One game and two coin flips were required Saturday to determine the playoff format for Class C North football.
One other postseason berth, in Class D North, was determined Sunday morning with Houlton edging out Bucksport for the No. 6 seed based on overall record.
The Old Town Coyotes earned the No. 1 seed in Class C North after winning a coin flip with Winslow after the Black Raiders’ 35-0 victory over Waterville on Saturday — meaning Old Town will have home-field advantage throughout the regional playoffs.
Both Old Town and defending Class C state champion Winslow are 8-0 but because they did not meet, had identical schedules and the same record, the coin flip was the final means of determining seeding between the teams.
The same circumstances occurred between Foxcroft Academy of Dover-Foxcroft and Oceanside of Rockland-Thomaston, who tied for fifth in Class C North.
Those teams had identical 4-4 records, identical schedules and they did not meet during the regular season so a coin flip determined that Foxcroft would be seeded fifth and Oceanside sixth.
No. 6 Oceanside will play at No. 3 Mount Desert Island (6-2) of Bar Harbor next Friday in one of two Class C North quarterfinals, with No. 5 Foxcroft at No. 4 Madison-Carrabec (4-4), also on Friday.
Old Town and Winslow each gets a first-round bye.
The last undetermined playoff berth involved the sixth and final spot in Class D North, where Bucksport (3-5) and Houlton (4-4) were tied in the Crabtree points and the Heal points through five decimal points.
The two teams’ Heal points were subsequently extended through 10 decimal points to determine if that would break the tie, but when it didn’t the next tiebreakers were division record and overall record, which favored a Houlton program in just its second season since the sport was restored at the school.
Tiebreaker results in classes C and D will be made official Monday.
As for the Class D North playoffs, No. 1 Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield (8-0) and No. 2 Mattanawcook Academy (6-2) have earned first-round byes next weekend. Quarterfinals will send Houlton to No. 3 Mount View of Thorndike (6-2) and No. 5 Dexter (3-5) to No. 4 Orono (4-4).
In Class A North, Bangor’s victory at Oxford Hills-Buckfield on Friday combined with Edward Little of Auburn’s win over Lewiston not only secured a playoff berth for coach Al Mosca’s Rams but advanced Bangor to fifth place in the division.
Bangor (2-6) will visit No. 4 Edward Little (3-5) for one quarterfinal while No. 6 Lewiston (2-6) will play at No. 3 Cheverus of Portland (5-3). First-round byes go to No. 1 Portland (8-0) and No. 2 Windham (6-2).
In Class B North, No. 1 Brunswick (7-1) and No. 2 Skowhegan (7-1) earned first-round byes while quarterfinals next weekend have No. 6 Lawrence of Fairfield (4-4) at No. 3 Brewer (7-1) and No. 5 Cony of Augusta (4-4) at No. 4 Mt. Blue of Farmington (5-3).
