Painting the playoff picture as week nine approaches

The final week of the football regular season is upon us. A good number of playoff qualifiers have been decided, a lot of slots still remain to be filled.

Here's a primer on how area races stand as Week 9 approaches:

CLASS 4A EAST

Iowa City High (8-0) and Cedar Falls (8-0) have wrapped up titles of the Mississippi and Valley divisions and are locks for automatic bids. Ditto for Bettendorf (8-0) in the Mississippi Athletic Conference. If all games in the MVC and the MAC go as figured, Bettendorf will be the No. 1 seed in the 4A East.

North Scott (7-1), Linn-Mar (7-1) and Cedar Rapids Xavier (6-2) have clinched playoff spots and are assured to host first-round games. Davenport Assumption (6-2) and Dubuque Hempstead (6-2) can assure themselves home-field advantage with wins over winless Davenport North and winless Cedar Rapids Jefferson, respectively. Cedar Rapids Washington (5-3) is a playoff qualifier, and gets home field for Round 1 with a victory and lots of help.

Muscatine (5-3), Pleasant Valley (4-4), Davenport Central (4-4), Cedar Rapids Kennedy (4-4) and Iowa City West (4-4) are playoff qualifiers and will go on the road in the first round. Burlington (3-5) is virtually assured a berth, and the Grayhounds are heavily favored to beat Davenport West and get in.

The 16th spot will go to one of five teams that are currently 2-6. Waterloo East is the best bet to win this week; the Trojans play winless Dubuque Senior. Other 2-6 hopefuls are Cedar Rapids Prairie, Clinton, Dubuque Wahlert and Waterloo West.

CLASS 3A DISTRICT 4

The four qualifiers from this district are set. All that remains to be determined is the order.

Despite a loss last week, Decorah (6-2, 5-1) is line for the top seed if it takes care of business. The Vikings have a plus-61 margin in their district games, compared to plus-53 for West Delaware (6-2, 5-1) and plus-38 for Waverly-Shell Rock (7-1, 5-1). If form holds - are all three are favored to win - that will be the order, with the fourth spot going to Oelwein (5-3, 4-2). If Oelwein knocks off West Delaware at Manchester, W-SR would get the top seed over Decorah based on its Week 8 win over the Vikings.

CLASS 3A DISTRICT 5

Union (8-0, 6-0) and Marion (7-1, 5-1) are locked into the 1 and 2 spots. Then, it gets hairy.

Four teams sit in a three-way tie for third. Maquoketa (5-3, 3-3) is the leader on points at plus-22, but the Cardinals face a tall task in Friday's home date with Marion. DeWitt Central (3-5, 3-3) is at plus-6 and hosts Center Point-Urbana, followed by Vinton-Shellsburg (4-4, 3-3) at minus-3 and Western Dubuque (4-4, 3-3) at minus-8. Vinton-Shellsburg is at Union; Western Dubuque hosts Anamosa.

Current points favor Maquoketa and Central; more importantly, the schedule favors Central and Western Dubuque.

CLASS 3A DISTRICT 6

Solon (7-1, 6-0) has the inside track to the title. The Spartans win it outright if they beat Grinnell (7-1, 5-1) at home. Even with a loss … even the maximum 13-point loss … they have enough points to edge Grinnell and Williamsburg (7-1, 5-1) in the event of a three-way tie.

The only combination that would derail the Spartans is if they lose and Williamsburg falls to Washington. That would make it a two-way tie and Grinnell would be the champion based on head-to-head.

Clear Creek Amana (4-4, 3-3) is the fourth qualifier.

CLASS 2A DISTRICT 4

The top two slots are wrapped up. North Fayette (8-0, 6-0) is the champion and Dyersville Beckman (6-2, 5-1) is the runner-up.

Sumner-Fredericksburg (4-4, 4-2) has the inside track for a spot unless it loses big to MFL MarMac (3-5, 3-3) and Monticello (5-3, 3-3) wins big over North Fayette. MFL MarMac has the head-to-head edge on Monticello in the event of a two-way tie between those schools, if both lose.

CLASS 2A DISTRICT 5

Iowa City Regina (8-0, 6-0) is the champion; Camanche (6-2, 5-1) is the runner-up.

After that, four teams are fighting for two spots: West Liberty (4-4, 4-2), Durant (4-4, 3-3), Wilton (3-5, 3-3) and Louisa-Muscatine (4-5, 3-3).

West Liberty and Wilton are underdogs, facing Regina and Camanche. L&M travels to Durant in an elimination game.

CLASS 2A DISTRICT 6

It's just like the old days, with Sigourney-Keota (8-0, 6-0) riding the single wing to the district title. Davis County (6-2, 5-1) is a qualifier.

Albia (6-2, 4-2) and Mediapolis (6-2, 4-2) are bound for the playoffs if they win, but both face heavy challenges Friday: Albia is at Sigourney-Keota; Mediapolis is at Davis County.

Mid-Prairie (4-4, 3-3) could move into the picture with a win over Central Lee. The Golden Hawks lost to Albia but beat Mediapolis.

CLASS 1A DISTRICT 5

The four qualifiers from this district have been determined. The game at Fairbank between Starmont (8-0, 6-0) and Wapsie Valley (7-1, 5-1) will determine the first- and second-place finishers while the battle at Guttenberg between Turkey Valley (6-2, 4-2) and Clayton Ridge (7-2, 4-2) will determine the third- and fourth-place finishers.

CLASS 1A DISTRICT 6

Same story here as 1A-5. Everything is set, other than placement. The champion will be the winner of Friday's game at Stanwood between West Branch (7-0, 5-0) and North Cedar (8-0, 5-0). Third place will be the victor between Wapello (6-2, 3-2) and Alburnett (4-3, 3-2).

CLASS A DISTRICT 4

The title race comes down to Friday's showdown at Traer. North Tama (8-0, 5-0) is the champion with a win - or a loss of seven points or less - against Elkader Central (6-2, 4-1). A decisive victory would give the title to Central. Postville (7-1, 5-1) has nailed down a playoff spot; the final slot goes to the Week 9 winner at Elgin between Edgewood-Colesburg (2-6, 2-3) and Valley Community (2-6, 2-3).

CLASS A DISTRICT 5

A showdown at Lisbon will determine the champion Friday, when WACO (8-0, 5-0) and Lisbon (7-1, 5-0) collide. The other two spots are set: Lone Tree (4-4, 3-2) will finish third while English Valleys (2-6, 2-3) will finish fourth.

CLASS A DISTRICT 6

This much we know: The victor at Victor between BGM (7-1, 5-0) and HLV (5-3, 4-1) wears the district crown. Iowa Valley (6-2, 3-2) appears to be in good shape, but can take any guesswork out of the equation if it beats Lynnville-Sully.

Belle Plaine (4-4, 3-2) is in if it beats Montezuma (4-4, 2-3) at home. If not, the Braves would get the nod over the Plainsmen based on head-to-head. If it's a three-way tie at 3-3 among Iowa Valley, Belle Plaine and Montezuma, it will come down to points, where Iowa Valley and Belle Plaine currently hold the advantage.

EIGHT MAN DISTRICT 4

The front end of this problem is easy to solve. Preston (9-0, 8-0), West Central (6-2, 6-1) and Lansing Kee (6-2, 5-2) are locked in to finish 1-2-3.

After that, it gets murky. Extremely murky. Dunkerton (3-5, 3-4), East Central (3-5, 3-4) and Central City (4-4, 3-4) are in a three-way deadlock for the final spot. Dunkerton - which hosts Springville (2-6, 2-5) – is the most likely of the three to succeed Friday. East Central is at Kee while Central City is at West Central.

In the event that all three lose, Springville could jump into the mix if it beats Dunkerton by 13-plus and if East Central loses by 13 or more.

EIGHT MAN DISTRICT 5

Moravia (8-0, 6-0) is the champion. Grandview Park Baptist (5-3, 5-1) is the runner-up.

Twin Cedars (4-4, 4-2) makes the remainder of the equation a snap if it wins at Meskwaki Settlement (3-6, 3-3). That would make Twin Cedars the No. 3 team and Melcher-Dallas (3-5, 3-3) the No. 4.

Meskwaki has a glimmer of hope. The Warriors are in if they win and if Melcher-Dallas loses to Seymour, or if the Warriors end in a three-way tie with Twin Cedars and Melcher-Dallas at 4-3 if the final point differential is favorable. Currently it's Twin Cedars plus-25, Melcher-Dallas plus-9, Meskwaki plus-1.