Playoff Format
Playoff Format U10-U12-U14 for Fall 2009
Pool Play
Pool play for U10, U12 and U14 will begin November. Most pools will involve four games. The calendar enables us to avoid most Sunday games because there are four weekends in November before Thanksgiving, instead of the usual three. In future years, we will go back to three Saturday and one Sunday game in November for most divisions. Subject to weather, all pool play should be completed by the weekend before Thanksgiving (i.e., by November 21 and 22).
Pools will be large, with random pairings, rather than small with all teams playing all other teams. Given the projected number of teams this year, here is how it would work:
BOYS UNDER 10 (30 teams)
Pool Play. The division is divided into two subdivisions, consisting of the 16 Black teams and 14 Orange teams. Pool play will take place on Saturday November 7, 14 and 21 and Sunday November 15. For scheduling reasons, some of the pool play may be on Sunday November 8.
For the playoffs, the Black subdivision will be placed in two pools of 8 teams. The 8 teams in each pool will play four games within their pool. The Orange subdivision will be placed into a pool of 8 and a pool of 6. Again, the teams in each pool will play four games within their pool.
Single Elimination Games. The top 4 teams in each Black pool will move to the Black round of 8 (1st in each pool plays 4th in the other pool and 2nd in each pool plays 3rd in the other pool). The top 3 teams in each Orange Pool as well as the two other teams with the best records, irrespective of pool, will play in the Orange round of 8. The two rounds of 8 will play on Saturday December 5.
The four winners of each round of 8 will play rounds of 4 on Sunday December 6.
The two winners of each round of 4 will play for the Black and Orange subdivision championships on Saturday December 12.
The winners of the subdivision championships will play for the championship on Sunday December 13.
GIRLS UNDER 10 (24 teams)
Pool Play. Pool play will take place on Saturday November 7, 14 and 21 and Sunday November 15.
The division will be divided into four pools of 6. Teams in each pool will play four games within their pool.
Single Elimination Games. The top four teams in each pool will play in the round of 16. 1st place team with most points will play 4th placed qualifier with fewest points, etc.; 2nd place teams will play 3rd place teams, again with the 2nd place team with the most points playing the 3rd place team with the fewest points, etc. The round of 16 will be played on Saturday December 5, the round of 8 on Sunday December 6, semifinals on Saturday December 12 and the championship on Sunday December 13.
BOYS UNDER 12 (14 teams)
Pool Play. The division will be divided into one pools of 8 and one of 6. Teams in each pool will play four games within their pool. Pool play will take place on Saturday November 7, 14 and 21 and Sunday November 14. Rainout day is Sunday November 21.
Single Elimination Games. The top three teams in each pool and the next two teams with the best records, irrespective of pool (i.e., the 4th place team in each pool or the 4th and 5th place team in one of the pools), will play in the round of 8. 1st place team with most points will play the final qualifier with fewer points, etc. unless 1st place team has already played one but not both of a 4th and 5th place qualifier, in which case 1st place team will play the team it has not already played; 2nd place teams will play 3rd place teams.
The round of 8 will be played on Saturday December 5, semifinals on Saturday December 5 and the championship on Sunday December 13. Since the independent school entry examinations take place on Saturday morning, we will schedule six of the BU12 and GU12 round of 8 games on Satuday afternoon, beginning at 1:30 pm and the final two on Sunday morning (unless two teams scheduled to play each other don't object to playing on Saturday morning.
GIRLS UNDER12 (11 teams)
Pool Play. The division will be divided into a pools of 6 and a pool of 5. Teams in each pool will play four games within their pool. Pool play will take place on Saturday November 7, 14 and 21 and Sunday November 22 (two games) with two games on Sunday November 1 and two on Sunday November 8.
Single Elimination Games. The top three teams in each pool and the next two teams with the best records, irrespective of pool (i.e., the 4th place team in each pool or the 4th and 5th place team in one of the pools), will play in the round of 8. 1st place team with most points will play the final qualifier with fewer points, etc. unless 1st place team has already played one but not both of a 4th and 5th place qualifier, in which case 1st place team will play the team it has not already played; 2nd place teams will play 3rd place teams.
The round of 8 will be played on Saturday December 5, semifinals on Saturday December 12 and the championship on Sunday December 13. Since the independent school entry examinations take place on Saturday morning, we will schedule six of the BU12 and GU12 round of 8 games on Saturday afternoon, beginning at 1:30 pm and the final two on Sunday morning (unless two teams scheduled to play each other don't object to playing on Saturday morning).
BOYS UNDER 14 (9 teams)
Pool Play. There will be a single division of nine teams. Each team will play four games. Top six teams qualify for a round of six.
Single Elimination Games. 3rd place team plays 6th place team and 4th place team plays 5th place team in round of 6. 1st and 2nd place teams have byes and play a friendly game on Saturday December 5 (otherwise they would have no game from November 20 to December 12).
1st place team plays winners of the 4th v 5th game and 2nd place team plays winner of the 2nd v 3rd game in semifinals on Saturday December 12.
The winners of the semifinals will play for the championship on Sunday December 13.
Because we have an odd number of eliminated teams, 7th place team will play the 9th place team on Saturday December 5 and the 8th place team on Saturday December 12.
GIRLS UNDER 14 (7 teams)
Pool Play. There will be a single division of nine teams. Each team will play four games. Pool play will simply determine seeding. No teams will be eliminated.
Single Elimination Games. 1st place team gets a bye. We will arrange a practice space for them or a scrimmage against a team from another region. 2nd plays 7th, 3rd plays 6th and 4th plays 5th. 1st place team plays winners of the 4th v 5th game and winner of 2nd v 7th plays winner of the 3rd v 6th game in semifinals on Saturday December 12.
The winners of the semifinals will play for the championship on Sunday December 13.
Last Two Weekends of the Season for Eliminated Teams
There will be no consolation brackets. There will be no third place games.
All teams which do not qualify for elimination play will play one more friendly game in the final two weekends of the season. We will try to do this on December 5 and 6 but there may be some divisions where these friendlies take place on Saturday December 12.
Conclusion
Although the numbers of teams in the divisions require some variations in the details, the basic approach is the same for all divisions. Division directors may not vary these rules without permission of the Regional Commissioner and consultation with the scheduler.
The Region reserves the right to modify and curtail playoffs due to unforeseen factors, including weather, field availability and other circumstances.