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Surprise 6A football teams embrace open division

Posted 5/29/19

Richard Smith

West Valley Preps

Since the AIA formalized the football open division concept in January, the debate about which powerhouse programs will not qualify for the eight-team division …

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Surprise 6A football teams embrace open division

Posted

Richard Smith

West Valley Preps

Since the AIA formalized the football open division concept in January, the debate about which powerhouse programs will not qualify for the eight-team division is nearly as interesting about the teams that will.

The current 6A conference is the heart of that discussion, with four to six teams in the open division likely to come from the state’s big-school division. No matter how many elite teams move up to the open division, 6A will still have a 16-team playoff bracket and crown a champion.

“I think they should leave things alone and at the end of the year, have an open division championship that you choose to play in. Because I think what’s left over in 6A ... they took the best six teams out. How can that really be a state championship?,” Centennial coach Richard Taylor asked.

(For a look at the how coaches in Peoria are reacting to the new format click here.)

Taylor’s 5A kingpins may be joined in that sentiment by the usual suspects in 6A — powerhouse East Valley programs that expect to contend every year. Further west, particularly in Surprise, any progress and postseason success will be celebrated.

Valley Vista reached the big school playoffs once under Jason Wilke (2011) and three times under Josh Sekoch (2012, 2014 and 2016). Each time the Monsoon played a top three seed in the East Valley, and their closest loss was 56-33 to Gilbert Perry in 2016.

“College players get excited to win their bowl game, get rings and trophies no matter what the bowl. We would have no reservations whatsoever if we were the 6A conference winner. We know that there are the Power 5 teams in high school and I’d/we would be just as excited and honored, to win 6A. Do the FCS teams not have pride, or a sense of accomplishment being a FCS, D2 or D3 winner? They know they can’t beat the Alabama/Clemson types,” Sekoch stated in an email. “It’s no different, East Valley teams have the numbers, recruiting, stipends, feeder teams, etc. that smaller schools don’t.”

Further west, Surprise’s newest 6A football program is in a similar frame of mind.

Shadow Ridge is just figuring it out against the big boys and would not mind a boost of sorts.

“Open division is great for the 6A teams in the West Valley to have a chance to compete at the state playoff level. I think it will be great for high school football. It helps level the playing field,” Stallions coach Robert Chappelle stated in an email.

Sekoch stated that it is about time to try something new and compared the open division to the college football playoff model in a way. He said he likes the idea and the process, though he would not use the Maxpreps formula.

The local coaches are split on the other change to come. On March 1 the AIA also approved a new football-only reclassification model, which will take effect in 2020.

The AIA board approved yearly football placement with a standard deviation model, using the average weighted MaxPreps power rating to determine conference placement. A team’s previous three seasons will be used to calculate the power rating.

Teams cannot move up or down more than one conference from their original placement by enrollment.

“Promotion and relegation is a good idea to help balance talent level across regions and divisions. Top teams move up and bottom teams move down. I think it works in some other sports. It would be worth a try,” Chappelle said.

Sekoch sees implementing this model the year after the open division as overkill, and does not believe both need to be in place at the same time.

“Most likely teams like us are in the middle of the formula and we won’t move down, and since we’re in 6A we can’t move up. I just think that the open division is worth trying for two seasons,” Sekoch stated. “We do this in education and in sports now, we cook it fast in a microwave, instead of a crockpot. Let’s let it run its course, see how it works. We can’t play out of state games, thus we can’t like many of these schools who are use the Maxpreps ranking from other states to increase strength of schedule.”

Chappelle stated that there is no perfect playoff or region setup, but using only school population is outdated because of open enrollment.

The open playoff will help with allowing other schools a chance at advancing in the playoffs, he stated, and as a coach or program that's really all you can ask for.

“First and foremost our No. 1 goal is to win our region. We have not done this yet in football at Shadow Ridge. From there we want to start being competitive with the larger more established schools in the East Valley. I think any state championship is a great accomplishment, regardless of division or being an open playoff,” Chappelle said.

Sekoch hopes the state mixes things up more when it comes to region placement, emphasizing local rivalries instead of a handful of computer generated matchups.

To him, a far West Valley region based less on enrollment and more on proximity would be ideal.

“I want to see rivalry games, teams vs teams in their area, not teams traveling to the East Valley to play teams with no connection. I’d love to see a Valley Vista, Millennium, Desert Edge, Verrado, Willow Canyon, Shadow Ridge, Westview, Tolleson and LaJoya region or conference. All very close in size,” Sekoch said.

Both coaches said they are not worried about the rich getting richer by qualifying for the open division. Open enrollment and transfers will remain and the schools in the top eight, in theory become even more attractive.

“As far as players going to other schools. I don’t think this is ever going to stop regardless of the open playoffs. Many parents feel that's the only way to get their child recognized. Which is not true. If a player is good enough, they are going to get noticed and recruited,” Chappelle stated.

Sekoch said that with more programs having an opportunity for postseason success, maybe the movement will slow a bit.

“They already do, or they get contacted to do so from parents, coaches, people connected to the program. Maybe it will change, maybe a school like Valley Vista or Peoria in 4A or Millennium in 5A makes a run and plays 3 playoff games and in the 6A conference final, maybe then the kids see the success and stay?” Sekoch stated.

6A football Valley Vista junior Aiden Cunningham breaks the plane of the goal line for a 27-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter of a 42-0 Monsoon victory on Sept. 14, 2018 at Valley Vista High School in Surprise.