Calling them like I see them………….

Recently the MAIS approved a revamping of the football playoff format in Classes A and AA for the upcoming season. Gone is the North and South State Championship format and in its’ replacement is a welcomed and more balanced change that most seem to agree with. The new format will provide better match ups throughout the entire playoffs each year.

Now the MAIS needs to focus on improving the Class AAA Divisional playoff format but in only one area, baseball.

Baseball is arguably the only of the three major sports in Class AAA where parity is strong. The same cannot be said with regards to football where Jackson Prep and Jackson Academy have dominated Class AAA on the gridiron and while basketball has its’ years when parity creeps in, Jackson area teams have won 22 of the past 24 Overall Boys titles.

In MAIS baseball two classes, A and AA, have started the third round of postseason play when Class AAA begins their playoff games and with the seasons Magnolia Heights and Jackson Prep enjoyed in 2013 it begs to question why the playoff format isn’t tweaked as to determine the best team in Class AAA. Can anyone argue that a Magnolia Heights versus Jackson Prep match up wouldn’t have been huge for the MAIS?

The simple solution would be to begin the Class AAA baseball playoffs one week earlier and once the division state titles are determined allow those two squads to battle it out for Class AAA supremacy.