2007 Parkway FB Team.jpg

2007 Parkway Panthers

(8-24-19) One of the top football teams in Parkway school history did not qualify for the OHSAA state football playoffs in 2007. The Panthers finished 9th in D V Region 10 behind Fairbanks, who was the last team to qualify in the region in the 8th spot.

2007 Parkway FB Results

Parkway went 8-2 on the season, the losses came to two state champions, Marion Local (D V) at 15-0 and Coldwater (D IV) at 14-1.  Yet the Panthers never had the opportunity to play in a playoff game in D V.

2007 captains.jpg

Coach Ed Kuhn and the Panthers were loaded with talent, including QB/LB Jordan Thompson who went on to have an All-MAC career at Ohio University and managed a brief career in the NFL with Detroit.

2007 MAC Football Standings
Teams			MAC 	Overall
1.  Marion Local	9-0	15-0
2.  Coldwater		8-1	14-1
3.  Parkway		7-2	8-2
4.  Anna		6-3	7-3
5.  St. Henry		5-4	6-4
6.  Fort Recovery	4-5	5-5
7.  Delphos St. John's	2-7	2-8
7.  Versailles		2-7	2-8
7.  New Bremen		2-7	2-8
10. Minster		0-9	0-10

So how did this happen? Over the years of computer rankings and qualifying for the playoffs some flaws in the formula show up.

In 1993 Celina missed the playoffs (only 4 teams qualified in a region in five divisions) when they went 9-1, losing to conference and state champion St. Marys. In 2007 there were only six divisions, now there is seven divisions.

2007 computer points

The Midwest Athletic Conference realized immediately that playing a 9-game conference schedule was the main reason why Parkway were left out. In 2007 in the MAC’s only non-conference games in week one they went 6-4. The odds that had the MAC teams played at least one more non-conference game Parkway most likely would have qualified for the opening playoff game.

How long did it take the MAC to act on changing from 9 conference games to just 8? Not long at all…it was the very next season (2008) that saw member schools scramble for that 2nd non-conference game as one conference game was eliminated. It paid off right away as in 2008 MAC teams would win 18 non-conference games, four members qualified for state and St. John’s (6-2 in the MAC) won the D VI state title….and the current scheduling continues today to help get members into the playoffs.

The ‘Parkway‘ Rule is the unofficial name for the change to two non-conference games, you probably won’t see it listed in the MAC by-laws, but the Panthers at least deserve that  much for a great 2007 season.

The Western Buckeye League…did not change and they still play just one non-conference game.

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