District football standings: Playoffs on the line

The playoff picture is starting to clear up in Southeast Iowa, and with just a handful of games to go, contests this weekend will be as important as ever.

With two regular season games left in Class 4A and 3A, and just one remaining in the smaller classes, some of our area schools have clinched playoff spots, some have been eliminated, and a few are still fighting.

In Class 4A, Mt. Pleasant was all but mathematically eliminated from the Class 4A playoff picture. The Panthers have games left against Clinton and North Scott, but would need to win out and get a lot of help. In Class 4A, along with Class 3A, only the Top-2 teams in the district and four at-large teams via the RIP ratings make the field.

In Class 3A, Fairfield and Washington are both still alive, though the Trojans a little more so than the Demons. With both teams meeting up at Case Field in Washington on Friday, it’s a do-or-die game for postseason hopes.

Fairfield could still clinch a spot if they win out. The Trojans play Grinnell in the final game of the season, so no matter what happens to Grinnell, who plays district favorite Solon this weekend, the two teams will meet with something on the line in the final week of the season.

If Fairfield beats Washington and Grinnell, the Trojans will finish second in the league. Washington could still sneak into the second place spot via a three-way tiebreaker as long as they win out and Grinnell loses out, a scenario that is anything but impossible with last place West Burlington-Notre Dame awaiting the Demons at the end of the season.

There are still RPI spots available in Class 3A, but with Fairfield and Washington sitting at No. 19 and No. 23 respectively, it would be hard for both teams to snatch a spot with four losses.

The rules are simple in Classes 2A, 1A and A. The Top-4 teams in the district get in the playoffs. In Class 2A, Mid-Prairie just needs to take care of business against Davis County this Friday to earn a spot. The Golden Hawks will finish as the third-place team, barring disaster.

Sigourney-Keota has already locked up the Class 1A District 6 title, as they hold the tiebreaker over Pella Christian and Central Decatur. The Cobras would close the book on Van Buren County if they were to defeat the Warriors on Friday. Cardinal is already eliminated.

Class A District 5 all comes down to Friday night’s game in Columbus Junction. The Wildcats will take on Alburnett for the district title. Both teams are in the playoffs regardless. Pekin and Highland will both miss out, as neither can mathematically finish in the Top-4 with Wapello holding a tiebreaker over Pekin if both teams finish 2-4.

Class 8-Player is a bit tricky, but no matter what happens in the final week, district champion WACO will be in the playoffs, as will New London, and those two squads will get the Top-2 spots out of the district.

Only three automatic qualifiers come through in Class 8-Player. Winfield-Mount Union is currently sitting in a tie for fourth but has the tiebreaker over Lone Tree. The Wolves are in good position to get one of two at-large spots based on the +/- 17 point tiebreaker, but they need to take care of business this week.

Assuming no major upsets in other districts, WMU should get in by beating English Valleys by 17 points or more, as they are currently the best fourth-place team in the class.

Out of the current fourth-place teams, WMU is the top dog with a point differential average of +2, but the Wolves could move back if a current third place team gets knocked to fourth but ends with a better point differential. WMU could also finish anywhere from third to fifth if Lone Tree upsets Iowa Valley, which would set up a three-way tie scenario. The long and short? Win by 17 and the rest should take care of its self.

4A-6

1. Iowa City Liberty (6-1, 3-0)

2. North Scott (5-2, 2-1)

2. Fort Madison (6-1, 2-1)

2. Burlington (5-2, 2-1)

5. Clinton (1-6, 0-3)

5. Mt. Pleasant (0-7, 0-3)

3A-5

1. Solon (5-2, 3-0)

1. Grinnell (4-3, 3-0)

3. Fairfield (4-3, 2-1)

4. Washington (3-4, 1-2)

5. Keokuk (2-5, 0-3)

5. WB-ND (1-6, 0-3)

2A-6

1. Williamsburg (7-0, 409)

2. Centerville (5-2, 3-1)

3. Mid-Prairie (4-3, 2-2)

3. Central Lee (3-4, 2-2)

5. Davis County (3-4, 1-3)

6. EBF (0-7, 0-4)

1A-6

1. Sigourney-Keota (5-2, 4-0)

2. Pella Christian (6-1, 3-1)

2. Central Decatur (4-3, 3-1)

4. Pleasantville (3-4, 1-3)

4. Van Buren County (3-4, 1-3)

5. Cardinal

A-5

1. Columbus (7-0, 5-0)

1. Alburnett (6-1, 5-0)

3. Lisbon (4-3, 4-2)

4. Wapello (3-4, 2-3)

5. Pekin (2-5, 1-4)

6. North Cedar (1-6, 1-4)

7. Highland (9-7, 0-5)

8-6

1. WACO (8-0, 6-0)

2. New London (5-3, 5-1)

3. Iowa Valley (5-3, 4-2)

4. Winfield-Mount Union (5-3, 3-3)

4. Lone Tree (3-4, 3-3)

5. English Valleys (2-5, 2-4)

6. HLV (1-6, 1-5)

7. Tri-County Thornburg (1-6, 0-6)