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SPORTS
Tournament setup rankles softball teams
Cabell Midland players cheer their teammates from the bench during a game against Huntington High earlier this season. Local softball fans say the Highlanders’ come-from-behind win on Saturday which ended the Knights’ season really could have come at the state tournament.
Purchase this photoONA -- It isn't often that Huntington High and Cabell Midland agree on things, especially on the softball field where the rivalry is beyond intense.
Yet after Huntington's 7-4 come-from-behind win on Saturday afternoon, there was nothing more agreed upon than how flawed the current postseason setup is.
Those affiliated with both teams are more than willing to make the two-hour drive to Parkersburg to see the matchup if it means they are playing in the state tournament instead of a regional semifinal.
All parties involved want the WVSSAC to look into changing the current setup for the softball postseason.
"This could have been a state championship matchup," Huntington fan Sam Spurlock said after watching his daughter's team move on.
Spurlock is not the only person to speak up on the matter. Throughout the postseason, fans have voiced their disapproval of the entire process.
The system changes at each level. At the sectional level, a tournament director decides whether single or double-elimination is utilized. The regional semifinals and finals are single elimination, but the state tournament moves to double-elimination format.
What makes it more interesting is that some teams will play just three games in the three weeks leading up to the state tournament, then potentially have to play three games in two days to win it.
"They should all just move to double-elimination," Cabell Midland assistant coach Steve Brumfield said.
"There is no way that a game like this (one region semifinal) should determine it," Huntington assistant B.J. Chappelle said. "Double-elimination is the only way to go."
Each wanted to see the best team make it to the state tournament, but felt like this is perhaps not the case under the current system. Region IV is home to some of the state's strongest teams, but only one can be represented at Jackson Park in Vienna on May 21 and 22.
"If you look at this area, the state champions or runners-up have come from this region in nine of the last 12 years," Woody said following the game.
For example, the four Region IV semifinalists in 2008 had combined records of 97-20, which equates to an average record of 24-5. Huntington (21-5) will take on St. Albans (28-1) in the regional final on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Jackson Park for the right to return next week for the state tournament.
The six losses between the two teams have all come to Region IV opposition, further helping to prove that some change is needed if the state's best are to meet in the state tournament.
Of Huntington's five losses, three came to Cabell Midland, one to Spring Valley in the sectionals and one to the Red Dragons at Sluggerfest. St. Albans' lone loss came to Huntington in the first game of the season.
"This region is ridiculously good," St. Albans coach Greg Garber said. "It's really not fair that there aren't more teams (from the region) up there (in Parkersburg), but that's the way it is set up so we'll just play who they tell us to."
Region IV has been home to all three Class AAA state softball champions in the last three years. Huntington won the title in 2007, Spring Valley won it in 2006 and Cabell Midland was crowned champs in 2005.
After watching her team have one bad inning cost them their season, Cabell Midland coach Jeanne Lunsford wanted to see the WVSSAC take a page out of its own books.
"I don't see why there isn't a ratings system involved," Cabell Midland coach Jeanne Lunsford said. "It works really well for football and ensures the best are there at the end."
Woody agreed with his coaching counterpart but said the system would only work if everyone got involved in the matter, including coaches and conference officials that make the schedules.
"If you go to a ratings system like in football that has honesty and integrity then I'd be all for that," Woody said. "It would be neat if there was some arrangement that equally took everybody in consideration, whether it be a coaches poll or ratings system."
Until change is made, it appears the situation is about to get worse. With Winfield and Logan moving to Class AAA, the sectional alignment might change as well. Winfield would move into a region with Hurricane and Lincoln County meaning that Cabell Midland, Spring Valley and Huntington -- the last three Class AAA softball state champs -- would be in the same sectional.
