Northern Heights has had a genuinely strange season, one that has thrown things like the frustrations of a 13-6 loss to Chase County, and the offensive explosion of a 51-44 win over Mission Valley, into the same unpredictable pot. So far, it’s all added up to a 4-4 record and playoff hopes that, even if they seem dim, are still present.
It’s even possible for the Wildcats get into the Class 3A playoffs without a win at Rossville tonight. Even though that’s not a situation the Wildcats want to think about, it might be the most likely way for Heights’ season to extend beyond this week. But with this team, who’s to say what could happen?
“There’s a lot of different scenarios, but the ultimate scenario is, we go in, and everything else takes care of itself,” Heights co-head coach Tad Hatfield said.
The most straightforward and beneficial way for the Wildcats to get into the playoffs would be to beat Rossville while Council Grove suffers a home loss to Mission Valley. The first part is going to be the more difficult of those two prongs.
Rossville is 6-2 overall and 2-0 in District 5, both dominating wins that have the Bulldogs at the maximum plus-26 (plus-13 for each win) in the points column. Council Grove is 1-1 and at an even zero in points, Heights is 1-1 with a minus-6, and Mission Valley is 0-2 with a minus-20.
So, for Heights, it breaks down like this — if the Wildcats:
F Beat Rossville, and Council Grove loses, the Wildcats are district champions; they’d be tied with Rossville at 2-1 and hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.
F Beat Rossville, and Council Grove wins, then Heights, Rossville and Council Grove are all 2-1, and it comes down to point differential. Heights could possibly get the district runner-up spot in this scenario, but it can’t equal or eclipse Rossville’s point total to win the district title.
F Lose to Rossville, and Council Grove loses, then Heights, Council Grove and Mission Valley are all 1-2, and it comes down to points for the district runner-up spot. Because of this possible scenario, Mission Valley is still alive.
F Lose to Rossville, and Council Grove wins, then the Wildcats are out.
In a three-way record tie, if the top two teams in point differential have the same point spread, then the tie is settled by their head-to-head matchup. If all three teams in a three-way record tie have the same point differential, then it goes to point spread for district games among only those three teams.
Rossville crushed Heights 37-7 in the season finale last year, keeping the Wildcats from earning a playoff spot.
“I think we have to execute flawlessly,” Hatfield said. “Be smart, no penalties and be able to shut down their passing game, and then focus on their run game, because it’s good as well. But I think if we shut down their passing game, we’ll have a better chance.”
Heights will be missing at least one key player and possibly more as it tries to pull off the upset. Running back Teeino Tabares will be out this week with a high ankle sprain, and receiver Nick Mendez and running back Cody Murray are questionable to play because of a disciplinary issue.
“We haven’t made a final decision,” Hatfield said. “Like I said, just depends on their attitude and their want-to, and if they present that well to us from here, from now until game time, then that will determine (it).”
Heights is the only area school for which a spot in the playoffs is still a question, but other teams are still looking to win a district title and/or better their playoff position. Here’s how the other area schools in action tonight are looking with regard to the playoff picture:
District champion
Lebo (8-0) — The Wolves’ 30-16 victory over Madison last Friday clinched the Eight-Man I District 2 championship. They’ll play for an undefeated regular season tonight when they travel to Crest (6-2).
District runner-up
Madison (7-1) — That loss to Lebo cost the Bulldogs the District 2 title, but they’ll still be returning to the Eight-Man I playoffs. Madison is at 3-1 in district and holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over 2-2 Crest. The Bulldogs host Marmaton Valley (3-5, 1-3 district) tonight.
In, but looking for district title
F Olpe (8-0) — The Eagles play host to Humboldt (4-4) tonight to see which team wins the 2-1A District 6 title. The two teams have clinched their playoff spots out of the three-team district after both easily defeated Yates Center.
F Chase County (5-3) — The Bulldogs host Moundridge (2-6) tonight with the title for Class 2-1A’s three-team District 5 at stake. Both teams already beat Peabody, so they’re both in.
Out
F Hartford (4-4) — Being in the same district as Crest, Lebo and Madison doomed any chances the Jaguars had of reaching the postseason this year. They’ll play for a winning record — which would be a fine accomplishment for first-year head coach Patrick Gardner — when they host Southern Coffey County tonight.