By TOM CONDARDO
Here’s a refresher course in the MIAA’s playoff rules. The rating system was instituted statewide last year by the MIAA.
• Lynnfield competes in 16-team Division 4 North.
• Eight teams make the playoffs.
• Playoff participants and seedings are determined by results of first seven weeks of season (through October 25).
• League champions earn automatic playoff berths.
• League second-place finishers earn automatic berth unless the total of first- and second-place finishers is greater than eight. In that case the second-place finishers will be ranked by Power Rating to fill out the top eight spots.
• If there are fewer than eight first- and second-place finishers, the remaining slots will be filled by wild card teams based on their Power Ranking.
• Power rankings are calculated as follows:
10 points for win over team in own division
12 points for win over team in higher division
8 points for win over team in lower division (unless team is in own league, in which case you get 10 points)
3 points for each win (1.5 points for a tie) by team you have defeated.
1 point for each win (0.5 points for a tie) by a team that has defeated you
Total of each team’s own and opponents points divided by games played equals Power Ranking.
• Playoffs begin weekend of Oct. 31.
• Teams not making the playoffs and teams knocked out of playoffs will be assigned games to fill out final three games of the season.
• Thanksgiving Day games are played for all teams as normal.
2014 Division Four North Power Ratings through Sept. 20
1. Lynnfield 2-0 (13.00)
2. Winthrop 2-0 (13.00)
3. Stoneham 2-0 (11.00)
4. Saugus 2-1 (10.67)
5. North Reading 2-0 (10.00)
6. Watertown 2-0 (9.00)
7. Bedford 2-1 (7.67)
8. Triton 2-1 (7.33)
9. Weston 2-1 (7.00)
10. Newburyport 1-1 (6.00)
11. Pentucket 1-1 (6.00)
12. Arlington Catholic 1-1 (4.50)
13. Hamilton-Wenham 0-2 (2.00)
14. Swampscott 0-3 (2.00)
15. Amesbury 0-2 (1.5)
16. Ipswich 0-2 (1.5)
