Playoff picture still somewhat blurry

By LANCE FLEMING / Staff Writer

District 3-5A is in such a mess, bi-district playoff matchups between their representatives and those from District 4-5A may not be known until a few mathemeticians get their calculators out and start figuring out the possibilities.

District 4-5A is a little more clear with Midland Lee having clinched at least a tie for the district championship and Cooper having clinched a playoff spot. Cooper can tie for the title Friday with a win over Odessa High and a Lee loss to San Angelo Central.

Abilene High can make the playoffs for the first time since 1959 with a win over Permian on Friday and a Cooper win. However, an Abilene High win and an Odessa High win gives AHS, Odessa High and Permian 3-3 marks in district. In that scenario, the positive-points system would determine the playoff team.

Odessa High already has 11 points because of its 17-6 win over AHS and Permian has eight because of its 14-6 win over Odessa High. Abilene High's points wouldn't be known until the game against Permian is over. In that case, AHS would need to beat Permian by at least 12 points to gain a playoff spot.

Another possibility is that AHS, Central and Odessa High would all win Friday night, meaning it would be a four-way tie for third place. Presently, Abilene High appears to be in the best position to win the playoff spot by the positive points system.

If AHS makes the playoffs, Lee would go to the Division I playoffs and Cooper and Abilene High would be the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds, respectively, in the Division II playoffs.

However, if the favorites win each of their games, Lee will win the district, Cooper will finish second and Permian third. The Panthers will go to the Division I (big school) playoffs with Lee and Cooper to the Division II (small schools) playoffs as the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds, respectively.

District 3-5A, meanwhile, is still up in the air.

Amarillo High is in first place right now with a 3-0-1 mark, followed by Lubbock Monterey and Lubbock Coronado at 3-1 and Amarillo Tascosa at 2-1-1.

Things get even more interesting because Amarillo plays Monterey and Coronado takes on Tascosa to end the season this weekend.

If the favorites win, Amarillo High will win the district at 4-0-1, followed by Coronado at 4-1 and Monterey at 3-2. That would send Coronado to the big-school playoffs with Amarillo and Monterey going to the Division II playoffs as the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds, respectively.

If there are two upsets Friday night, however, Monterey will win the district at 4-1, followed by Amarillo High and Tascosa at 3-1-1 each. That would send Monterey to the Division I playoffs and Amarillo and Tascosa to the Division II playoffs.

If Amarillo beats Monterey but Tascosa beats Coronado, Monterey goes big-school playoffs, Amarillo wins the district and Tascosa is the district's No. 2 seed in the Division II playoffs.

If Monterey beats Amarillo and Coronado beats Tascosa, however, Monterey and Coronado tie for the title at 4-1, but Coronado goes to the big-school playoffs with Amarillo going as the No. 2 seed in the Division II playoffs.

Needless to say, no playoff sites or dates have been worked out between any of the possible opponents, and might not be until sometime Saturday.