Hurricane shakes playoff picture

Uncertainty and apprehension reigns in the world of Florida high school football as Hurricane Irma steams toward the state. Teams still reeling from storms that forced postponements and cancellations of multiple Week 2 games had to improvise again this week with school districts forbidding play on Friday because of Irma’s approach.

Every Week 3 game in the Sentinel coverage area has been moved up to tonight or been canceled or postponed.

Two Lake County rivals, Groveland South Lake and Lake Minneola, met Tuesday and will suit up for the second time in three nights if weather permits them to play home games now set for tonight.

The big question for coaches, players and fans is what it all means in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s new playoff point system.

“I have no idea how it all works out,” South Lake coach Mark Woolum said.

“We’re just trying to do the best we can. If you’re good enough to [get into the playoffs] you’ll get there, and if you’re not, you won’t.”

South Lake resumed last Friday’s postponed game at Lake Minneola on Tuesday and came away with a 53-28 win to improve to 2-0.

But the Eagles had little time to celebrate heading into today’s game vs. Crystal River.

“I’ve never done this before, playing three times in one week and two games in three days, so it’s difficult,” Woolum said. “But we wanted to finish that game. They’re our crosstown rival and we both have non-district games this week. It was important that we played it because the kids wanted it, the community wanted it and the fans wanted it.”

The FHSAA has rules in place to deal with postponed or canceled games, and how those affect the playoff-point totals teams are chasing throughout the 2017 regular season.

According to the FHSAA, “If a game is suspended and ‘all parties’ agree the game is final, then the game is final. If all parties do not agree the game is final, the game must be played to completion from the point in which it was stopped.”

In order for a team to be awarded the three bonus points for playing an opponent that reached the postseason in either 2015 or 2016, a game must be played to its completion.

That means teams that won abbreviated games last week are not eligible for bonus points.

All district games involving teams in Classes 8A-5A must also be completed in full.

Points for wins and losses are awarded based on the final 2017 record for each opponent a team faces this year.

A win over an opponent that goes on to win eight or more games, or 80 percent of its games, is worth 50 points.

A loss to such a team is worth 30 points.

A concern for coaches is that cancellations could cost them playoff spots depending on how well the season plays out for opposing teams they were supposed to play.

Wild-card spots in 8A-5A and all playoff spots in 4A-1A will be based on season-long point totals, which will be divided by the number of games played.

The FHSAA requires schools to play eight games to be eligible for the postseason.

Adjustments may be made on a case-by-case basis given this season’s stormy start.

Seminole (1-0) led DeLand 3-0 at halftime last Friday when that game was suspended. The Seminoles were postponed this week and could be in danger of falling below the eight-game mandate.

“When our game was canceled at the half because of lightning, neither of the head coaches or ADs knew how the state would count this game towards the new playoff system,” Seminole coach Don Stark said. “So we decided if it had an impact on either team's playoff chances, then we would finish the game at a later date.”

Irma cost Bishop Moore a chance to fly to Baltimore today, play Archbishop Spalding of Severn, Md., on Friday, and see a Navy game and historic sights.

“Needless to say it’s disappointing, but the safety of our traveling party was the highest priority,” said Bishop Moore athletic director Mike Malatesta. “This is primarily due to the unpredictability of the storm. It’s unknown how and when we would be able to get back.”

Bishop Moore hopes to secure a replacement opponent for its bye week on Friday, Oct. 20, to bring its schedule back to 10 games.