MAY MADNESS!

Well, the playoffs are almost upon us and with that, my favorite time of the year is here. Now you could argue basketball playoffs are fun but it's something about the District Baseball Playoffs that makes it more interesting. First off, with the exception of 3A, no matter how far you get in the District Playoffs, only the District Champion moves on. The upsets are unlike any other in the playoffs. You can see an eight or nine seed winning it all, it all comes down to if a team gets hot in the postseason. There is something I don't like about the District playoff format this year. So with several divisions in the balance and teams having to still play on Monday, some teams could up with playing a one game playoff for the Division. So if you have your best pitcher on Monday, he can't go for the playoff but can pitch in the playoffs on three days rest which in my opinion is not the best idea. Another one is that you can get away with starting your best pitcher for all three games in 4A and 5A. They would play Friday, then Wednesday and the Championship is Sunday. With the pitch limit, yes you need to use another pitcher but it still doesn't make sense when it's a seven team playoff to just not play Tuesday-Thursday-Sunday. This format benefits the best pitcher and not exactly the best team. Well with that being said, here are the scenarios for the divisions that haven't been clinched yet.

Baseball

WVC Division 1
This one is probably the hardest one to write because we're still waiting on word on what Pittston Area will do and that's if they do anything. Okay, so Crestwood and Pittston Area play each other on Monday. Whoever wins the game has a chance for the division, however Coughlin is tied as well so if they win, there will be a one game playoff for the Division crown between the winner of Crestwood/Pittston Area. If Coughlin loses to Hazleton Area, the winner of Crestwood/Pittston Area takes the title straight up.

PS: To those wondering why I'm not discussing the brawl, We're still waiting on what Pittston Area does and see what happens with both programs moving forward as in District Playoffs and beyond.

WVC Division 2
This is destined for a possible one game playoff. Berwick and Tunkhannock face off against each other on Monday and Dallas takes on Nanticoke. If Dallas wins, they would take on the winner of the Tunkhannock/Berwick game.

LL Division 1
This one has a few ifs in here. Here's the big thing here, if Delaware Valley loses to Scranton on Monday, West Scranton wins the division. If West Scranton beats Abington Heights on Wednesday, regardless if Delaware Valley wins. The Invaders take the title. If Delaware Valley wins and West Scranton loses, they would play a one game playoff for the Division Crown.

LL Division 5
Blue Ridge and Forest City are tied for the Division lead and Elk Lake trails by a game. They all have two games left on their schedule. Forest City has Mt View and Lackawanna Trail remaining. Blue Ridge has Lackawanna Trail and Montrose remaining. Elk Lake has Montrose and Lackawanna Trail. It looks as though Blue Ridge and Forest City is slated for a one game playoff for the division.

Softball
Division 1
Valley View still has to makeup one game and that game could cause them and Abington Heights to be tied. Valley View has a makeup with West Scranton on Wednesday but before that, they have to play Scranton Prep on Monday. Abington Heights has West Scranton on Monday.

Division 2
Delaware Valley and Wallenpaupack are tied for the division lead and North Pocono trails by a game. Wallenpaupack plays Scranton. Delaware Valley takes on Western Wayne and North Pocono travels to Honesdale.

Division 3
With 2 games left, Holy Cross and Mid Valley are tied atop the division. Holy Cross has Dunmore and Riverside, meanwhile Mid Valley has Old Forge and Lakeland.

Division 4
Elk Lake currently leads the division, but Montrose has a game in hand on them. Elk Lake takes on Lackawanna Trail and Montrose which could determine the division. Montrose takes Susquehanna on Monday, Blue Ridge on Wednesday and Elk Lake on Thursday. The game on Thursday could be for the Division title.