The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association announced Wednesday the members of its newly created selection committees that will determine seedings for the 2018 state football playoffs.
Southwest Washington and the Greater St. Helens Leagues are represented in the 4A/3A and 2A/1A committees. Heritage football coach Matt Gracey and Mountain View football coach and athletic director Adam Mathieson were named to the 4A/3A committee, and Mark Morris football coach Sean Perkins and White Salmon’s John Hallead are on the 2A/1A committee.
In June, the WIAA’s Executive Board voted to create committees to seed the 2018 state playoffs across all classifications, forming three committees: 4A/3A, 2A/1A and 2B/1B. The selection committees replace the traditional draw system that slotted teams based on district seedings.
All three committees feature 12 individuals selected by the WIAA through an application process. They range from active and retired head football coaches and administrators to statewide media members. The committees are in charge of ranking and placing teams after qualification for the 16-team fields across all six classifications based on regular-season and Week 10 performances.
Gracey, Heritage’s coach since 2015, has coached in California and Arizona, states which feature different playoff seeding systems than Washington. While he said he’s seen the good and not so good from both systems, he believes the WIAA is going in the right direction for establishing a reputable playoff seeding system for all six classifications.
He compared it with the College Football Playoff.
“The more you learn,” Gracey said, “the more you get it right and they’re starting to realize that. The state is looking at what we want and to get the best matchups.”
In the state’s traditional draw system, which slotted teams based on predetermined district seeds, many coaches expressed concern those best matchups were happening too early in the postseason.
For example, Gracey believes Union’s game against Sumner to open the 2017 4A state playoffs should’ve been at least a state semifinal matchup. Sumner beat Union, the 4A GSHL champions, to end the Titans’ season at 9-2.
“You weren’t getting the best matchups,” he said, “You were seeding these well before you knew who was doing what.
“That’s just not right.”
2018 WIAA state playoff seeding committees:
3A/4A Seeding Committee
1 John Barrington Mead HS AD
2 Ross Filkins AD and Head Coach Peninsula HS
3 Matthew Gracey Head Coach Heritage HS
4 Monte Kohler Head Coach/AD at O’Dea HS
5 William Marsh Retired AD /Head Coach Eastside Catholic HS
6 Adam Mathieson AD & Head Coach Mountain View HS
7 Scott Nordi AD at Lakes HS & Gridiron Classic Co-coordinator
8 Mark Perry Current AD Snohomish HS
9 Jay Turner Head Coach Oak Harbor HS
10 Lauren Smith The News Tribune & The Olympian
Ryland Spencer Cascadia Preps
Scott Odiorne ScoreCzar Rankings
1A/2A Seeding Committee
1 Elia Ala’ilima-Daley Former Head Coach & AD at Cascade (Leavenworth)
2 Pat Alexander Retired – 41 yr Assistant coach Tumwater HS.
3 Brycen Bye Head Coach Clarkston HS
4 Jay Dodd Head Coach Blaine HS
5 John Hallead Head Coach Columbia (White Salmon) HS
6 Cody Lamb Head Coach LaSalle HS
7 Shawn Perkins Head Coach Mark Morris HS
8 Dan Teeter Head Coach Lakewood HS
9 Jeff Weible Head Coach North Kitsap HS
10 Jim Wright Head Coach Sultan HS
Ryland Spencer Cascadia Preps
Scott Odiorne ScoreCzar Rankings
1B/2B Seeding Committee
1 Brian Bailey Head Coach Entiat HS
2 Jon Davidson Retired Coach, Currently assists at Toutle Lake
3 Jay Hawkins Head Coach Tonasket HS
4 Jim Holman Head Coach Asotin HS
5 Kyle Kimble Head Coach Pomeroy HS
6 Buck Marsh Superintendent/AD/HC at Darrington HS
7 Tom Sanchez AD/Former Head Coach South Bend HS
8 Aaron Van Tuyl Sports Reporter The Daily Chronicle
9 Matthew Evans Publisher of Evans Rankings
10 Doug Ashmore Former Coach Napavine, Onalaska, Centralia
Ryland Spencer Cascadia Preps
Scott Odiorne ScoreCzar Rankings
