FHSAA site playoff brackets now updated for semifinal matchups. Not what we expected.

[Dr. D]

Not to beat a dead horse, but here are the current FHSAA 5A rankings and the official MaxPreps 5A rankings:

FHSAA

1. Manatee
2. Lakeland
3. Niceville
4. STA

MaxPreps

1. Lakeland
2. STA
3. Manatee
4. Niceville

So, either the FHSAA was using the MaxPreps rankings this year as we were led to believe, or just stuck with last year's FHSAA Power Rankings, or used some sort of made-up hybrid formula for which there is zero transparency.

And so the FHSAA does not follow its own published rules for re-seeding the semifinal round, or they changed the process through a secretive, undocumented meeting that was missed by all the prep writers in the state and all of us.

While I am generally not a conspiracy theorist, I am a competence theorist.  As such, transparency and competence are not the hallmarks of the FHSAA.

[Perspective]

So, is there a team that's really getting screwed as a result of the FHSAA using 'current' rankings instead of 'end of regular season' rankings?   From what I read above, all the teams that would have been playing at home are still playing at home and all the teams that would have been traveling are still traveling (unless, of course, the rankings themselves are still skewed).   But, assuming the only changes are the order of the 1 & 2 seeds and the order of 3 & 4 seeds, is there a team that is now having to travel a few hundred miles further or play a team that is clearly better than the other host team? 

Here's why I ask this question:  as we all know, high school sports don't get nearly the amount of coverage they deserve or used to get in the local media.  But newspaper writers might find this topic interesting and worth digging into.  It's going to take someone associated with one of those adversely affected teams that has an axe to grind to bring it to the attention of the media so that the media can start digging. 

[cribboy305]

On 11/30/2024 at 12:26 AM, KeemD321 said:

Looks like the game everyone expected to be the state game in 2A is happening next week. Another battle of reigning champs. Cocoa @ Cardinal Mooney 

who expected that ? lol nobody stoppin booker t in playoff form

[Jullian]

3 minutes ago, cribboy305 said:

who expected that ? lol nobody stoppin booker t in playoff form

That’s kinda what you said bout Norland. Remember when everyone on here was picking who was gonna win 4a & everyone picked AHP? 
BTW’s path in the postseason has been pathetic, like Chaminade’s. They’ll get more than tested by a solid Gadsen team 7 hrs away. 

[Dr. D]

6 hours ago, Perspective said:

So, is there a team that's really getting screwed as a result of the FHSAA using 'current' rankings instead of 'end of regular season' rankings?   From what I read above, all the teams that would have been playing at home are still playing at home and all the teams that would have been traveling are still traveling (unless, of course, the rankings themselves are still skewed).   But, assuming the only changes are the order of the 1 & 2 seeds and the order of 3 & 4 seeds, is there a team that is now having to travel a few hundred miles further or play a team that is clearly better than the other host team? 

Here's why I ask this question:  as we all know, high school sports don't get nearly the amount of coverage they deserve or used to get in the local media.  But newspaper writers might find this topic interesting and worth digging into.  It's going to take someone associated with one of those adversely affected teams that has an axe to grind to bring it to the attention of the media so that the media can start digging. 

I don't know if anyone is getting screwed.  Would Manatee rather host Niceville or STA?  Would St. Augustine rather travel to Jones or AHP?  Would Buchholz rather face Southridge or Osceola?  I would argue that travel is not the primary issue, but rather the integrity and consistency of the process.  The FHSAA didn't re-seed for the state semifinals last year.  Are they using the same re-seeding process for other sports?  One could make the argument that re-seeding for the semifinals is actually appropriate.  But make a public announcement and be transparent about the process if you are going against your published rules.  Since it's obvious the FHSAA is not using the "pure" MaxPreps" rankings, let it be known what you are doing so the process can be understood, respected, and verified independently.  But just relying on secrecy and "luck" to prevent teams from getting screwed is a pitiful way to do business. 

[Rattlin Steele]

Some more thoughts, sorry for not taking the time to quote.

Obviously the FHSAA computes other factors even if they do incorporate the MaxPreps rankings.  I've noticed they've not been the same all year and the numbers significantly vary.

This unpublished policy didn't change much as already noted.  No host sites changed. 

In 6A, obviously Osceola is happier to travel to Gainesville  instead of Boca Raton and I'm sure Southridge is happier to only travel 65 miles to  play WBR.

In 5A, it's a wash travel wise, Niceville was headed to Manatee, now Lakeland.  Not a big difference distance wise.  Same for STA's travel.

In 4A, I bet St Aug would've preferred going to Orlando instead of the outskirts of Ft Lauderdale and Naples would have rather traveled 95 miles east to AHP instead of Orlando.

So again nothing major, but consider this:  

In 5A, Niceville was 3rd seed going in.  Although they finished 3rd after the regional finals calculation, the ranking margin was only .103 points. behind Lakeland, who originally was first.  What might it have taken for them to overcome that margin and move into 2nd?  Maybe they don't botch a read option hand-off at their own 30 that popped upward and was snatched out the air by Lincoln and returned for their only TD of the night, or don't give up a controversial fumble that led to Lincoln's only FG after being stone-walled by the defense.  Maybe a better margin of victory or shutout overtakes that .103 difference and suddenly Lakeland's travelling 415 miles to the panhandle.

'Naught fans would be up in arms about the rule change I'm pretty sure.   Going from a 1 seed to 3?   You know the Lakeland Ledger would be all over it then!

BTW, I have the 8 Nov rankings because they were on the FSHAA site up until the 29 Nov rankings came out late that night.  I went ahead and scraped them to an excel sheet just to compare later.  

[Perspective]

14 hours ago, Dr. D said:

I don't know if anyone is getting screwed.  Would Manatee rather host Niceville or STA?  Would St. Augustine rather travel to Jones or AHP?  Would Buchholz rather face Southridge or Osceola?  I would argue that travel is not the primary issue, but rather the integrity and consistency of the process.  The FHSAA didn't re-seed for the state semifinals last year.  Are they using the same re-seeding process for other sports?  One could make the argument that re-seeding for the semifinals is actually appropriate.  But make a public announcement and be transparent about the process if you are going against your published rules.  Since it's obvious the FHSAA is not using the "pure" MaxPreps" rankings, let it be known what you are doing so the process can be understood, respected, and verified independently.  But just relying on secrecy and "luck" to prevent teams from getting screwed is a pitiful way to do business. 

I couldn't agree with you more.   In my experience, however, it takes one of the big boys getting screwed over or a team that is in area that still has a large high school sports media presence to make an issue out it before you get any response from the FHSAA.  That's what I was hoping would happen. 

[cribboy305]

On 12/2/2024 at 4:35 PM, Jullian said:

That’s kinda what you said bout Norland. Remember when everyone on here was picking who was gonna win 4a & everyone picked AHP? 
BTW’s path in the postseason has been pathetic, like Chaminade’s. They’ll get more than tested by a solid Gadsen team 7 hrs away. 

How can you compare norland loss to heritage to gadsen? come on now get serious brother. No disrespect to gadsen Im sure they’re in the semis for a reason but no way they’ve faced any better opponents than btw regular season or playoffs. Come friday we shall see. 

[Jullian]

2 hours ago, cribboy305 said:

How can you compare norland loss to heritage to gadsen? come on now get serious brother. No disrespect to gadsen Im sure they’re in the semis for a reason but no way they’ve faced any better opponents than btw regular season or playoffs. Come friday we shall see. 

It wasn’t a comparison of teams at all. It was your statement that I alluded to. You questioned why everyone on here was picking AHP & disregarding Norland. I think the topic was who would win the region or go to state in 4a. 
so in the same “spirit” you brought up BTW vs Gadsen. My comment was they’re going to be tested by Gadsen unlike their games so far in the postseason, in which btw has stomped a weak region. 
It won’t surprise me if btw wins in light of their “regular” season SOS. I just think it’ll b a good game. 

[Nulli Secundus]

22 hours ago, cribboy305 said:

How can you compare norland loss to heritage to gadsen? come on now get serious brother. No disrespect to gadsen Im sure they’re in the semis for a reason but no way they’ve faced any better opponents than btw regular season or playoffs. Come friday we shall see. 

 

19 hours ago, Jullian said:

It wasn’t a comparison of teams at all. It was your statement that I alluded to. You questioned why everyone on here was picking AHP & disregarding Norland. I think the topic was who would win the region or go to state in 4a. 
so in the same “spirit” you brought up BTW vs Gadsen. My comment was they’re going to be tested by Gadsen unlike their games so far in the postseason, in which btw has stomped a weak region. 
It won’t surprise me if btw wins in light of their “regular” season SOS. I just think it’ll b a good game. 

Broward vs Dade 

Polk looking on...