MAC struggled in opening two weeks

Before the 2008 high school football season, the Midwest Athletic Conference switched its schedule to play just eight conference games instead of nine.

With the MAC's successful history of winning against nonconference opposition, the theory was that one less week of conference play should yield more computer points.

The theory proved to be true.

In the two years before the schedule change, 25 percent of teams in the MAC qualified for the postseason. Since the change, a 48 percent average of MAC teams have been in the playoffs each year.

However, the trend may reverse this year. In the first week of the season MAC teams went a combined 3-7, the first week they failed to play at least .500 ball since the scheduling adjustment in 2008. Last week, the MAC missed the mark again, going a combined 4-6.
  Marion Local and Fort Recovery sit alone at the top with 2-0 records, while five MAC teams (Delphos St. Johns, Minster, New Bremen, St. Henry and Versailles) are still winless.

The Western Buckeye League began its conference play last week, which usually means the number of undefeated WBL teams drops to just one or two. This year there are three undefeated teams after week two, making those three the frontrunners for playoff spots.

Recent playoff regulars Kenton and Ottawa-Glandorf are two of the undefeated teams, but this year Celina joins them at 2-0 (for the first time since 2003). There are four 1-1 teams in the WBL and three teams already in playoff trouble at 0-2.

The complete computer points for the four regions involving most local teams can be found throughout the season at: www.nktelco.net/bdmonnin/football.htm.

Region 10:
Team - Ranking (Computer Points)
Springfield Shawnee - 8th (4.75)
Celina - 9th (4.50)
Wapakoneta - 12th (3.35)
St. Marys - 20th (0.00)

Nine undefeated teams remain in this region and Celina is ranked last among them. Only three of those nine teams have defeated a team that won their first game, so the Bulldogs are right in the mix with the top teams.

Wapakoneta isn't far behind at 1-1 since its week one victim, Bellefontaine, defeated Sidney this week.

St. Marys is in great danger of falling to 0-3 and getting buried at the bottom of the region since they play Kenton (2-0) this week.

Region 16:
Ottawa-Glandorf - 4th (4.75)
Delta - 8th (4.30)
Coldwater - 11th (2.75)
Van Wert - 22nd (0.00)

There are 10 undefeated teams in this region, six of which have already earned second-level points thanks to beating a team that won its first game. Ottawa-Glandorf does not have any second-level points, so the Titans will have trouble staying near the top without a big win.

Coldwater is the best of the 1-1 teams, as last week's win over Columbus Bishop Hartley ought to pay big dividends all season long.

Region 22:
Twin Valley South - 8th (3.75)
Anna - 11th (2.15)
Parkway - 12th (2.10)
Minster - 16th (0.00)
New Bremen - 16th (0.00)
St. Henry - 16th (0.00)
Versailles - 16th (0.00)

The good news for the six MAC teams in this region is that only 15 teams have at least one win so far. The bad news is that only Anna and Parkway are members of that group. Anna and Parkway are also two of the few teams to have earned secondary points so far, so they have a chance to move up among what appears to be a far from impressive group of teams currently in the top eight.

Region 26:
Marion Local - 1st (5.95)
Paint Valley - 8th (3.75)
Fort Recovery - 10th (3.50)

Ten teams are undefeated in this region, with MAC teams currently at both ends of the spectrum.

Marion Local already looks to be the class of the region, with Covington perhaps having the best chance to keep up with the Flyers in the race to accumulate computer points. Fort Recovery has not received any help so far from its victims, Edgerton and Waynesfield-Goshen.

Other Regions of Interest:

Defiance (1-1) moved up to seventh place in region 8 thanks to an overtime win over Elida (1-1), which sits in the 18th position. Lima Shawnee is also 1-1 and 11th place.

Kenton (2-0) is near the top of region 12, thanks to having more second-level points than anyone else in the region (beating Coldwater and Wapakoneta is always good for computer points). Bath is all the way down in 21st in the standings.

Only 13 teams have won a game in region 24, and only four of those are 2-0. Despite being 0-2, it will not take much for Delphos St. Johns to get back into postseason contention.