Member schools of the Missouri State High School Activities Association voted to extend the baseball quarterfinals for Classes 5-6 to a best-of-three format, instead of a single game, to determine the final four.
The playoff format for Classes 1-4 remains single-elimination, where a sectional round precedes the quarterfinals. Hosts of the Class 5-6 quarterfinals will rotate on an annual basis. The same team gets to host potentially all three games; season records and head-to-head meetings aren’t factored in. Host Festus, champions of Class 5 District 1, took a record of 17-14-1 into the best-of-three quarterfinal series May 30-31 against 35-1 Vianney, the visitor.
Sturdy Festus pitching kept the Tigers close to the Griffins, who swept the series with 2-0 and 5-2 victories. Vianney meets Marshfield (25-11) in the semifinals Friday. The Griffins have won three state titles, the last in 2018.
I support the state’s decision to make a team win two games in the quarterfinals because in single-elimination, one ace pitcher usually determines the winner in that round. The large schools in the Jefferson County Activities Association did something similar a few years ago when they adopted a home-and-home series format for conference play. That led to one of the tightest races this season when Festus and Hillsboro split the title at 6-2. De Soto (4-4) also was in the race, having beaten the Tigers late in the year.
I asked the coaches from all of the local large schools what they thought of the new format. They had interesting takes on the state’s move.
Jeff Montgomery, head coach at Festus for 16 years and involved with the program for 29 years, has guided the Tigers to five straight district titles and a state championship in 2023.
“It is definitely a different animal in a sense you have to win two,” Montgomery said. “It is a step in the right direction to get a more fair and favorable champion for each round.
“District tourneys are really tough with the one-loss-and-you’re done format. Many upsets occur and sometimes the better your season, the more pressure (there is) on the kids. I’ve been on both sides of that.
“At least MSHSAA is realizing baseball needs to be formatted more like the college playoffs in some ways. Many states play double-elimination at the final four or state tourney level, so at least this is something positive for the game in Missouri. They were playing 10-15 more games in school ball on the other side of the river (Illinois), with a better state-association-invested playoff format.
“MSHSAA is making good changes. We (are allowed to play) 36 games. You really build your pitching depth playing five or six games in a week. We love that format. We find out what we are. We try to play at least 33 or 34 games. It would be great if district (tournaments) went to double elimination and play (them) in just three or four days (and see) who has the best pitching and depth. The pitching staff, and managing your pitching, is an important element to winning this best-of-three game series for sure now. It seems like pitching is getting better all the time across the board. So this format allows the pitching to be a factor. You cannot win a state championship in Class 5 or 6 with one or even two dominant pitchers. You need depth. I guess that’s good for the team aspects of the game.”
This was Cody Huff’s second season at Northwest. The Lions finished 6-19.
“I do like the best-of-three format,” he said. “I believe it takes away having one dominant arm to win big games and forces you to win and advance as a team.”
Brad Hagedorn has piloted Seckman for 15 years. The Jaguars built their record this spring to 15-10 before injuries caught up with them in a 15-15 finish. Seckman has one of the top young arms in the Suburban Conference in lefthander Cory Hilzinger, who will be a sophomore next year.
“The change to a best-of-three for the quarterfinal is a great change,” Hagedorn said. “It allows for the best teams to find their way to the final four instead of one team that may have a dominant pitcher.”
In his three seasons at the helm in Hillsboro, Matt Thompson has turned the Hawks into a gritty, aggressive team that has proved it is capable of competing with Festus. The rivals split their conference games this spring by shutting each other out before the Tigers prevailed 7-4 in district play.
“I love the idea of it,” Thompson said. “It takes the one-pitcher equation out of the mix.”
With Festus bowing out to Vianney and the conclusion of the Class 4-5 track and field season May 31, we’ve reached the end of another successful year of prep sports in the county.
Schools across the county produced team and individual state champions. Many athletes, now clutching their diplomas, are eager to start their college careers. I wish them all good luck and we will keep an eye on their progress at the next level.