Changes coming to Missouri high school football playoff format

Change is on the way again for the state's high school football teams.

The Missouri State High School Activities Association board of directors unanimously voted April 2 to change the football playoff format, beginning in 2012.

The new format will eliminate the current four-team districts and put teams into eight-team districts that will be seeded by a point system and culminate with a single-elimination district tournament beginning in Week 10.

It's similar to district tournaments in other sports, where you win and advance or lose and go home. But it's far from perfect. Among potential flaws, it could give independent schools like Jefferson City and Helias some scheduling headaches.