Class 4A State Football Pairings

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jkclone

Well-Known Member
Bookie
Jan 21, 2013
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Urbandale
Eh...no

Lewis Central is 8-1. Only 1 of their 8 wins is against a team with a winning record. That one team is Harlan, who isn't even in the same class.

In fact, the combined records of the teams they've beat in their own class is 16 - 47. That's probably the worst of any team in, and explains why they drew Valley.
Cedar Rapids Washington is by far the worst team. Here is how I would put it:
1. Dowling
2. Iowa City West
3. Valley
4. Centennial
5. Johnston
6. Bettendorf
7. North Scott
8. Prairie
9. Urbandale
10. Waukee
11. Cedar Falls
12. Lewis Central
13. Pleasant Valley
14. Southeast Polk
15. Davenport Central
16. Cedar Rapids Washington
 

CloneinWDSM

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2013
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My friends coach at an 8 man school and aren’t happy with seedings/pairings either.
 

cyIclSoneU

Well-Known Member
Apr 7, 2016
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I think historically, more of the talent is in central Iowa.

Not really the case, people just assume where they are is better. Back in the "old days" (like 5 years ago) when there will still conferences the MVC was convinced it was the class of the state and the CIML was just Dowling and Valley with scrubs to fill it out. That was also not true.
 

cyIclSoneU

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Apr 7, 2016
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The one thing I wish they would change is to have the ability to have two west vs. east games in the Dome for the semifinals round instead of west vs. east for both. Basically re-seed the bracket when you reach the Dome because all of the schools are playing in Cedar Falls anyway. That way you maximize your shot at getting the two best teams into the championship game which is what the kids deserve.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Playboi Carti

DeereClone

Well-Known Member
Nov 16, 2009
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Who are these western powerhouses you keep mentioning? Only one non-metro team in the west, and they had a garbage schedule.
 

DeereClone

Well-Known Member
Nov 16, 2009
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The one thing I wish they would change is to have the ability to have two west vs. east games in the Dome for the semifinals round instead of west vs. east for both. Basically re-seed the bracket when you reach the Dome because all of the schools are playing in Cedar Falls anyway. That way you maximize your shot at getting the two best teams into the championship game which is what the kids deserve.

I understand your thought but hate the idea of 9 old geezers in Boone re seeding the teams "as they see fit" - way too political.
 

Playboi Carti

Well-Known Member
May 7, 2017
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Man football needs to be fixed.

Ames High finished 4-5.

Two games were decided by 20 or less points

Two games were decided by 20 - 29 points

Three games were decided by 30 - 39 points

Zero games were decided by 40 - 49 points

Two games were decided by 50-59 points
The talent difference in the CIML is crazy. Ames high is good enough to always beat M-town, council bluffs, and Souix city teams but usually struggle against teams in the Metro.

Eastern side of the state does have good teams but I think there's more talent in central iowa. I don't think an Eastern side team would be able to beat dowling
 

bozclone

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SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Nov 18, 2011
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Indiana
I played high school football in Iowa. My son played in Indiana.

Some things that are different in Indiana.

- All teams are in the playoffs (no points, no districts, still have conferences)
- Pre set sectionals, regionals.... Random draw for pairings in the sectionals (drawback is top teams in state could face off very early)
- 6 classes all 12 man football, largest class was recently created to try and reduce the size disparity of the big schools. Some Indy schools have 5000 kids.
- a few years ago Indiana added a success factor. This was created due to the success by private schools. If you have success and win championships, you move up a class. This is re-evaluated every two years.

I like that everyone is in the playoff. I don't like that it is not seeded at all. I don't like the success factor. The power house private schools just more up and then dominate that class too. Many of them just consistently play up one class and some play up two classes. The part I don't like is it also punishes the non private schools for being successful. Even a good 2A program at a public school has a hard time playing the elite 3A schools.

Not sure how the field can be evened out fairly
 

cyIclSoneU

Well-Known Member
Apr 7, 2016
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I understand your thought but hate the idea of 9 old geezers in Boone re seeding the teams "as they see fit" - way too political.

No reason you can't have defined criteria for this just like playoff qualification. No need to have them choose "as they see fit" on the fly.
 

jdoggivjc

Well-Known Member
Sep 27, 2006
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Macomb, MI
The talent difference in the CIML is crazy. Ames high is good enough to always beat M-town, council bluffs, and Souix city teams but usually struggle against teams in the Metro.

Eastern side of the state does have good teams but I think there's more talent in central iowa. I don't think an Eastern side team would be able to beat dowling

Here's the thing with the teams in eastern Iowa (at least in Davenport and the surrounding 4A area) - the MAC was a 10-team conference (Clinton, North Scott, Pleasant Valley, Bettendorf, Davenports North, West, Central, and Assumption, Muscatine, and Burlington), with a 9-game schedule, so all they ever played was each other - a true round robin. You simply could never gauge just how good any of those teams actually were until playoff time. You knew Bettendorf was always going to be good because they're Bettendorf, and in recent years both PV and North Scott have stepped it up as well.
 

IASTATE07

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SuperFanatic T2
May 30, 2016
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I played high school football in Iowa. My son played in Indiana.

Some things that are different in Indiana.


- 6 classes all 12 man football, largest class was recently created to try and reduce the size disparity of the big schools. Some Indy schools have 5000 kids.

Indiana is not known for football and I think the reason is cheating with 12 guys.