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Playoff Matchups

What we are hearing in League III is that first place team in League III will play the sixth-place team in League III and the rest of the league will be paired with League 8 in first round of playoffs. Nothing verified, though.
 
So in other words you are saying the First Round Match ups would be like this:

Sumter (League 3, #1) vs. Dalzell (League 3, #6)
Camden (League 3, #2) vs. Lexington (League 8, #4)
Hartsville (League 3, #3) vs. West Columbia (League 8, #3)
Manning (League 3, #4) vs. Orangeburg (League 8, # 2)
Goose Creek (League 3, #5) vs. Chapin-Newberry (League 8, #1)

Well if that is the case, who in the world would League II play?
 
Looks like the top 4 from League 3 play the top 4 from League 8. The last two in League 3 will play teams from League 2. Ok, now here is where it gets stupid.
Problem 1: Why put 15 teams in the lower state playoffs? This is not rec ball or pay for play. Everyone is already hearing rumors that certain lower seed teams are not going to play. (Heard Georgetown packed it in yesterday) Some of them are already forfeiting games at the end of the season. So some teams will advance to the second round because of a forfeit. Putting everyone in the playoffs does not make it better.
Solution: Put 12 teams in from the lower state and everyone will play.

Problem 2: With 15 teams, someone is going to get a bye in Round 2. Most teams want to play and don't want a week off. Looks like they are "searching" for a team to take the bye. Really? In theory, a team can make it to the state championship by winning one series while the rest of the state has to play 2 series. If the #1 team does not want the bye they are going to give the bye to a lower seed? Oh, that adds a ton of credibility to the state tournament.
Solution: Put 12 teams in from the lower state and everyone will play.

Problem 3: Combine Problem 1 and Problem 2 and it is possible that a higher seed could get into the state championship and not even play a game if their round one opponent forfeits and they are forced to take a bye in round 2.
Solution: Put 12 teams in from the lower state and everyone will play.

Problem 4: Not sure who does the rankings or what the upper state bracket looks like, but looks like 2 of the top 4 teams (Chapin and Camden) in the state will meet in the 2nd round. So a good team gets eliminated from the state tournament in the 2nd round and really there is no advantage to being a top seed in your league, while a lower seed could possibly get a bye in the 2nd round and get in. I thought the idea was to try to get the best 8 teams to the state championship. Why doesn't the powers that be go ahead and match up Florence and Sumter, Greenwood and Gaffney in round 2 and eliminate two of those teams while they are at it.
Solution: Put 12 teams in from the lower state and everyone will play. Also, there will be a play-in game after round two. In the example listed above where two of your top ranked teams meet in round two, there is still a possibility for the loser to play their way into the tournament.

Problem 5: Why are the brackets developed the last 2 days of the regular season? The state committee knows how many teams are playing by memorial day. Devise the brackets at that time and then everyone will know early what the possibilities are and what the playoffs look like. It seems there has been a mad rush this week make a bracket that fits 15 teams.
Solution: Put 12 teams in from the lower state. It works every year.

It's hard to believe that it is that difficult to put a bracket together without causing so much confusion. Just another example of why ALB is dying in SC.
 
The problem with ALB is the State Director who has taken over, things have been down hill since he took the position. But with your scenario of 15 teams, the lower state would look like this:

Sumter (League 3, #1) vs. Lexington (League 8, #4)
Camden (League 3, #2) vs. West Columbia (League 8, #3)
Orangeburg (League 8, #2) vs. Hartsville (League 3, #3)
Chapin-Newberry (League 8, #1) vs. Manning (League 3, #4)
Murrells Inlet (League 2, #2) vs. Dalzell (League 3, #6)
Horry (League 2, #3) vs. Goose Creek (League 3, #5)
Georgetown (League 2, #4) vs. Lake City (League 2, #5)

Florence with a Bye

Those playoffs would be a joke, its almost like some teams get rewarded by finishing lower in the standings. Let's start with Goose Creek, if you finish 5th, you get a #3 seed, but if you finish 4th you get a #1 seed who hasn't lost a game all year. Then look at Georgetown and Lake City, they could battle it out and end up in the 2nd round.

I agree, 12 teams need to be taken!!
 
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From my understanding, Georgetown turned in their uniforms yesterday. Evidently they ain't playin any more baseball this year. 12 teams is the answer. That is 12 that want to play. Why drag the last 3 teams into it when they don't want to be there. Waste of money, time and takes away from the competitiveness and integrity of the playoffs. An absolute joke. You are right about the director. His whole platform was a new way of doing things for the better. Looks like it may be worse.
 
By taking 12 teams, round 1 would look like this:

Florence (L-II, #1) vs. Goose Creek (L-III, # 5)
Camden (L-III, #2) vs. West Columbia (L-VIII-#3)
Chapin-Newberry (L-VIII, # 1) vs. Manning (L-II, #4)
Murrells Inlet (L-II, #2) vs. Hartsville (L-III, #3)
Sumter (L-III, #1) vs. Georgetown (L-II, #4)
Orangeburg (L-VIII, #2) vs. Horry (L-II, #3)

Then second round would be as follow, IF all the higher seeds won.

Florence vs. Camden
Chapin-Newberry vs. Murrells Inlet
Sumter vs. Orangeburg

You would then have a play in series, which IF the higher seeds won, would be as follows

Murrells Inlet vs. Orangeburg
Winner of MI and Oburg vs. Camden
 
Best thing to do since no brackets have been sent out anyway is to find out which teams are going to fold come playoffs and make the brackets based on that.
 
Even with 15 teams in the lower state, I drew it up like this.....

Florence with a Bye
Hartsville (L-III, #3) vs. West Columbia (L-VIII, #3)
Sumter (L-III, #1) vs. Lake City (L-II, #5)
Orangeburg (L-VIII, #2) vs. Georgetown (L-II, #4)
Chapin-Newberry (L-VIII, #1) vs. Dalzell (L-II, #6)
Horry (L-III, #3) vs. Manning (L-II, #2)
Murrells Inlet (L-II, #2) vs. Goose Creek (L-III, #5)
Camden (L-III, #2) vs. Lexington (L-VIII, #4)

IF Higher seeds won, the second round would then look like this:

Florence vs. Hartsville
Sumter vs. Orangeburg
Chapin-Newberry vs. Horry
Murrells Inlet vs. Camden

It's not hard being a state director and making playoff brackets, or maybe it is for some!
 
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