The playoffs begin next week. The only match this week is the Class AAA championship between McDowell and Strong Vincent on Thursday.
Boys
Class A
Semifinals
Tuesday
At Franklin High School
Mercer (Region 1 champion) vs. North East (at-large), 7 p.m.
At General McLane’s Linden Field
Mercyhurst Prep (Region 3 champion) vs. Kennedy Catholic (at-large), 7 p.m.
Championship
Nov. 1
Class AA
Quarterfinals
Monday
At General McLane’s Linden Field
Wilmington (Region 2 champion) vs. Saegertown (at-large), 5 p.m.
At Franklin High School
Conneaut (at-large) vs. General McLane (at-large), 5 p.m.
Byes: Harbor Creek (Region 5 champion), Warren (Region 4 champion)
Semifinals
Wednesday
Sites, times to be determined
Harbor Creek (Region 5 champion) vs. Wilmington-Saegertown winner
Warren (Region 4 champion) vs. Conneaut-General McLane winner
Championship
Saturday
Class AAA
Championship
Tuesday
At Veterans Stadium
Cathedral Prep vs. McDowell, 7 p.m.
PIAA subregional
Nov. 1
Site, time to be determined
District 10 champion vs. DuBois
Girls
Class A
Semifinals
Tuesday
At Franklin High School
Mercer (Region 1 champion) vs. Iroquois (at-large), 5 p.m.
At General McLane’s Linden Field
Fairview (Region 3 champion) vs. Wilmington (at-large), 5 p.m.
Championship
Nov. 1
Class AA
Quarterfinals
Monday
At Franklin High School
Hickory (Region 2 champion) vs. General McLane (at-large), 7 p.m.
At Veterans Stadium
Mercyhurst Prep (Region 4 champion) vs. Grove City (at-large), 5 p.m.
Fort LeBoeuf (Region 5 champion) vs. Villa Maria (at-large), 7 p.m.
At General McLane’s Linden Field
Slippery Rock (at-large) vs. Harbor Creek (at-large), 7 p.m.
Semifinals
Wednesday
Championship
Nov. 3
Class AAA
Championship
Thursday
At Dollinger Field
McDowell (Region 6 champion) vs. Strong Vincent (at-large), 6 p.m.
PIAA subregional
Tuesday
At Veterans Stadium
District 10 champion vs. DuBois, 5 p.m.
–Tom Reisenweber
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Does anyone else get the feeling that if Fairview wasn’t predicted to be this “big threat” in district 10 and win everything no one would be having this conversation?
Fairview just should have recruited better and won the region, district, and state titles that they were so confident about earlier this year. Maybe do more offseason workouts, illegal scrimmages. Maybe make more false accusations against teams you lost to, teach your players to taunt other teams ( I suggest maybe waving a flag). Maybe next year eh? haha just a joke haha Stop blaming other teams or d10 or anyone else for your problems and just win a game when you need to. Big bowl of wet noodles and sore loser cheese.
Hey bogman, sorry for calling you blogman all this time. We should all appreciate your considerable effort and insight, especially if you’re not directly involved. Outlying areas are often under-represented and deserve good advocates like you.
I guess what’s done is done. Let this be a lesson to us all…one goal. One goal in either of two games, against NE or MP, is all it would have taken to render this whole episode unnecessary.
Yeah i guess if Fairview wants to make the playoffs they just have to import some Mexican kids like Mercyhurst did.
H-Town Momma,
I don’t get the feeling Fairview is a “big threat” to win it all. I see FV as a school that feels they are the better than everyone else, but they have one problem; they can’t do it on the field. So they try the only way they know how; cry/whine to the D10 committee to make life difficult for other schools and easier for them or so they thought. Kudos to D10 for finally shutting Fairview down and making the statement of “We’ve listened to your complaints from last season, issued sanctions to put a smirk on your face, and you still didn’t win.” My advice to Fairview, play the game and quit blaming everyone else for not being a champion.
Dear Tom,
I emailed the chairman of the D10 committee asking why they they decided and how they decided. I have not recieved a response yet. As of now, Fairview is growing crazy with anger. Not only did they slauder Mercer and Kennedy Catholic, they also split with Northeast and tied to Mercehurst. Only two losses on the year and they don’t make playoffs? This is ridiculous. Fairview’s football team will make playoffs and they dont have half the talent the or record the soccer team does. I write this because today I had to witness my best friends cry their eyes out, which broke my heart. THESE BOYS HAVE THE HEART AND SOUL TO WIN STATES! They deserve to be there. The players and coaches are not the ones complaining about the past coincidences with Mercyhurst. This team could win states and they don’t even get a chance to prove it. heart-broken
at least give them a play in game??? I don’t understand how they can give play-in games and expand regions for some regions and sports but not ones that really matter?! There are 7 starting seniors on Fairview’s team. How can they expand AA girls soccer. RECONSIDER FAIRVIEW BOYS TEAM! We calculated their stats today while sitting in sorrow… they let up .555 goals per game and scored 4.9 goals per game on a ratio average state. THOSE ARE RIDICULOUS STATS!!
Curt,
How many kids from Mexico are on the team this year ? None, so please keep your uniformed comments to yourself. There is no reason to bring MPS into this discussion it is about Fairview not making the playoffs
Sportsfan… Every team could have the “heart and soul” to win states.. Doesn’t mean they deserve it. They had a chance they didn’t do what they needed to! Simple as that. And just because they have 7 starting seniors doesn’t give them a good sob story.. NE starts 8 seniors sometimes 9.. Maybe that’s why they got picked over Fairview..
Sportsfan..These boys have the heart and sole to win states?? This is competitive high school sports, not the everyone gets a trophy mentality that you must be accustomed to. There are winners and losers and all it would have taken was 1 goal in the final NE or MP game and you could have decided your own destiny. It does not matter how RIDICULOUS the stats were, the so called heart and sole to win states did not get you past NE or MP.
I am afraid we will never know if those 7 starting seniors have what it takes to win states because they could not do what was needed to make their own District playoffs. Do not wallow in your tears for too long, there is some great soccer still to be played.
I think that you are all being very harsh to the people who are making arguements for their teams. If it was your team, you would be making the same arguements. It is heartbreaking to see a team with a better overall record not make the playoffs. Central Tech is a great example of that. And when you see a game decided because of bad refs, that is even worse. when your team beats the champion in your region, and you don’t make the playoffs, it hurts. And I would guarentee, if these parents of the teams that are in the playoffs were in our shoes, you all would be feeling the same way. So stop being so harsh and try to remember that there are quite a few kids that are feeling pretty bad today and alot of parents that are trying to explain to them why this is the way it is. I’m sure if Prep would not have made the playoffs (like the powers that be would have let that happen) those parents would be throwing a fit on here also.
Apparently everyone does get a trophy just for participating–they let Kennedy Catholic in didn’t they? And still some great soccer to be played? You must be kidding. The d10 committee has turned the single A bracket into a JOKE.
I’ve been reading these posts with interest, and it seems from what has been previously written and according to the tie breakers as listed by D10 before the season, they actually followed their own rules in this case. The section on tied at-large teams (#5) lists 4 criteria to determine who goes to the playoffs:
i. Overall record in respective region. They are both 7-2-1.
ii. Position in respective league standing. KC is 2nd and Fairview is 3rd; therefore KC is ahead in this category.
iii. Number of teams in the same classification in the region in relation to other similarly classified teams in other regions. Region 3 has 6 A teams and Region 1 has 5; this tie breaker appears to favor Fairview.
iv. Number of teams in the region of a higher or lower classification. There is 1 AA team in Region 1; this tie breaker favors KC.
So having gone through these tie breakers, the teams are NOT still tied, and the head to head tie breaker listed in #8 does not come into play; it would appear KC got the last at-large spot having 2 tie breakers in their favor to 1 for Fairview. Should the rules be revised? Almost certainly, but it would not have been the right thing to do at this point in the season, as the rules for determining playoff spots are set well before the season starts.
The Fairview team had a great season but fell a little short in one or two region games. They should be proud of what they accomplished. Good luck to the 4 teams continuing in the playoffs.
Next year instead of playing games to decide who goes to playoffs lets just send the 4 teams with the most seniors on team. The next criteria should then be teams that ‘HAVE THE HEART AND SOUL TO WIN STATES’. Here is an idea, instead of focusing on what MPS is doing, Fairview should’ve focused on what they were doing in the offseason. Maybe they should have spent their time and energy on getting better rather than figuring what parent to send to the D10 commitee so he could put on an act and cry about how unfair it is for his son that they can’t beat MPS. Stats are great, but stats don’t mean jack in you can’t win the important games and all you can do is talk about your great stats from home while the winners are still playing in the playoffs.
Is “FLB Fan” correct in that D10 holds their meetings in Conneaut Lake? Kind of ironic then that Conneaut – who finished 3rd in a “A” bracket and only won 2 games against “AA” opponents all year – makes the “AA” playoffs instead of a team who finished 2nd in their “AA” bracket and won 7 games against “AA” opponents (including some who made the play-offs). Supports the argument to only schedule teams that you know you can beat !! When will people take the politics and their own agendas out of high school sports?
SportsFan,
I am guessing that you will receive a very short response that gives no details as to how they arrived at their decesion and what criteria they used. This is the problem there is no accoutability in D-10 they do what they want how they want and provide no details as to how they arrive at thies choices.
Seriously,
By the tone of your comment, I am going to assume that you are a parent of a Mercyhurst Prep Player. Well, I am a young, possibly immature high school student, so I do not feel pathetic when I comment on this blog criticizing other high school students. For some reason, I doubt you can say the same.
Joker 3000,
Since I was at the Kennedy Catholic game, and I was the one waving the flag (and nobody else did this at any other game) I know you must be a parent of a Kennedy Catholic player. First of all, I apologize for having school spirit and coming to support my team. Secondly, we shouldn’t have to be sore losers. We are clearly a better team than KC and Mercer, but the D-10 committee tries to make things “fair”.
Fairplay,
I am also shocked that Conneaut is in over Slippery Rock but I can assure you that the location of D-10 meetings has nothing to do with it. Meetings are held in Conneaut Lake and sometimes in Meadville, simply because it is the middle of the district.
Thanks,
Tom
I will state again that the playoff structure needs revised..and i will say again….anyone want to bet that next years soccer info packet will be the exact same as it has been the last 5 years with no changes…..any takers????
As I read through this blog today, a comment made by SportsFan both surprised and saddened me. I am sure the Fairview Boys soccer team is disappointed as are many of the players’ parents, friends, fans and classmates. But his comment regarding the Fairview football team and their possible playoff bid was unnecessary and frankly untrue. All high school athletes have “heart and soul.” Being a member of any team requires dedication and hard work. To imply otherwise is ridiculous.
As for the play in game for Fairview and KCHS I think that is appropriate. As for Fairview beating Mercer earlier this year you need to see who Mercer sat during that game due to injuries. Not saying they will roll right over Fairview in playoffs but they were without 3 key starters for that game. I think it will be a much better game this time around if they meet.
Fairplay: keep Conneaut out of all this
hateful, vindictive, foaming-at-the-mouth
rhetoric that is going on in these blogs.
Conneaut didn’t ask to be put in single A…
people need to get off this A,AA,AAA mentality when it comes to soccer, the better
teams can beat any one else on any given day.
And I for one wasn’t surprised that Conneaut
got in, because they beat two play-off
contenders in KC and Saegertown and had a
better region and overall record over SR, but I was
surprised that they didn’t include SR and
Franklin as play-ins. As I stated in the past
the coaches need to form a coaching committee
and approach the D-10 to have a more fair &
equitable playoff format.
As far as Mercer, when they played Fairview at Fairview they were without their star striker (Hoffman) and I believe another good player. And what team can say they never showed up flat to a game, because of a long bus ride or a loss of concentration from it being the fourth game that week. Also, Mercer has probably beat every double AA team in the Wilmington, Grove City, Slippery Rock division. I think the Erie teams can get away with underestimating KC perhaps, who may have peaked a little too early (but even still we play the game and I wouldn’t be surprised if KC made some adjustments and flipped the score because usually soccer has a way of evening things out- esp at playoff time).
But, I think underestimating Mercer would be a definite mistake, they play a solid passing game and move without the ball very well. 15-1-1 your doing something right no matter if your in Erie or not.
But, KC deserves the spot too (maybe Fairview does more) but they have identical records, and such records deserve spots no matter what division your in. Even KC’s division isn’t as weak as it looks: Mercer, AA Conneaut, and even Commodore Perry are no field trip. Sure Sharpsville and West Middlesex are bad and usually gimee’s, but so are Seneca and Iroquois. I believe both deserve the opportunity to play it out again in a play in and that’s the right decision in single A- just made.
I think Conneaut has a legitimate enough spot , beating an undefeated Saegertown (who were 5-0) at the beginning of the year and winning at Kennedy Catholic, when Catholic was 12-1. Also, winning record at 9-7-2 and 6-3-1 conference record is still 6-3-1 no matter overall strength issues in different conferences.
They had peaks and valleys but have a couple solid players (Bone, Stockton) that when the rest of the team decides to play up to there level they could surprise a (10-6-2) McLane perhaps (who are in a pedestrian conference after Harborcreek).
I don’t think Slippery Rock was placed there because in all sports at all levels a below .500 record hurts you, especially when there are other teams with above .500 records. I think if Slippery Rock or Franklin had both the better overall and better conference record, one of those two would be the sixth seed.
Plus, Slippery Rock had the opportunity with a few weeks left to gain a winning record when they were 7-7 or 7-8, but dropped some crucial games to Grove City and Sharon I believe.
Franklin sort of surprises me because they could have 12 wins with a win today against Sharpsville. But, could you put them in over Slippery Rock who has a better conference record?
That was definitely the closest division in all of D-10, the one where anyone could win on any day. But, did any team, other than Wilmington distinguish themselves in that division? Perhaps Slippery Rock, but I believe if they won their last few games and got themselves a above .500 record they would be in. Think they dropped 3 out of their last 4, and their not just at .500 but two games below.
The fact is people are arguing that the best teams should be in and only the teams that somehow can get through and lobby to the “right” people on their behalf or if the committee suddenly deems certain teams worthy in their opinion will get in. All this uncertainty caused because no preseason clear cut stood by system has been put in place or strictly followed. Again if this is how playoff spots are going to be decided then many more legitimate contenders deserving of a similar playoff shot, for example Central Tech boys, then I think the committee needs to continue to be more liberal across the board from A up to AAA.
I keep seeing Centrao Tech comments on Prep. Prep beat them first time 2-0, second time 2-1 in very well played games. Because of one call, accusations on Prep getting favoritism and all the other BS is ridiculous. They can say they beat Mcd, if they beat Prep in second matchup, which was a playoff game in a sense, then likely they would have gotten at least a play-in game. Prep had to overcome losing many players that were all integral players, and has bounced back with a couple Freshmen and Sophomore starting.
District 10 committee has no idea when it comes to soccer. Its time to do like Ohio and let everyone in the playoffs. Just for example, Sharon finished last in their region yet beat WM, Sharpsville and CP by a combined score of 17-0 the last time they played. They lost 7 games by 1 goal, usually with starters missing due to injury. I would have liked to see what their 12 seniors could have done in the playoffs with everyone now healthy? Just ask any team that played them about the caliber of this team. Let’s play two more rounds and give every deserving team a chance at D10!
Just to clarify, nothing against Conneaut, this is about the D10 selection committee, but if Sharon would have been in that region, we beat WM, CP, and Sharpsville and would likely have beaten KC twice if they were region gmaes. Lost to them at KC 2-1 with 5 senior starters watching! Even if we lost twice to Mercer?? we still finish 8-2 and in second. We finished last in our region!!! Seriously D10 commitee, no Slippery Rock or Franklin!! Shame on you!
cccc, this was not about One Call, it was about many. And they are not accusations, they are facts. When refs that are not on the field(4 to be exact) watched that game and told the 2 on the field that they blew it for Central, I would say that is a clear indicator that there is something wrong. When, in the first meeting of the 2 teams, a CT player was slide tackled, cleats up, and it twisted his ankle, (luckily it didn’t break, it was a nasty slide), and the ref says the CT player dived? when there are mystery obstruction calls( no CT players infront of the Prep players at all) are called? and the list can go on and on. and it wasn’t just CT that had to deal with it. East was beating them in a game through the first half and the same thing happened to East in the 2nd. Prep coaches yell at the refs and the refs made the calls, whether they were true fouls or not. So please don’t tell me that it is BS.
Seems like money can buy anything these days..Fairview parents,administrators,coaches, and the D-10 committee should be ashamed….I don’t have anyone involved in soccer…and when I read about this situation it reeks….why won’t the D-10 committee answer to anyone? Rules are rules…Plain and simple KC earned that spot over Fairview if you took the time to read the PIAA rulebook…I feel bad for both teams…first KC,you were treated very unfairly..according to PIAA rules that was supposed to be your spot….Fairview you were taught the wrong lesson….you got in due to complaints from your parents and Gus Picardo….plain and simple you didn’t earn it according to PIAA rules….yes you are a good team,no one is doubting that,however rules are rules…and you were taught the wrong life lesson….What happens in the “real world” when you don’t get the job you want,or don’t get the promotion you think you deserve? Are you going to have your “Fairview family” call your boss or your college professor when you don’t get the grade you want? The comment that upset me the most was the ” heart and soul”..I’ve got news for you…EVERY single team has ” heart and soul” whether it be volleyball,football,cross country,rugby,hockey,basketball,swimming,diving,track and field,wrestling,cheerleading,baseball,softball,etc…THEY ALL HAVE HEART AND SOUL!!! And if that was a qualification,every team would be in playoffs….I just read that Fairview won the play in game,congrats…but I hope Mercyhurst Prep wins over you…my only fear is that somehow with enough complaining from the Fairview parents,that victory would be taken away from MP….Fairview parents have always had a sense of entitlement for s long as I can remember… Good luck to all the athletes and I hope you all have learned a life lesson here…things aren’t always fair..
Brian,
It is extremely unfair and uncalled for to take shots at the Fairview parents. If you want to take shots at anyone take them at the students. They’re the ones who fought for justice for their team. Just don’t go around saying that Fairview parents have a sense of “entitlement”. That comment is extremely unjustified.
Way too many unjustified comments and totally unwarranted. Sense of entitlement? What do you know about anything. So many attacks, so many uncalled for hateful comments, so much immaturity. Grow up.
Brian,
I am a student at Fairview High School, and I could not agree more with your opinion on the comment posted by “Heart and Soul”. I hope that whoever posted under the name “Heart and Soul” was trying to stir things up by posting it sarcastically; otherwise, he or she is a joke. Still follow this link (http://piaadistrict10.org/2012soccer.pdf) and show me exactly where it says KC deserved the spot over Fairview. D-10 made a mistake originally when they left Fairview out of the playoffs. The big lesson learned here was to never fear backlash or reputation damage for recognizing a mistake you have made and rectifying it.
Bravo Brian! You nailed EVERYTHING by what you said and I am certain the majority on here would agree.
Doug did you just really say take shots at the the students? That was real intelligent. I’m sorry but you are not going to convince me or anyone for that matter that the students alone contacted D10.
Um Andrew…With all due respect, D10 did not make a mistake and I don’t recall them saying they did. They did not just all of a sudden say, Hmmm I think we made a mistake.
When they left Fairview out of the playoffs they followed the rules they had listed in THEIR rule book.
You need to go back through the several posts on here and read where people listed the rules and listed who they favored. Go to the FV is granted play in game. There are several informative breakdowns of the rules.
Unless there a different rule book that I am missing out there Fairview should not have been in the playoffs.
People keep saying that D-10 “made a mistake” when leaving Fairview out of the playoffs originally. Would someone please be so kind as to show me anywhere that D-10 said they made a mistake!!!! Its not there… I have yet to see a comment from a D-10 official that says “we made a mistake and now we are taking the steps to correct the mistake.” D-10 did a very nice job of “making a mistake” and not accepting responsibility for it. D-10 is happy to let the community in gerneral make this a “Fairview/KC” issue. It is much much more than that. If D-10 made a mistake and than corrected that mistake why have they not admitted they made a mistake? Why have they not made a statement that says D-10 is going to look and and revise a broken system. No D-10 is silent and they smile behind our backs because the focus is off of them and onto Fairview/KC/MHP/NE you pick…