Minnetonka football prepares for next year’s transition to a new class –

As the Skippers ride on their early season success into tonight’s game against Edina, it’s hard to think that it’s going to be the last homecoming football game they will play in the current Lake Conference. 

                Just last month, the Minnesota State High School League Board of Directors agreed on a new playoff format for the 2012 season.  Minnetonka will be moving on up, along with 31 other schools, to the freshly formed Class 6A.  The new class will feature four sections of eight teams.  In addition to the teams currently in the Skipper’s conference, the section will include Robbinsdale Armstrong, Minneapolis South, and Shakopee to make up Section 6.

                “We’re looking forward to playing new teams,” said football coach Dave Nelson.  “We get sick of playing the same teams all the time.”

                Not only will it be a change-up for the schedule, but the new set up for the playoffs could also allow a better chance for Minnetonka to play deep into the postseason.  At the end of the regular season, the team with the best record will be seeded No. 1 and play the No. 8 team, No. 2 plays No. 7, etc.  The four teams that win those games go on to face a predetermined opponent in another section.   The eight teams that win the section crossover games then make up the field for the state tournament.

                This provides not only great opportunities for the 32 teams moving into Class 6A, but it also gives smaller programs in Class 5A to finally step out of the shadows.  “It will be good for high school football,” Nelson also stated.  “It helps the discrepancy in all the other classes.”

                When you get down to it, there are some excellent ideas in the new format.  If everything falls into place next year, it would be possible to see Minnetonka, Edina, Eden Prairie, and Wayzata in the state tournament field.  Talk about a competitive tournament.