Playoff scenarios entering Week 10 are many
Eight playoff berths are unclaimed entering the regular season’s final weekend. Many quarterfinal and semifinal home games are up for grabs.
Here’s a look at what is at stake in each class:
Class A (top 4 advance)
In: Tri-Valley, Williams Valley, Nativity BVM
Out: None
Week 10: Tri-Valley at Williams Valley is for the top seed. The loser is the second seed. Nativity BVM is the third seed if it beats Minersville. If Nativity loses and Mahanoy Area beats Shenandoah Valley, Mahanoy Area is the third seed. Marian Catholic needs to beat Pine Grove, have Mahanoy Area lose and get more help to be the No. 4 seed.
Class 2A (top 4 advance)
In: Palmerton, Northern Lehigh, Catasauqua
Out: Palisades, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah Valley, Panther Valley, Pen Argyl
Week 10: Palmerton is the top seed if it wins at Northern Lehigh, which likely is the top seed if it wins. If Catasauqua wins at unbeaten Northwestern, it could be No. 2. Minersville is the last team in if it beats Nativity BVM. Minersville could get to No. 3 with a win and a Catasauqua loss.
Class 3A (top 4 advance)
In: North Schuylkill, Notre Dame-GP, Jim Thorpe
Out: None
Week 10: North Schuylkill is the likely top seed even if it loses to Pottsville and Notre Dame-GP beats Wilson. Jim Thorpe is the third seed. The other four teams are still alive. New Hope-Solebury plays winless 6A William Tennent, Tamaqua plays winless Panther Valley,
Salisbury plays Southern Lehigh and Pine Grove plays Marian Catholic. Pine Grove would still need help if it wins and New Hope, Tamaqua and Salisbury all lose.
Class 4A (top 4 advance)
In: Northwestern, Central Catholic, Pottsville
Out: Blue Mountain, Lehighton, East Stroudsburg North
Week 10: Northwestern is the likely top seed even with a loss to Catasauqua. Central Catholic and Pottsville are too close to call for the No. 2 seed if both win or lose. Bethlehem Catholic must beat Central Catholic to have any chance at a playoff berth. Saucon Valley is barely alive. It would need to beat Palisades, have Wilson, Bangor and Bethlehem Catholic lose and get more help in its strength of schedule.
Class 5A (top 4 advance)
In: East Stroudsburg South, Whitehall Out: Abington Heights
Week 10: East Stroudsburg South is the top seed. Whitehall is almost certainly No. 2 even with a loss to unbeaten Northampton. Southern Lehigh is No. 3 with a win. Wyoming Valley West clinches the fourth spot with a win over Crestwood. Pocono Mountain East must beat Pocono Mountain West, have Valley West lose and get more help to get in. Class 6A (top 8 advance)
In: Parkland, Northampton, Freedom, Easton, Emmaus, Nazareth
Out: Dieruff, Liberty, Allen
Week 10: Parkland is the top seed with a win. Freedom likely goes to No. 2 with a win over Liberty, even if Northampton beats Whitehall. Freedom could be
No. 1 with a win and a Parkland loss to Emmaus. There are many scenarios among the top six. Pocono Mountain West and Pleasant Valley clinch the last two spots with wins over Pocono Mountain East and Stroudsburg, respectively. Pleasant Valley could still be in even with a loss to Stroudsburg.