2021 11AA Playoff Bracket

[Sorenson23]

Quarterfinals
Friday October 29th
G1 - 6 (2-7) #8 Minot @ #1 West Fargo-Sheyenne (9-0) 28
G2 - 20 (4-5) #5 Mandan @ #4 Fargo Shanley (5-4) 35

G3 - 0 (3-6) #7 Bismarck High @ #2 Century (8-1) 28
G4 - 0 (4-5) #6 Legacy @ #3 West Fargo (7-2) 31

Semi-Finals
Friday November 5th
G5 - 21 (6-4) #4 Fargo Shanley @ #1 West Fargo-Sheyenne (10-0) 36
G6 - 15 (8-2) #3 West Fargo @ #2 Century (9-1) 0

11AA State Title Game
G7 - 27 (11-0) #1 West Fargo-Sheyenne vs West Fargo #3 (9-2) 7

State Champions - West Fargo-Sheyenne Mustangs (12-0)
Runner-Up - West Fargo Packers (10-2)

[Sportsrube]

When you have a 2-7 team and a 3-6 team in the playoffs your system is deeply flawed.

[WalkingStick]

When you have a 2-7 team and a 3-6 team in the playoffs your system is deeply flawed.

Bismarck took a hit this year once their star RB got hurt vs. Shanley...but one of those teams would have made it if it would have been Top 8 to include Davies.

I do understand your statement though...seems like we could have gotten by with just one A level

[Thundersnow]

The worst part of this system is that the #4 team in the state Fargo Davies isn't in the playoffs with a 6-3 record. They have the 4th best record in 11AA, and would be either favored or heavily favored in matchups against Shanley, Mandan, Legacy, Bismarck and Minot. Yes, I'm aware they went 0-3 in their conference schedule. But what kind of conference schedule only has 3 games? They played 6 essentially meaningless games which they won and lost the 3 that counted. Actually, only the first 2 counted because they were mathematically eliminated at that point.

[NDPREP]

The worst part of this system is that the #4 team in the state Fargo Davies isn't in the playoffs with a 6-3 record. They have the 4th best record in 11AA, and would be either favored or heavily favored in matchups against Shanley, Mandan, Legacy, Bismarck and Minot. Yes, I'm aware they went 0-3 in their conference schedule. But what kind of conference schedule only has 3 games? They played 6 essentially meaningless games which they won and lost the 3 that counted. Actually, only the first 2 counted because they were mathematically eliminated at that point.

We get it, BUT they didn't take care of business per the rules. There must have been some hesitance to get rid of the EDC and WDA as they would have needed to make it a statewide schedule. Thats the way it should have been but AAA wasn't the focus of the realignment, people in charge were trying to get those schools complaining into AA. *shrugs*

[WalkingStick]

The worst part of this system is that the #4 team in the state Fargo Davies isn't in the playoffs with a 6-3 record. They have the 4th best record in 11AA, and would be either favored or heavily favored in matchups against Shanley, Mandan, Legacy, Bismarck and Minot. Yes, I'm aware they went 0-3 in their conference schedule. But what kind of conference schedule only has 3 games? They played 6 essentially meaningless games which they won and lost the 3 that counted. Actually, only the first 2 counted because they were mathematically eliminated at that point.

We get it, BUT they didn't take care of business per the rules. There must have been some hesitance to get rid of the EDC and WDA as they would have needed to make it a statewide schedule. Thats the way it should have been but AAA wasn't the focus of the realignment, people in charge were trying to get those schools complaining into AA. *shrugs*

Could this have been just a one year fix as the plan only lasted one year?? Schedules were probably mostly already set for EDC/WDA like past years and then the openings were filled with non-conference of their choosing? It's a thought

[WalkingStick]

G1 - (2-7) #8 Minot @ #1 West Fargo-Sheyenne (9-0)
WF Sheyenne 34-0

G2 - (4-5) #5 Mandan @ #4 Shanley (5-4)
Mandan 34-27

G3 - (3-6) #7 Bismarck High @ #2 Century (8-1)
Century 42-14

G4 - (4-5) #6 Legacy @ #3 West Fargo (7-2)
West Fargo 35-14

[NDPREP]

The worst part of this system is that the #4 team in the state Fargo Davies isn't in the playoffs with a 6-3 record. They have the 4th best record in 11AA, and would be either favored or heavily favored in matchups against Shanley, Mandan, Legacy, Bismarck and Minot. Yes, I'm aware they went 0-3 in their conference schedule. But what kind of conference schedule only has 3 games? They played 6 essentially meaningless games which they won and lost the 3 that counted. Actually, only the first 2 counted because they were mathematically eliminated at that point.

We get it, BUT they didn't take care of business per the rules. There must have been some hesitance to get rid of the EDC and WDA as they would have needed to make it a statewide schedule. Thats the way it should have been but AAA wasn't the focus of the realignment, people in charge were trying to get those schools complaining into AA. *shrugs*

Could this have been just a one year fix as the plan only lasted one year?? Schedules were probably mostly already set for EDC/WDA like past years and then the openings were filled with non-conference of their choosing? It's a thought

I have heard AAA schedules are already done for next year and Most of them aren't playing any schools in AA this next year?

[WalkingStick]

The worst part of this system is that the #4 team in the state Fargo Davies isn't in the playoffs with a 6-3 record. They have the 4th best record in 11AA, and would be either favored or heavily favored in matchups against Shanley, Mandan, Legacy, Bismarck and Minot. Yes, I'm aware they went 0-3 in their conference schedule. But what kind of conference schedule only has 3 games? They played 6 essentially meaningless games which they won and lost the 3 that counted. Actually, only the first 2 counted because they were mathematically eliminated at that point.

We get it, BUT they didn't take care of business per the rules. There must have been some hesitance to get rid of the EDC and WDA as they would have needed to make it a statewide schedule. Thats the way it should have been but AAA wasn't the focus of the realignment, people in charge were trying to get those schools complaining into AA. *shrugs*

Could this have been just a one year fix as the plan only lasted one year?? Schedules were probably mostly already set for EDC/WDA like past years and then the openings were filled with non-conference of their choosing? It's a thought

I have heard AAA schedules are already done for next year and Most of them aren't playing any schools in AA this next year?

I'd assume some key rivalry games may stay on the schedule between the classes but otherwise it does not shock me...plus with what I know about the QRF - AA and AAA teams have different multipliers so a AAA school gains less 'points' playing a AA school then playing another AAA school.

[Thundersnow]

Can anyone explain why QRF is used for playoff seeding, but not for determining who the playoff teams are?

If QRF is going to be used, it should be used to determine who the playoff teams are, and it should be updated every week. With the current system of 5 WDA teams and 3 EDC teams qualifying for the playoffs, we should be using a more traditional bracket: W1 vs. W5, E2 vs. W3, E1 vs. W4, W2 vs. E3. Of course, this more traditional approach would be even better if we had balanced conferences.

The mixing and matching makes it hard to understand and explain to fans. Things worked out pretty fortunately for the NDHSAA in 11A this year, but that playoff system could easily look just as bad as 11AA does this year.

One more question for those in the know: If Williston were to opt down for the 2022 season, does the 2021 11A champion get moved up to 11AA for 2022? Or are we going to have 9 teams in 11AA with 8 teams qualifying for the playoffs?

[NDPREP]

Can anyone explain why QRF is used for playoff seeding, but not for determining who the playoff teams are?

If QRF is going to be used, it should be used to determine who the playoff teams are, and it should be updated every week. With the current system of 5 WDA teams and 3 EDC teams qualifying for the playoffs, we should be using a more traditional bracket: W1 vs. W5, E2 vs. W3, E1 vs. W4, W2 vs. E3. Of course, this more traditional approach would be even better if we had balanced conferences.
-Dont disagree I am betting someone really didnt want to lose the EDC/WDA thing and QRF is updated each week

The mixing and matching makes it hard to understand and explain to fans. Things worked out pretty fortunately for the NDHSAA in 11A this year, but that playoff system could easily look just as bad as 11AA does this year.

One more question for those in the know: If Williston were to opt down for the 2022 season, does the 2021 11A champion get moved up to 11AA for 2022? Or are we going to have 9 teams in 11AA with 8 teams qualifying for the playoffs?
-Williston cant opt down to my knowledge?

[Thundersnow]

NDPREP, you may be correct that Williston can't opt down. Enrollment size would obviously keep Williston in 11AA. I thought that the proponents of the new plan were saying that enrollment size would no longer be the only determining factor in what level teams played in. I have still never heard a definitive explanation of who can opt up/down and who can't. What I understood was that the new plan allowed 11AA and 11B teams to opt down after a year or two because of a lack of competitiveness. At the same time, teams in 11A and 9B could opt up if they wanted. The line that teams can't cross are from 11A to 11B or vice versa.

[Sorenson23]

Quarterfinals
Friday October 29th
G1 - (2-7) #8 Minot @ #1 West Fargo-Sheyenne (9-0)
G2 - (4-5) #5 Mandan @ #4 Shanley (5-4)

G3 - (3-6) #7 Bismarck High @ #2 Century (8-1)
G4 - (4-5) #6 Legacy @ #3 West Fargo (7-2)

[Sorenson23]

Semi-Finals
Friday November 5th
G5 - (6-4) #4 Fargo Shanley @ #1 West Fargo-Sheyenne (10-0) WF-Sheyenne 30-14
G6 - (8-2) #3 West Fargo @ #2 Century (9-1) Century 35-20

[WalkingStick]

WF Sheyenne 21-14
Century 31-28

[ChickenNuggets]

I'll guess Sheyenne and Century both win to set up the big rematch.

[5-time state chump]

I'll guess Sheyenne and Century both win to set up the big rematch.

Century gonna lose. Down 15-0 with under 2 min to go.

Sheyenne trailed Shanley at halftime 21-0.

[WalkingStick]

I'll guess Sheyenne and Century both win to set up the big rematch.

Century gonna lose. Down 15-0 with under 2 min to go.

Sheyenne trailed Shanley at halftime 21-0.

FALSE as I've watched this entire game: Score was 21-14 Shanley at the half

Updates now
West Fargo DEF. Century 15-0
End 3rd Q: WF Sheyenne & Shanley are tied 21-21

[WalkingStick]

#1 WF Sheyenne DEF. #4 Shanley 36-21 (Sheyenne scored 22 unanswered points)
#3 West Fargo DEF. #2 Century 15-0

[5-time state chump]

I'll guess Sheyenne and Century both win to set up the big rematch.

Century gonna lose. Down 15-0 with under 2 min to go.

Sheyenne trailed Shanley at halftime 21-0.

FALSE as I've watched this entire game: Score was 21-14 Shanley at the half

Updates now
West Fargo DEF. Century 15-0
End 3rd Q: WF Sheyenne & Shanley are tied 21-21

Oh.... Jeez....yeah.... That was a huge typo on my part. I just got done reading the score on ND Scores Twitter page. I knew it was 21-14. 62Oofda. Sorry.

[5-time state chump]

7/8 teams in finals are in Eastern half of ND.

[WalkingStick]

7/8 teams in finals are in Eastern half of ND.

Yeah…Depends on how you define Jamestown.

And no biggie on the Sheyenne/Shanley thing last night. I just wanted to make clear for anyone checking the forum that that was just a bit off…too many number exaggerations on other topics lately

[WalkingStick]

WF Sheyenne 29
West Fargo 13

[ChickenNuggets]

Sheyenne 34, WF 21