If the new Kansas high school football playoff system had been in place last fall, Lawrence High would have joined Free State High in the 2001 postseason.
Under the new format that takes effect this fall, the top two teams from the eight Class 6A districts will advance to 16-team state playoffs. Free State went 3-0 in district last fall, including a 16-0 victory over LHS that prevented the Lions from qualifying for state.
"It does give you a second bullet if you stub your toe," LHS coach Dirk Wedd said. "You can still finish second and reach your goal."
Since Free State opened in the fall of 1997, the winner of the LHS-FSHS game has advanced to state four out of five years. Topeka won the district title in '97. LHS won in '98 and '00. FSHS won in '99 and '01.
Before FSHS arrived, the Lions had ruled district under the current format that was adopted in 1981. LHS is 59-3 in district games since '81 with all three losses coming since '97. FSHS is 10-5 in five years of district games.
FSHS coach Bob Lisher favors the new format.
"I think it's a good thing because our kids will pick up an extra game if we're lucky enough to get into the playoffs," Lisher said. "It's one more week of competition. I've been lobbying for a long time to get more than nine regular-season games. The more the kids are able to play and recognition they receive, the better off they are. We've been stuck at nine forever. Obviously, we would like to increase that to get them more exposure."
In essence, the new format was passed by the Kansas State High School Activities Assn. to avoid having a team like Olathe South stay home in the postseason. Olathe South and O-North, two of the top ranked teams in Class 6A the past four years, are in the same district and often meet with undefeated records.
O-North has won five of the past six state titles and O-South was state runner-up in 1999.
Now both programs have a chance to go to the playoffs the same season. A district loss will no longer spoil a team's chances of advancing.
"I think coach (Mark) Littrell (of Olathe South) and coach (Gene) Wier (of Olathe North) are very happy today," Wedd said. "I bet they're celebrating. They're the two best programs in the state at the moment."
Under the new format, district champions will play host to a first-round playoff game. The district champion with the best record would play the district runner-up with the worst record.
Although he approves of the new system, Wedd wouldn't want his squad to be satisfied with just getting to the playoffs.
"Our goal is to win a state championship simply because you walk in the gym and see all those banners up," said Wedd, whose Lions haven't won a playoff game since 1995. "We don't put banners up for beating Free State or Olathe North. It still keeps our goal the same."
Lisher said he didn't believe the change would take away from the atmosphere surrounding the LHS-FSHS game.
"That's still going to be a big game regardless," he said. "In this scenario, we could play each other twice, once in district and once in the playoffs."
The KSHSAA still plans to split the 6A state playoffs in eastern and western divisions, which doesn't always mean the top two teams will meet in the state championship. Olathe North has beaten Manhattan in the state final the past two years.
With 16 teams in the playoffs, the 6A finalists will now play 13 games instead of 12.
"It's a benefit because it helps one more team get an extra game," Wedd said. "You always have a shot at winning state as long as you're still playing."
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