If the Ashland High football team is left out of the playoffs this season, it won't be because a coin didn't flip in the Grizzlies' favor.
That's because the Southern Sky Conference will from now on settle ties with the Azzi Plan, a system that takes into account margin of victory.
Ashland missed the playoffs last season despite finishing in a three-way tie atop the Southern Sky Conference standings and earning a co-league championship.
Here's today's release:
Football: Azzi Plan: Will be used in the event of a tie, or multiple tie, to determine league ranking and playoff position when head to head
competition can not be used. This is to take the place of Section 4 C "Determination of District Representation", Three way ties with flip the coin.
· During each league game, teams may accumulate up to a maximum of plus or minus 14 points. If team A beats team B, 24-10, Team A receives +14 Azzi points, where as Team B receives -14 Azzi Points.
· There is no advantage to beat a team by more than 14 points.
· The team with the highest number of Azzi points with regard to common opponents that are playoff eligible, are then awarded the higher playoff position and league ranking in a tie, or multi-tie situation.
· Teams that are not in the playoff picture at the end of the season will not be used for Azzi points consideration with regard to the playoff eligible teams and not be considered common opponents.
· If teams are tied after utilizing the Azzi plan, the team that has given up the fewest points per game with regard to common opponents will be ranked higher in the league standings or playoff position.
· The Azzi plan has no bearing on the league championship or co-league champions. It is a plan for league rankings and playoff representatives when there is a tie and can not be determined by head to head competition.