Boone, Iowa — The IHSAA released the 2018-2019 high school football schedules Wednesday.
The Sheldon Orabs non-district opponents are South O’Brien, Sibley-Ocheyedan, LeMars, and Estherville-Lincoln Central. Sheldon is joined by Boyden Hull Rock Valley, Central Lyon George Little Rock, MOC Floyd Valley, Sioux Center,and Okoboji Pioneers in Class 2A District 1.
The Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley Nighthawks non-district opponents are West Sioux, Western Christian, West Lyon and Sergeant Bluff-Luton.
Based on classification changes made in October, the Board discussed and voted to approve football districts that will allow all classes to add non-district contests and reduce district travel. Classification and district assignments were finalized and released on Thursday, January 25th of this year. The new format for 2018-19 breaks down this way.
Class 4A: 42 teams, 7 districts, 6 teams per district; 4 non-district games per team.
Class 3A, 2A, 1A: 54 teams, 9 districts, 6 teams per district; 4 non-district games per team.
Class A: 62 teams, 8 districts with 6 teams, and 2 districts with 7 teams; 4 non-district games per team in 6-team districts and 3 non-district games per team in 7-team districts.
8-Player: 65 teams, 7 districts with 8 teams and 1 district with 9 teams; 2 non-district games per team in 8-team districts and 1 non-district game per team in 9-team district (Week 0 possible).
Among the other changes this year only the district champion or teams tying for a district championship receive automatic playoff berths. For the first time since the debut of district football, all nine games will count toward postseason qualification. The 17-point district tiebreaker will be eliminated and not factor into qualification.
Remaining at-large qualifiers will be determined by a Ratings Percentage Index formula. The RPI will use three criteria to determine postseason qualification. A team’s overall win-loss percentage will account for 37.5% of the index. A team’s opponent’s win-loss percentage will account for 37.5% as well and a team’s opponent’s opponent’s win-loss percentage will account for the final 25%. Classification differences between non-district opponents do not affect RPI.
The Board of Control approved an additional recommendation allowing varsity football teams to play games against nearby opponents in border states – Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin – and Kansas.
