5-8 only hosts their first-round game if they are playing a higher seed that did not win their district.  So, if a district champ is seeded 7, they play the number 2 seed.  If that 2 seed also is district champ, the 2 seed hosts.  However, if that 2 seed did not win their district, the 7 seed would host the first round.   
After the first round, any references to district champion become moot and host site is determined solely by seeding. 

I think the answer lies not in what Cocoa (or Chaminade) did in their last game, but what their 9 previous opponents did in their last game.  Cocoa's previous 9 opponents went 5-0 (with 4 idle), while Chaminade's previous 9 opponents went 1-3 (with 5 idle).  As a result, each of those winning teams improved their Rating, which in turn lifts their previous opponents' strength of schedule (in this case, Cocoa and Chaminade).  So I believe Cocoa's strength of schedule improved significantly enough (with respect to that of Chaminade) in the eyes of the computer algorithm to leapfrog Chaminade's previous standing.  Convoluted, I know.  At least with the previous RPI system, my hypothesis could be proven/disproven.  

Darter/Ray, here's my prediction:  in the not-too-distant future, one of the private schools (STA, CCC, Jesuit, Berkeley, Columbus, etc.) is going to end up on the outside of the top 8 in their region or end up having to play on the road against a team that's seeded higher than they are, but shouldn't be (in their minds).   At that point, the second-string guard's father, who works for a downtown law firm, will agree to take on the case at little or no expense to the school.  They'll start with a public records request, but likely will have to file a lawsuit when the FHSAA stonewalls them.  It won't do the school any good, as the playoffs will long since be over with by the time the matter gets resolved.  And to further complicate matters, the FHSAA may decide, at that point, to implement a new rankings system in an effort to make the matter moot. 
Just a hunch. 

For anyone who might be interested, this past Friday night Cocoa beat a now 5-5 Rockledge team 26-0, while Chaminade destroyed a now 2-8 (but still good enough to make the playoffs) Lakewood team 57-0.  Over the course of the season, Cocoa gave two teams their only loss and gave three teams (should have been four) one of those teams two losses.  Chaminade also gave two teams their only loss, but only one team their second loss.  On its face, Cocoa arguably played the tougher overall schedule, but as far as the computer is concerned, Cocoa still had one loss and Chaminade went undefeated. 

You're spot on, Darter.   The question is this:  how did the FHSAA's proprietary formula know that Cocoa rightfully should have won that game against STA?  (Cue the sinister, mysterious music).
 

For anyone who might be interested, this past Friday night Cocoa beat a now 5-5 Rockledge team 26-0, while Chaminade destroyed a now 2-8 (but still good enough to make the playoffs) Lakewood team 57-0.  Over the course of the season, Cocoa gave two teams their only loss and gave three teams (should have been four) one of those teams two losses.  Chaminade also gave two teams their only loss, but only one team their second loss.  On its face, Cocoa arguably played the tougher overall schedule, but as far as the computer is concerned, Cocoa still had one loss and Chaminade went undefeated. 

You're spot on, Darter.   The question is this:  how did the FHSAA's proprietary formula know that Cocoa rightfully should have won that game against STA?  (Cue the sinister, mysterious music).
 

Ray, if I didn't know better, I would think you went to Vince Dooley school of downplaying your own team's accomplishments and trying to get the other team over-confident so you can sneak up on them and beat them.  

Darter/Ray, here's my prediction:  in the not-too-distant future, one of the private schools (STA, CCC, Jesuit, Berkeley, Columbus, etc.) is going to end up on the outside of the top 8 in their region or end up having to play on the road against a team that's seeded higher than they are, but shouldn't be (in their minds).   At that point, the second-string guard's father, who works for a downtown law firm, will agree to take on the case at little or no expense to the school.  They'll start with a public records request, but likely will have to file a lawsuit when the FHSAA stonewalls them.  It won't do the school any good, as the playoffs will long since be over with by the time the matter gets resolved.  And to further complicate matters, the FHSAA may decide, at that point, to implement a new rankings system in an effort to make the matter moot. 
Just a hunch. 

If this proposal was in effect this year, Miami Central would not qualify for the Open-32 Championship bracket, as they finished #33 in the final FHSAA Power Rankings.  Meanwhile, Williston (#16) would host Eau Gallie (#17) in the first round, with the right to play the winner of the Cocoa (#1)/Benjamin (#32) match-up.  Hmmm... what will the FHSAA come up with next? 

Ray, if I didn't know better, I would think you went to Vince Dooley school of downplaying your own team's accomplishments and trying to get the other team over-confident so you can sneak up on them and beat them.  

Indeed!  Although in my experience, lawyers like to do things like this on behalf of people or entities called "clients."  And the lawyers really like to have clients that are willing to pay for their services.  

Indeed!  Although in my experience, lawyers like to do things like this on behalf of people or entities called "clients."  And the lawyers really like to have clients that are willing to pay for their services.  

I know I'm a bit old-school and while I can accept the proposition that Sumner is probably the best team in the region, I just don't like the idea that a team who doesn't even win their district could end up playing all of their regional playoff games at home, including home games against two district winners.  

Ray, if I didn't know better, I would think you went to Vince Dooley school of downplaying your own team's accomplishments and trying to get the other team over-confident so you can sneak up on them and beat them.  

NEVER!!

Short answer: YES!

What about it DARTER, doesn't this smell FISHY??

Count me in.   And the good thing is that I can rely 100% on the FHSAA Power Rankings to make my picks. Now that the regular season is over, the ranking should be perfect!  

Touche!!  But they also do work Pro bono for a good cause, which it appears to be by the interest we all have on this subject.  

I think some interested party should mount a legal challenge. At the very least, it may make them think twice about how they are currently doing things. 

My old AD was an FHSAA board member and gave those details.  The local radio crew also got same response from FHSAA.  I also think I saw it somewhere in a minutes from one of the FHSAA sessions, but whatever.
I liked the old RPI cause I could math it out within 2-3 decimals with a little leg work.  This just feels like the BCS all over.