Mooresville/West Rowan observations

In case you missed it, Mooresville won an absolutely insane game against West Rowan Tuesday in the state baseball playoffs.

It was probably the best game I've attended this season. And if not the best, the most exciting.

Due to a variety of issues - game starting late, game ending late, computer problems and early deadline - I didn't have very much time to write my game story for the paper.

Here are a few more thoughts on that game:

Mooresville senior Matt Markofski had an absolutely monster night. He finished 2-for-3 with a whopping 5 RBI. His biggest hit of the night was also the most controversial. Markofski ripped a 3-2 hanging curveball over the left field fence in the first inning for a three-run homer that gave Mooresville a 5-0 lead.

Or did he? The ball was sailing toward the foul pole, and the home plate umpire ruled it fair. West Rowan's coaching staff and players vehemently protested the call, but it stood. I had a terrible angle for that home run and couldn't tell you what I think happened. The home-plate umpire had a tough call to make, too. Markofski belted the ball, and it was more of a line-drive home run than a towering blast. The sun produced a heavy glare at home plate, and I'm not sure the umpire got a clean look.

The Blue Devils started Chris Beaver on the mound, which was no surprise. The senior was expected to get the start, and he was electric for two innings. Beaver tossed 26 pitches - 17 for strikes - in the first two innings and struck out four. He lost his control in the third inning, though. I'm not sure what effect, if any, this play had, but it warrants mentioning. Beaver gave chase to a little pop-up that landed in foul territory near the Mooresville dugout. With a small chance at catching it, Beaver - who is about 6-foot-4, 235 pounds - dove with full extension and bellyflopped to the ground. It was a great hustle play, but he started missing his location after that. Beaver worked his way through a 30-pitch third inning and gave up two runs, but was pulled after one batter in the fourth inning.

Also give credit to Aubrey Meadows, who pitched 2 2-3 innings of relief on three-days rest. Meadows had just one mistake pitch, and Carlos Bautista launched it for a three-run homer. But Meadows kept his focus and struck out five of the final 10 batters he faced and picked up the win.

NCHSAA must change playoff brackets

There are a lot of things the North Carolina High School Athletic Association does right. The NCHSAA is an efficient organization that, in part, provides newspapers with plenty of information on high school athletics throughout the year, so it's difficult to be too critical.

But one thing it has done terribly wrong lies in the pre-made 3A playoff brackets, specifically the matchups in the Western Regional for members of the North Piedmont 3A.

The NPC stretched from a seven-school league to one with 10 schools in the last two years. Brand-new institution Carson became a member in 2006-07, and East Rowan and South Rowan dropped from the 4A ranks into the NPC this past season.

As the new "half plus one" rule goes, the NPC received six automatic playoff berths for baseball, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, softball and volleyball (half of the 10-team league is five, plus one is six).

Of those six teams, only the top seed gets a home game in the first round. Every other seed goes on the road.

The playoff brackets for the aforementioned seven sports are the same across the board. Each team that qualifies for the playoffs simply fills in a slot on brackets released weeks in advance. For example, the Piedmont Triad Conference's No. 1 team always hosts the Mid-Piedmont's No. 4 team in the first round; the Big South Conference's No. 2 team always hosts the Mountain Athletic Conference's No. 3 team.

Of the nine conferences that boast 3A teams and therefore have a No. 2 seed in the Western Regional, a whopping seven host a first-round game. Of those seven, five host a No. 3 seed.

The only two leagues that must send a No. 2 seed on the road to play another No. 2 seed are the NPC and Southwestern Conference. The Southwestern Conference is typically regarded as one of the weakest across the board and has only four schools.

Of the six different teams seeded No. 3 from their respective conference, four get a slightly easier draw and play a No. 2 seed while two play a No. 1 seed. Again, the NPC's third-seeded team gets a top-seeded, tougher opponent on the road.

The NCHSAA adopted the "half plus one" rule to add more teams to the playoffs - which is more money that lines the state association's collective pockets - but isn't giving teams from the NPC a fair shake. Iredell County schools should not bear the brunt of adding two new teams by a faulty set of playoff brackets.

Starting next season, the NPC's No. 2 seed should host a first-round game and the NPC's No. 3 seed should draw a No. 2 seed in the first round.

South baseball bounced

There will be no postseason for the South Iredell baseball squad.

North Lincoln made sure of that with a three-run first inning that put the Vikings behind the eight ball for the rest of Monday's game.

Although a tough loss, very few expected South to even force such a contest, a play-in game for the Southern Piedmont's fourth and final playoff spot.

South started the season 0-9 and lost to every county team it played.

But the Vikings really got a boost from a 25-0, five-inning win over Highland Tech. South won four of its last five conference games to force the play-in.

Credit coach Bobby Deal for righting the ship.

The Vikings have a chance - a pretty good one, I think - to make the playoffs for the first time since 1995 next season.

The biggest reason is pitcher Lane Marlowe. Marlowe came on strong at the end of the year, and he's that true ace every high school team needs.

If the Vikings can find a steady No. 2 starter, they'll win enough to make the postseason.