The GHSA playoff system works good because it rewards teams that finish in the Top 4 in their Region the reward of playing a playoff game. This works fine if each Region is balanced. The problem is when you get 4 and 5 team Regions. Some of the first round games can be a little lopsided and the bracket system sometimes puts the top teams in the State head to head in the early rounds.
One solution is rewarding Region winners and automatic Top 8 seeding and using a ranking system to fill out the 32 team field.
Below is how AAA would stack up this year using Calpreps as the ranking system.
—–Automatic Qualifiers——
- Monroe Area (Region 8)
- Sandy Creek (5)
- Pierce Co (1)
- Thomson (4)
- Rockmart (6)
- Crisp Co (2)
- Cherokee Bluff (7)
- Liberty Co (3)
9. Oconee Co
10. Hart Co
11. Appling Co
12. Stephens Co
13. Ringgold
14. Peach Co
15. Burke Co
16. Adairsville
17. Dawson Co
18. North Murray
19. North Hall
20. Sonoraville
21. Mary Persons
22. Westminster
23. SE Bulloch
24. Jackson
25. GAC
26. White Co
27. Harlem
28. LaFayette
29. Tattnall Co
30. Salem
31. Upson Lee
32. Morgan Co
1st RD Matchups
Morgan Co at Monroe Area
Upson Lee at Sandy Creek
Salem at Pierce Co
Tattnall Co at Thomson
LaFayette at Rockmart
Harlem at Crisp Co
White Co at Cherokee Bluff
GAC at Liberty Co
Jackson at Oconee Co
SE Bulloch at Hart Co
Westminster at Appling Co
Mary Persons at Stephens Co
Sonoraville at Ringgold
North Hall at Peach Co
North Murray at Burke Co
Dawson Co at Adairsville
Computer Projected 2nd Rd
Adairsville at Monroe Area
Burke Co at Sandy Creek
Peach Co at Pierce Co
Ringgold at Thomson
Stephens Co at Rockmart
Appling Co at Crisp Co
Hart Co at Cherokee Bluff
GAC at Oconee Co
Computer Projected QF
Oconee Co at Monroe Area
Hart Co at Sandy Creek
Appling Co at Pierce Co
Rockmart at Thomson
Semifinal
Thomson at Monroe Area
Pierce Co at Sandy Creek
Final
Sandy Creek v Monroe Area