High school football: Felt's Facts Week 9

Playoff Fever

This time last year, only Clearfield had been eliminated from the playoffs. This season, eight teams have already been booted from postseason contention. Class 5A has filled seven spots, in 4A, five are taken and in 3A, five more berths are filled. The next two weeks will be crammed with meaningful games for qualifying and seeding and for deciding region champions.

All 12 Class 2A teams qualify for the playoffs, and this week's final regular season contests will determine both league champs and seeding for next week's first round games.

In the race for region championships, no team has yet claimed an outright title and only Springville (Region 8), San Juan (2A East), South Sevier (2A West) and Rich (1A North) have clinched at least a share of a league crown.

Here's a region-by-region run down with the teams that have clinched, the number of open berths, projections for which teams will fill those spots and a look at some of the region championship possibilities.

Class 5A

Region 1 – In: Davis, Syracuse, Fremont. Open berths (2): Viewmont, Weber. Out: Roy.

If Davis and Syracuse win their remaining games, they'll share the region title and the Darts will be the No. 1 seed. Viewmont clinches by beating Roy and can claim the third seed by knocking off Clearfield next week.

Weber nabs at least a tie for a berth with a win over Layton and clinches if Northridge loses to Clearfield. The Warriors are trying for their first postseason appearance since 2003. Just seven schools have gone longer without making the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Layton is out if it loses and Northridge is eliminated if it loses and Weber wins.

Region 2 – In: Hunter. Open berths (3): Cottonwood, Skyline, West. Out: Cyprus.

Hunter, in its final regular season game, puts a lot on the line at Skyline. If the Wolverines win, they'll claim the No. 1 seed and at least a share of the region crown, their first since 2003, while a loss could drop them to the fourth seed. Cottonwood and Skyline will secure berths and have a shot at sharing the league title by winning and Murray and Granger are eliminated should they lose this week.

Region 3 – In: Riverton. Open berths (2): Bingham, West Jordan. Out: Taylorsville