A look at the new VHSL ratings system
A "new and improved" point system goes into for the Fall of 2003.
This system was devised to reward teams for playing a stronger schedule
by awarding a few points for losses and more points for wins.
(In the Spring of 2003, the proposed new scale was 'tweaked' just a bit.)
Let's take a look at how the ratings will change.
| 2002 method |
| 2003 method |
| Group | AAA |
AA | A |
| AAA |
AA | A |
| Div. |
6 | 5 | 4 |
3 | 2 | 1 |
| |
6 | 5 | 4 |
3 | 2 | 1 |
| points for : |
| winning |
12 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 6 | |
(b) | 20 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 11 |
| bonus (a) |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
(c) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| losing |
. | . | . | . | . | . | |
(b) | 10 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| bonus |
. | . | . | . | . | . | |
(d) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
(a) = Your team got 1 bonus point every time a team you beat won a game against
a team that was in the same or higher Group as the team you beat.
No points were earned in a loss.
(b) = new modified sliding point scale.
(c) = 2 points are awarded for each win, against a public school, by a team you BEAT.
(d) = 1 point is awarded for each win, against a public school, by a team you LOST to.
example : Giles (Div. 2, 8-2) beats Blacksburg (Div. 4, 7-3),
which had 5 wins vs. AA teams and 2 wins vs. A teams.
OLD : Giles got 9 points + 5 bonus points for 14.
     Blacksburg got 0 points.
NEW : Giles gets 16 points for the win + 14 bonus points (7x2) for 30.
    
Blacksburg gets 2 points for losing + 8 bonus points (8x1) for a total of 10.
This new system was designed to encourage teams to play tougher opponents by
awarding points for losses against good teams (similar to the NCAA's strength
of schedule idea).
Example : Powell Valley will play Ky. Class AA champion Breathitt Co. in 2003.
For LPD schools, a non-district loss used to hurt their chances of being a wild-card
team in the playoffs. Now, a PV loss to 8-2 Breathitt will be worth 13 points,
the same as beating a 2-8 Ervinton squad.
And the small schools look to have better games this year.
Hurley, Twin Valley & Pocy (among others) are free of those teams that only played them
for the win (ratings points), and will be playing more small schools from neighboring
states. (Seven of those out-of-state schools have 2 games against Va. teams this Fall.)
This will be a bit hard to get used to, but I'll have weekly updates on my
ratings page.