AIA: Each conference will choose playoff-seeding formula

As the Arizona Interscholastic Association turns divisions into conferences and sections into regions beginning next year, each conference will be allowed to come up with its own formula to seed its playoffs for all sports, AIA assistant executive director Dave Hines said.

"They can use the power points/MaxPreps," Hines said. "They can tweak it with the champion from each region, then power points. They can take the top three from each region. There are multiple ways. We just need to know who the 16 teams are."

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Every year, there are questions regarding the complex MaxPreps formula that the AIA has been using to seed state playoff teams. Many coaches still have no idea what goes into the formula.

This won't change AIA's partnership with MaxPreps.

"If someone has a concern with power points, if they don't feel like they can play enough people to get a good cross-section of opportunities, then they may choose another way," Hines said. "It's up to the conferences. It gives them options."

Reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-460-1710. Follow him at twitter.com/azc_obert, Listen to the Which Wich High School Football Preview Show every Friday from 6-7 p.m., on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060 with Dan Manucci and Richard Obert.