All league titles have been decided and most of the playoff field has been set. However, a number of games this week will have a major impact on the seedings for the bracket that will be announced on Sunday. With the top eight seeds being locked in by RPI, a lot of movement is possible.
Conference champions collide on Friday when #2 Kit Carson (3rd RPI) hosts #1 Stratton/Liberty (1st RPI). The Wildcats won the South East division, outscoring their opponents 312-50 in league action, while Stratton/Liberty laid claim to the East Central by dominating its opposition 270-67.
Strength of schedule will likely keep the Knighted Eagles as the top overall seed for the playoffs, as they entered the week second in that category, compared to Kit Carson’s #12. Eight of the nine teams on Stratton/Liberty’s schedule are in line for a playoff spot, including every team inside the East Central division. The Wildcats will have likely faced five playoff qualifiers when the regular season ends. Depending on how other games go this week, Kit Carson could move up to #2 in RPI with a win or stay at #3 with a loss.
Currently in the #2 spot is Arickaree/Woodlin (#4 in the poll), and the Indian-Mustangs have the #1 SOS. They secured a second place finish in the East Central with a 66-50 victory over #6 Otis (5th RPI) last week. The Indian-Mustangs make the trip to Walden on Saturday to close out the regular season against North Park (16th RPI), and they will face a Wildcat squad that is fighting for its playoff life. As things stand right now, North Park needs a win to get into the playoffs, based on projected outcomes of other games. The Wildcats could still get in with a loss, but they would need help from several other teams. Arickaree/Woodlin should lock up the #2 seed with a win, due to their strength of schedule, but could slide as far as #6 with a loss.
One of the games that will have a big impact on the seedings is Otis hosting #8 Cheyenne Wells (8th RPI) on Friday night. Otis currently projects as the #6 seed and the Tigers at #10, but the outcome of this contest will affect almost everyone in the top 20 of the RPI. Teams from the North and East Central will be pulling for the Bulldogs, as a win improves their SOS, while the teams from the south half of the state will benefit from a Cheyenne Wells victory.
A very impactful game will be played earlier on Friday, as #9 Granada (11th RPI) hosts Manzanola (15th RPI) in a battle of Bobcats. Granada finished second in the South East and at least six teams ahead of them in the RPI would benefit from a victory by the homestanding squad. Manzanola won the South Central, but it looks like that group of Bobcats will likely be on the road in the opening round of the postseason. A win this week could keep them away from Stratton/Liberty in that first round contest.
Two non-conference games on Friday feature North teams facing squads from the East Central. First, tenth-ranked Idalia (9th RPI) hosts Fleming (8th RPI) with the winner almost certainly gaining a home game in the opening round. The Wolves finished fourth in their division, while Fleming took home third in the North.
Briggsdale (17th RPI) visits Flagler/Hi-Plains (13th RPI) on Friday, needing a win to have a shot at making the field. The Falcons have had a season of ups and downs, but they will bring in an offense that features the only 2000-yard passer in the classification, Ty Blickem, who had his second 400-yard game of the season last week. Flagler/Hi-Plains appears to be safely in the field, but a loss could lead to an anxious Sunday morning for the Thunder.
South West champion Mountain Valley (7th RPI) seems to be locked in as the #7 seed. The seventh-ranked Indians are hurt by a 24th rated SOS and a contest this week against Cheraw (26th RPI) won’t help that. However, a win keeps them unbeaten and in line for a first round home game.
Despite last week’s loss to #5 Prairie (6th RPI), Cotopaxi (12th RPI) looks like a safe bet to represent the South West in the postseason. The Pirates, like Mountain Valley, are hurt by their strength of schedule which is ranked 22nd heading into Saturday’s game against Edison. They had won four straight before that loss, and if they can make it five of six to close out the regular season, they could be looking at the #12 seed.
Walsh (19th RPI) is a team that was probably dismissed as having any shot at the postseason when the latest RPI was released, but a win over Branson/Kim this week puts the Eagles in position to make the field. However, they need a lot of help. If all the dominoes fall in the right order, a scenario exists where the Eagles could finish as high as 14th, securing the final at large berth.
Prairie knows that a victory this week will have the Mustangs hosting a playoff game next week, while Genoa-Hugo (14th RPI) will be on the road, despite being the champion of the Central division. Most scenarios have the Pirates looking at the 15th seed.
