High School Football Playoffs...a Crystal Ball look at classes A, B, and C-1

Some say fools never know when to hold their peace, so I decided to see how accurate my playoff prognostications hold up. One grand benefit of being retired is having the time to figure out these complex possibilities. Although I do not profess to be Rhodes scholar, I am wise enough not to take a stab at this with more than one week remaining in the regular season.....too many variables and hangers.

So we dive in head first on the top three classes and while doing so some decisions had to be made regarding who would win the final week match-ups. As long as this took to figure, I may not be bold enough to do the lower three classes..........well, maybe.

Let's take the dive:

CLASS A

#16 Millard North 4-5 @ #1 Omaha Burke 9-0

#9 Kearney 7-2 @ #8 Millard West 7-2

#12 Creighton Prep 5-4 @ #5 Lincoln SE 7-2

#13 Papillion-LaVista South @ #4 Omaha Central 8-1

#14 Lincoln NE 5-4 @ #3 Lincoln SW 8-1

#11 Omaha Westside 5-4 @ #6 Millard South 7-2

#10 Columbus @ #7 Papillion-La Vista 8-1

#15 Lincoln East 2-7 @ #2 Grand Island 9-0

*Millard North must beat Bellevue East to grab the 16th seed. Other determining factors include these final game predictions.....Burke over Millard West, Columbus over Lincoln East, Kearney over Lincoln North Star, GI over Lincoln SE, ( an Islander loss could drop them to a 6th seed), Papio over Westside, Creighton over Papio South, and Lincoln SW over Norfolk. Lincoln Northeast's win over division 3 Lincoln High likely prevents them from a playoff berth. Obviously any reversal of these picks would revise the my playoff projections.

CLASS B

#16 Plattsmouth @ #1 Gretna 9-0

#9 Hastings Adams Central 6-3 @ #8 Ralston 7-2

#12 Elkhorn South 6-3 @ #5 Blair 7-2

#13 Omaha Skutt 6-3 @ #4 Crete 9-0

#14 Alliance 5-4 @ #3 Elkhorn 8-1

#11 Gering 5-4 @ #6 Scottsbluff 7-2

#10 Beatrice 5-4 @ #7 Aurora 7-2

#15 Boys Town 5-4 @ #2 McCook 9-0

*Waverly just misses. Final game factors: Elkhorn over Elkhorn South, Scottsbluff over Alliance, Omaha Skutt beats Boys Town, Waverly beats Norris knocking them out, Beatrice beats Pius X, Adams Central over Lexington, and Ralston beats O. Gross. Gretna grabs the the top slot by a whisker and will be a hand full to beat in this Class B field, thus becoming my favorite to take this crown.....this team is very good. This class was a bear to figure out.

CLASS C-1

EAST BRACKET

#16 Arlington 5-3 @ #1 Wahoo Neumann 8-0

#9 Centennial 6-2 @ #8 Wahoo 6-2

#12 Ft. Calhoun @ #5 Omaha Roncalli 5-3

#13 Ashland-Greenwood @ #4 Milford 6-2

#14 Lincoln Lutheran 4-4 @ #3 Platteview 7-1

#11 Syracuse 4-4 @ #6 Columbus Lakeview 6-2

#10 Columbus Scotus 4-4 @ #7 David City 6-2

#15 Conestoga 6-2 @ #2 Norfolk Catholic 8-0

WEST BRACKET

#16 Ord 3-5 @ #1 Ogallala 8-0

#9 Gothenburg 4-4 @ #8 Chadron 4-4

#12 Broken Bow 4-4 @ #5 Boone Central 6-2

#13 Grand Island Central Catholic @ #4 Valentine 7-1

#14 Central City 5-3 @ #3 Pierce 7-1

#11 Kimball @ #6 Sandy Creek 6-2

#15 Battle Creek @ #2 Minden 8-0

*Key games this week: Col. Lakeview over Col. Scotus, Centennial beats Lincoln Lutheran, Boone Central over Central City, Chadron beats Kimball, Syracuse over Conestoga, Gordon-Rushville over Mitchell, Broken Bow beats Cozad, Ogallala bests Gothenburg.

We'll all know more Saturday morning when the NSAA releases the parings. The the Holy Season begins......are you ready?