Published: October 12, 2008 11:36 pm      

Cory Isenberg | Playoff window closing

With just a few weeks remaining in the regular season, the bubble keeps shrinking for football teams hoping to make the playoffs.

In Class A, there are just two weeks left while in the other three classes, three weeks remain in the regular season.

In District 6, Class A schools must declare by Sunday whether they will be in the playoffs while the other three classifications must make the decision by Oct. 26.

As many as 16 teams can qualify in District 6 Class A while the top eight qualify in Class AA and the top four in Class AAA.

The District 6 playoffs open Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 for Class A and on Nov. 7 and 8 for the other three classes.

In District 5, the top six rated schools plus any school below sixth place (but no lower than eighth) with at least four wins will qualify for the playoffs in Class A.

The AA tournament is subregionalized with District 8 and is an open tournament consistent with the District 5 rule on open tournaments when there are four or fewer teams in a classification.

The District 5 quarterfinals for Class A also begin on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. In District 5-AA, the semifinal would be held on Nov. 3, a Monday, with the championship on Nov. 8, a Saturday afternoon.

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Sighs of relief: Ferndale and Bedford finally got the monkeys off their backs in Week 7 as the previously winless Bisons and Yellow Jackets were each finally able to chalk up a “W”.

Bedford (1-6) downed Cambria Heights 26-6 on Friday night while Ferndale (1-6) shut out visiting Hancock, Md., 12-0 on Saturday afternoon.

In districts 5 and 6, Shade, Saltsburg, West Branch and Williamsburg remain without a victory.

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Taking notice: Just when you think you’ve heard just about everything, something completely unimagined comes to your attention.

At a recent area football game, action was held up while a grandmother was escorted from the property for a reportedly lewd and lascivious comment and accompanying gesture aimed toward the officials.

This woman wasn’t just sent from the stadium, she was removed from the property by security.

Doesn’t that set a great example for the younger generation?

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Lynch pin: Guest picker Dave Lynch had another stellar week in the picking department with a 16-1 showing.

Tim Burns also had a strong outing with a 15-2 mark while sports editor Eric Knopsnyder, Hugh Conrad, Steve Johncola, Mike Mastovich and I were all 14-3. Rounding out the group of nine were Shawn Curtis and Matt Jordan, who each went 13-4.

Lynch’s success for Week 7 moved him into a three-way tie with Knopsnyder and I at 82-26 overall. Mastovich and Conrad are just behind at 80-28, followed by Johncola at 79-29.

Jordan and Curtis are both 78-30 with Burns at 72-36.



Cory Isenberg is a sports writer for The Tribune-Democrat.