What the season finales mean for playoff-bound teams - and those on the bubble

As final weeks of the high school football season go, there really isn’t a lot of drama remaining for teams to clinch playoff spots in six of the nine area Class 6A and 5A districts, in which all four playoff positions are known. Friday’s results would only determine seeds.

In the other three, however, it’s down to the final spot. The combinations are always interesting, especially when it comes to three-way ties. We try to clear up the mud.

District 3-6A

Clinched: Keller Fossil Ridge, Keller Central, Keller

Still alive: Haltom, Keller Timber Creek

Key results: Timber Creek 28, Haltom 20. Keller 21, Timber Creek 14. Haltom 29, Keller 26.

Three-way tiebreaker: Plus-minus 14 points

Deciding games: Haltom at Keller Central, 7 p.m. Thursday Keller ISD Complex. Keller Timber Creek at Abilene, 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Scenario 1: Keller is a Division I representative. Its seed will depend on the outcomes of Haltom-Keller Central and Keller Timber Creek-Abilene. Keller Fossil Ridge is the No. 1 seed in Division 2. Keller Central is the No. 2 seed in Division 2.

Scenario 2: Haltom clinches with a win over Keller Central.

Scenario 3: Haltom clinches with a loss and a Keller Timber Creek loss at Abilene.

Scenario 4: Keller Timber Creek clinches with a win at Abilene and a Haltom loss to Keller Central.

Scenario 5 (three-way tie Keller, Haltom, Timber Creek 3-3): Timber Creek clinches because it beat Haltom, along with the points favoring it.

District 4-6A

Clinched: Arlington, Mansfield, Arlington Lamar, Arlington Martin

Scenario: Martin will hold the No. 1 seed in Division I if defeats Lamar tonight or loses by 10 or fewer points. Lamar will earn the No. 1 Division I seed if it beats Martin by at least 11 points. Mansfield is the No. 1 seed in Division 2. Arlington is the No. 2 seed in Division 2.

District 5-6A

Clinched: Euless Trinity, Trophy Club Byron Nelson, Southlake Carroll, Lewisville Hebron

Scenario: Euless Trinity is the No. 1 seed in Division 1. Hebron is the No. 2 seed in Division 1. Carroll is the No. 1 seed in Division 2. Byron Nelson is the No. 2 seed in Division 2.

District 7-6A

Clinched: Duncanville, DeSoto, Grand Prairie, South Grand Prairie

Scenario: Duncanville is the No. 1 seed in Division 1. South Grand Prairie is the No. 2 seed in Division 1. DeSoto is the No. 1 seed in Division 2. Grand Prairie is the No. 2 seed in Division 2.

District 6-5A

Clinched: Aledo, Saginaw Boswell, White Settlement Brewer

Still alive: Azle, Haslet V.R. Eaton, Justin Northwest

Three-way tiebreaker: Plus 18 points (no negative points)

Key results: Azle 24, Eaton 17. Brewer 44, Azle 18. Eaton 58, Northwest 44

Deciding games: Azle at Northwest, Eaton at Brewer

District title: Aledo and Boswell are the two Division 2 seeds and meet Friday at Boswell to determine the district champion and top seed.

Scenario 2: Azle clinches with a win over Northwest.

Scenario 3: Eaton clinches with a win over Brewer and an Azle loss to Northwest.

Scenario 4 (three-way tie Eaton, Brewer, Azle at 4-3): Eaton clinches if it defeats Brewer by 18. The Eagles win the head-to-head with Brewer by the maximum. That puts them at plus 18 and Brewer at plus 18.

Scenario 5 (three-way tie Eaton, Brewer, Azle at 4-3): Azle clinches if Eaton defeats Brewer by 17 or fewer.

Scenario 6 (three-way tie Azle, Eaton, Northwest at 3-4): Eaton clinches if Northwest beats Azle by 14 or less.

Scenario 7 (three-way tie Azle, Eaton, Northwest at 3-4): Northwest clinches if it beats Azle by 15 or more.

District 7-5A

Clinched: Fort Worth South Hills, Fort Worth Southwest, Fort Worth Arlington Heights and Fort Worth YMLA

Scenario: South Hills is the No. 1 seed in Division 1. Arlington Heights is the No. 2 seed in Division 1. The outcome of YMLA’s against Arlington Heights and Southwest’s game against Fort Worth North Side will determine the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in Division 2.

District 8-5A

Clinched: Colleyville Heritage, Grapevine, Birdville, Richland

Scenario: Colleyville Heritage is the No. 1 seed in Division 1. Birdville is the No. 2 seed in Division 1. The outcome of Grapevine’s game against Birdville and Richland’s game against Colleyville Heritage will determine the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in Division 2.

District 9-5A

Clinched: Everman, Crowley, Burleson, Burleson Centennial

Scenario: Crowley is the No. 1 seed in Division 1. Burleson Centennial is the No. 2 seed in Division 1. Everman is the No. 1 seed in Division 2. Burleson is the No. 2 seed in Division 2.

District 10-5A

Clinched: Mansfield Lake Ridge, Mansfield Legacy, Waxahachie

Still alive: Mansfield Summit, Lancaster, Mansfield Timberview

Three-way tiebreaker: Plus-minus 21

Key results: Lancaster 38, Mansfield Summit 29; Mansfield Summit 55, Midlothian 35; Midlothian 29, Mansfield Timberview 22; Mansfield Timberview 30, Lancaster 28.

Deciding games: Mansfield Summit vs. Mansfield Timberview, 7:30 p.m. Friday Newsom Stadium. Midlothian at Lancaster, 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Scenario 1: Summit clinches if it defeats Timberview.

Scenario 2 (three-way tie Lancaster, Timberview, Summit 3-4): Timberview clinches because it defeated both Lancaster and Summit.

Scenario 3 (three-way tie Midlothian, Timberview, Summit 3-4): Summit clinches it loses to Timberview wins by 13 or less.

Scenario 4 (three-way tie Midlothian, Timberview, Summit 3-4): Timberview clinches if it defeats Summit by at least 14.

This story was originally published November 9, 2017 at 4:35 PM with the headline "What the season finales mean for playoff-bound teams - and those on the bubble."