Varsity Insider

You know the byproducts:

• Starting the regular season a week later than the rest of the state
• Playing nine games between the regular season and playoffs…
• Or, playing 10, but hosting all three playoff rounds in 11 days

We’ve discussed the impact of a cramped playoff schedule previously, namely the obvious effect it has had on Section 1’s Class AA and A representatives in the state playoffs. They have yet to win a state championship in years where the section required the champ to win three playoff games in 11 days. In fact, in those years, none of Section 1’s champs have gone on to even reach the Carrier Dome, let alone win there.

The state reps for Section 1 are viewed as the haves — the Harrisons, the New Rochelles, the North Rockalnds — but here are a few numbers that underscore how much the delayed start date affects all of Section 1.

Although Sections 3, 5 and 6 were all larger in 2011, their member schools participated in the playoffs at a much larger percentage than their Section 1 counterparts. In fact, Section 1 has — by a wide margin — the fewest percentage of schools participating in the postseason of any section in New York State.

Here’s a look…

PLAYOFF PARTICIPATION, FACTS —

• Other than Class A, which will play three playoff games in 11 days this season, Section 1 is the only section in the state tournament where teams are only eligible to play nine games

• Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 are all eligible to play 10 regardless of classification (Sections 8 and 11 do not participate in the state tournament)

• 219 of 380 teams (57.6 percent) across the state qualified for the playoffs in those in 2011; only 24 of 70 (34.3 percent) will be eligible to qualify in Section 1 (Note: This includes four of five schools eligible to play in Class D)

• Among the sections involved in the state tournament in 2011, 21 of the 25 classes with eight teams or more held eight-team playoffs

• In 2012, three of the four with eight teams or more in Section 1 (Classes AA, B and C) will have more than eight teams and be limited to a four-team playoff

• With the Class AA playoffs reduced to four teams for 2012, Section 1 will likely have the lowest percentage of Class AA teams participating in the playoffs (4 of 15, 26.7 percent)

• Only Section 4 (4 of 4) and Section 9 (4 of 10) held four-team Class AA playoffs in 2011 (Sections 2, 3, 5 and 6 all held eight-team playoffs)

• Class A in Section 1 will likely have the lowest percentage of teams participating among sections in the state tournament (8 of 29, 27.6 percent); Section 6 was the next-lowest in 2011 (8 of 16, 50.0 percent)

• Class B in Section 1 will likely have the lowest percentage of teams participating among sections in the state tournament (4 of 12, 33.3 percent); Section 6 was the next-lowest in 2011 (8 of 19, 42.1 percent)

• Class C in Section 1 will likely be tied for the third-lowest percentage of teams participating among sections in the state tournament (4 of 9, 44.4 percent); Section 3 (8 of 23, 34.8 percent) and Section 4 (4 of 11, 36.4 percent) were both lower in 2011

• I’d like to hear your thoughts. First, here’s a look at playoff participation in each section in 2011:

PLAYOFF PARTICIPATION, BY SECTION —

SECTION 2
Teams: 62
Playoff teams: 36
Playoff percentage: 58.1%

SECTION 3
Teams: 78
Playoff teams: 40
Playoff percentage: 51.3%

SECTION 4
Teams: 44
Playoff teams: 24
Playoff percentage: 54.6%

SECTION 5
Teams: 71
Playoff teams: 40
Playoff percentage: 56.3%

SECTION 6
Teams: 74
Playoff teams: 46
Playoff percentage: 62.2%

SECTION 7/10
Teams: 16
Playoff teams: 15
Playoff percentage: 93.4%

SECTION 9
Teams: 35
Playoff teams: 18
Playoff percentage: 51.4%

• And here’s a look at the projections for Section 1 in 2012:

SECTION 1 (2012)
Teams: 70
Playoff teams: 24
Playoff percentage: 34.3%