STEVE GOLDMAN
Though it has generally been a rough year for area football teams, five of the 12 schools have winning records as we head down the season’s stretch.
Let’s take a look at the playoff chances for all of them:
n PERRY — The 6-1 Pirates rank ninth in Division IV, region 13 with 11.55 computer points.
The fact Perry slipped out of playoff position despite winning last week was not surprising. The 1-6 Kenston Bombers are not much current help to a team’s computer-point totals.
A win over 2-5 Beachwood probably won’t put the Pirates back in the top eight. But I am still guessing that if they win either of their last two games against West Geauga and Chagrin Falls, that that will be enough.
n LAKESIDE, MADISON, RIVERSIDE — All three teams are at 4-3, and none sit any higher than 12th place in their region. The Dragons missed a big opportunity when they lost to South last Friday.
All three schools still have the potential to accumulate a good number of points in their final three weeks of Premier Athletic Conference play.
Riverside, being in Division I, will likely need more points to qualify than the other two, which reside in Division II. But the Beavers currently have more points than the other two, and I believe that winning out would give them somewhat more points than the others if they did the same.
Basically, I think it all about washes out, and I think all three would need to win out in order to qualify.
Even then, it would not be a sure thing. But if any one of these three schools wins the rest of its games, I would guess that that would put it in the postseason.
n PYMATUNING VALLEY — Even if the Lakers win their three remaining games, I don’t think it would be enough to get them into the playoffs. We will continue to keep an eye on them.
Goldman is a freelance writer from South Euclid. Reach him at at steve558@roadrunner.com.
