It’s the week we play that team from the south side of Lansing, and there are only a few things that might be better than beating that team. So it is not that we need another reason to sacrifice the Rams on the football field altar… but we got one: trying to get a home playoff game.
But first, let’s look at this Friday’s matchup. Our Comets are 6-2, and that other team is 5-3. Grand Ledge has secured a playoff berth, the other team is still hoping to be invited to the postseason dance. Against other CAAC-Blue teams, the Comets have scored an average of 38 points while only giving up an average of 11 points. Against the same conference teams, that other team has scored an average of only 18 points while giving up an average of 15 points. As the Grand Ledge head coach, Coach Bird is 3-3 against that team from the south side of Lansing. The current head coach of that other team is only 1-3 against the Comets. But history has taught us that history does not matter in this game… we don’t like them, and they don’t like us… and with lots on the line for both teams, it is sure to be a hard fought contest.
UPDATE: The calculations below (the ones with the strikethrough) are wrong. They were based on Sexton being a Class A school, and Sexton is a Class B school. That changes the playoff points that Grand Ledge earns for defeating Sexton.
It appears now that the best shot for the Comets to host a playoff game is for Grand Ledge to win AND for Holland West Ottawa to lose. However, there is another possibility because Grand Ledge and Holland West Ottawa are so close in terms of playoff points. If both teams win, the Comets would still host a playoff game IF two of the following three teams lose their last game: Ecorse, East Grand Rapids, and Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills.
Sure, it may appear that the other team is playing for more, specifically the guaranteed spot in the playoffs, but Grand Ledge is playing for something too: when the Comets win Friday night, they will most likely secure a home playoff game!
Here’s how that crazy playoff system plays out. With the win, Grand Ledge will have a playoff point average of 85.667. Rockford (6-2) will likely defeat Grand Haven (3-5) and likely end up with a playoff point average of 87.222. Holland West Ottawa (6-2) will likely defeat Grandville (4-4) and will at most end up with a playoff point average of 84.223. Traverse City West (5-3, Class A in size) will likely defeat Adrian (3-5, Class B in size) to secure a spot in the playoffs, but at 6-3 will have a smaller playoff point average than the three 7-2 teams. Playoff districts are created based on geography, and historically the MHSAA has pulled Traverse City West south and Grand Ledge west to pair them with Grand Rapids area teams that make the playoffs.
So if things happen as described, #1 seed Rockford will host #4 seed Traverse City West, and #2 seed Grand Ledge will host #3 seed Holland West Ottawa (again). In other words, the Comets can win a home playoff game by defeating that team from the south side of Lansing.
Not that we need another reason… there is great joy in beating that team no matter what the circumstances are.
GO COMETS!
