Ready for GHSA football championship games at 10 a.m. on a weekday?

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          They have to get through the semifinals first, but GHSA teams trying to prepare for the best might as well get ready for extra rest and prep time between the semis and finals.

          And they can thank/confront the GHSA and Atlanta United for that.

          GHSA executive director Robin Hines told the board of trustees about a contingency plan, according to minutes of the board meeting posted on the GHSA website back in July – which was then reported on - wherein the GHSA had reserved backup dates for the championships scheduled for Dec. 7-8 if the United advanced to host the MLS Cup on Dec. 8.

          It would push the games to the next week, not weekend. And that happened, with Atlanta beating the New York Bulls 1-0 Thursday.

          The published pre-meeting agenda didn’t mention the football playoff or an alternative plan, but Hines approached the subject a month earlier at a Georgia Sports Writers Association summer convention.

          Odds were for what happened happening.

MLS doesn’t go by a routine best-of format. Rather, the conference championships are two games, with an aggregate goal format.

          There were scenarios in which the second-seeded Atlanta didn’t host the MLS Cup on Dec. 8, but they were extreme and quite unlikely.

          In short, New York had to score five times if Atlanta scored once. If the United were shut out, New York had match that 3-0 win and then force extra time and overtime and then win outright.

          If New York won but gave up a goal, Atlanta hosts, and there would be morning and mid-week championships.

          And that means a 10 a.m. state championship game on a Tuesday.

          The time schedule remains the same, but Friday becomes Tuesday and Saturday becomes Wednesday.

          So wins Friday by the three remaining Central Georgia teams would put all three in action on Tuesday, starting with Peach County in 3A at 1 p.m., followed by Warner Robins in 5A and then Northside in 6A to finish the night. Class A Public is first at 10 a.m.

Wednesday’s action would start at 10 a.m. with Class A Private.

          When weather a year ago led to safety concerns – for travelers as well as safety issues regarding snow on the Mercedes-Benz roof – led to nearly all games being postponed, the GHSA played all but two finals at home sites.

          By virtually all accounts, that adjustment was a success.