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Nov. 8 - First Week Recap

by Admin on 11/08/21

Playoffs - Week 1 Update (11-8)

Only two matches since our last update, but both deserve a great amount of attention as the first week of the postseason ended with a bang.

We’ll start in St. Louis with the Class 4 District 3, where #3 seed John Burroughs (21) pulled off the biggest Missouri Power Rankings (MPR) upset of the entire tournament (so far) with a 1-0 decision over #1 SLUH (2 overall) on Saturday on the Jr. Bills home field. The result (SLUH’s MPR total of +1.03 was the biggest difference of all 39 MPR upsets) capped an incredible week for the Bombers, a perennial MO state power in the lower classes but moved up to the new Success Factor. JB opened the week by taking out #6 Pattonville and then stunned #2 Chaminade (3 overall) 1-0 in the semifinals. Winning one against a Metro Catholic Conference school in a week is notable, but to topple two in the same district speaks volumes of the program Coach Alana Trzecki has built. SLUH had also been ranked national (#29 Max Preps) and was considered a serious challenger for this year’s title after an outstanding regular season. The Bombers, with an enrollment of 333 (boys and girls) not only competed with the bigger enrollments of SLUH (1482 when adjusted to account for an all boys school), Chaminade (824, same as SLUH with regards to being all boys) and Pattonville (1438), but managed to advance from one of the most competitive and challenging districts in the state at any class. Last season, its first in Class 4 after the Success Factor, the Bombers were eliminated as the #1 seed in the first round of districts by #4 Kirkwood. 2020 was the first time JB hadn’t qualified for the playoffs since 2010, but all of those were in the smaller classes. The Bombers have won four state titles since 2008, but a 2021 Class 4 title would certainly be at the top of that list should they pull it off.

Friday’s lone game also had major historical significance as the state’s current longest postseason streak was snapped at 11 years when #3 Christian (27) used a long distance OT strike to take out #1 Southern Boone (12) 1-0 in Class 2, District 4 at Winfield. Christian is the lowest ranked MPR team in any class remaining and its win comes on the heels of eliminating #2 Fulton in penalties Wednesday. Southern Boone (+.560 in MPR), up to class 2 after winning the state title in Class 1 in 2020 with 15 seniors, failed to advance for the first time since losing a district final in 2009. For some perspective, the Eagles had been district champions for 4,021 consecutive days.

More info from last week to come tomorrow, but a few other odds and ends…

** Two years after incorporating a Success Factor aimed at leveling private school dominance, there are 23 public school teams and 9 private schools left in the playoffs. Six of those private schools are in Class 1 and 2.

** District seeds were correct 153/189 times for a success rate of 80.95%. The MPR was correct on 150/189 (79.37%), but one could argue that another game would go to the MPR favor due to Mehlville’s win over Cape ND. Mehlville was only the 2 seed after losing a coin flip.

** All four #1 overall teams in each class advanced. Only Class 1’s top 4 teams advanced, but Class 2 wouldn’t have had the chance as three of the top teams were all in the same district. Guadalupe’s upsets of both Pembroke Hill and Platte Co. qualified as the biggest upsets in Class 3, but also showed how competitive that district was.

** The central part of the state certainly struggled last week, as only borderline central areas Smithon and Laquey in Class 1 continued. This marks the first year in a long time (1995?) where a Columbia/Jeff City/Mid-MO area team didn’t at least advance from a district.

By class - geographic regions:
Class 1: 3 STL, 1 SE, 2 SW, 1 NW and 1 Central/Sedalia.
Class 2: 3 STL, 1 SE, 1 SW, 2 KC, 1 NW (Chillicothe, which is also borderline central, but advanced from the NW)
Class 3: 4 STL, 2 SW, 2 KC
Class 4: 3 STL, 3 KC, 1 SE, 1 SW

**Much to discuss this week as coaches begin work on selecting all region squads, which will likely be released sometime next week. We will have some previews of the big quarterfinal Saturday ahead as well as some other topics relevant to MO soccer.

Comments (2)

1. N/A said on 11/9/21 - 11:37AM

"Two years after incorporating a Success Factor aimed at leveling private school dominance...." is an assertion that needs fact-checked. Inquire with MSHSAA in regards to the total number of championships (all sports) non-public versus public. To date, one will find that approximately 70% of championships come from public schools.

2. Admin said on 11/9/21 - 12:32PM

Fair enough - appreciate the reply. However, in dealing with soccer (and not all sports), one would find that a much higher percentage of state championships come from the private schools, especially with regards to the percentage of private schools vs. public schools who are participating. While the wording in the post was arguably errant with regards to the purpose, it is obvious that MSHSAA incorporated the Success Factor as a response to private schools having (whether real or imagined) benefits that public schools don't. Otherwise, MSHSAA would have used the SF on all schools. (More on this topic in an upcoming post.)

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1.	N/A said on 11/9/21 - 11:37AM
	"Two years after incorporating a Success Factor aimed at leveling private school dominance...." is an assertion that needs fact-checked. Inquire with MSHSAA in regards to the total number of championships (all sports) non-public versus public. To date, one will find that approximately 70% of championships come from public schools.
2.	Admin said on 11/9/21 - 12:32PM
	Fair enough - appreciate the reply. However, in dealing with soccer (and not all sports), one would find that a much higher percentage of state championships come from the private schools, especially with regards to the percentage of private schools vs. public schools who are participating. While the wording in the post was arguably errant with regards to the purpose, it is obvious that MSHSAA incorporated the Success Factor as a response to private schools having (whether real or imagined) benefits that public schools don't. Otherwise, MSHSAA would have used the SF on all schools. (More on this topic in an upcoming post.)