Major changes are occurring this off-season to playoff seeding, regions, and the way power points are calculated. When the new 2017-18 VHSL Handbook is released sometime in July, this page will be updated.
2016 Power Point Standings Through Week 10
Top 16 Teams Make Playoffs in Each Class
#1 Lake Braddock (344) 34.40
#2 Madison (331) 33.10
#3 Westfield (324) 32.40
#4 South Lakes (318) 31.80
#5 Centreville (315) 31.50
#6 South County (313) 31.30
#7 West Potomac (308) 30.80
#8 Hayfield (306) 30.60
----
#9 Patriot (285) 28.50
#10 T.C. Williams (281) 28.10
#11 Battlefield (280) 28.00
#12 Mount Vernon (268) 26.80
#13 Oakton (264) 26.40
#14 W.T. Woodson (261) 26.10
#15 Washington-Lee (257) 25.70 (Beats Robinson on tie-breaker F. More Wins 5 vs. 4)
#16 Robinson (257) 25.70
======================
Chantilly (247) 24.70
Yorktown (245) 24.50
Annandale (240) 24.00
West Springfield (231) 23.10
Langley (225) 22.50
Stonewall Jackson (217) 21.70
Osbourn (213) 21.30
Herndon (205) 20.50
McLean (201) 20.10
Fairfax (192) 19.20
Osbourn Park (189) 18.90
#2 Madison (331) 33.10
#3 Westfield (324) 32.40
#4 South Lakes (318) 31.80
#5 Centreville (315) 31.50
#6 South County (313) 31.30
#7 West Potomac (308) 30.80
#8 Hayfield (306) 30.60
----
#9 Patriot (285) 28.50
#10 T.C. Williams (281) 28.10
#11 Battlefield (280) 28.00
#12 Mount Vernon (268) 26.80
#13 Oakton (264) 26.40
#14 W.T. Woodson (261) 26.10
#15 Washington-Lee (257) 25.70 (Beats Robinson on tie-breaker F. More Wins 5 vs. 4)
#16 Robinson (257) 25.70
======================
Chantilly (247) 24.70
Yorktown (245) 24.50
Annandale (240) 24.00
West Springfield (231) 23.10
Langley (225) 22.50
Stonewall Jackson (217) 21.70
Osbourn (213) 21.30
Herndon (205) 20.50
McLean (201) 20.10
Fairfax (192) 19.20
Osbourn Park (189) 18.90
Power Points 101
The Virginia High School League (VHSL) uses a mathematical formula to determine football playoff berths and seeding. Affectionately known as 'power points,' teams earn more points for wins and are rewarded for beating tougher opponents and playing a difficult schedule.
Classifications & Playoffs
Each year, the VHSL crowns six state champions who are grouped into six classifications based on student population. Approximately every two years, VHSL revises classifications to reflect a school’s growing or declining student population. Hayfield ranks near the bottom of Class 6 with 1,950 students while T.C. Williams is the largest with 2,900 and Westfield second with 2,800. This is a close estimate on where the classes are currently separated by student population:
Class 6: 1850+
Class 5: 1450-1849
Class 4: 1100-1449
Class 3: 750-1099
Class 2: 500-749
Class 1: 1-499
Each class is separated into two regions, with Class 6 having a Northern and Southern Region. The Class 6 Northern Region has 27 teams and only 16 will make the playoffs. These 16 teams will play in a bracket tournament until a champion emerges to play the winner of the Southern Region in the state final.
Power Points
There are three ways a team can earn points: Game Points, Bonus Points, and Classification Points. A team’s classification and the results of teams on their schedule play a big part in how points are calculated. In order to calculate the Class 6 Northern Region power points, 105 teams will need to be tracked throughout the season. This includes some teams from D.C., North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia—since some schools play opponents outside the Commonwealth.
Game Points
Teams receive game points regardless if they win or lose, but earn significantly more points for winning. For example, a team will earn 26 points for beating a Class 6 team, but will only receive 12 points for losing to a Class 5 team.
Class/Winning Against/Losing Against
Class 6/26/14
Class 5/24/12
Class 4/22/10
Class 3/20/8
Class 2/18/6
Class 1/16/4
Bonus/Rider Points
Bonus points (also known as rider points) are what separate great teams from good teams. For each opponent a team beats—they’ll receive 2 bonus points for each win that opponent has during the season. For opponents a team loses to—they’ll receive only 1 bonus point for each win that opponent has during the season.
For example, if Team A beats Team B who goes 0-10 during the season, Team A will receive no bonus points at all because Team B doesn’t have any wins (0 wins x 2 points) and Team B will receive 10 points (10 wins x 1 point). And if Team A beats Team C who is 9-1, Team A will receive 18 bonus points (9 wins x 2 points) and Team C will receive 10 points (10 wins x 1 point).
Classification Points
The addition of classification points makes it possible for higher class teams to play lower class team's without creating a disadvantage. Historical districts are still used as a core in scheduling, which creates some districts with different class teams. If a higher class team play's a lower class team, they will automatically receive 2 points for each class jump to make up for the difference in base points.
For example, when Hayfield was in the National District, Washington-Lee and Yorktown were Class 6 and Edison, Falls Church, Mount Vernon, Stuart, and Wakefield were Class 5. When Hayfield played Class 5 district teams, they would automatically receive 2 points per game win or lose.
The top 16 teams with the most points at the end of the regular season will make the playoffs. Current power points will be posted each week, so check back often for the latest standings and the Hawks chase for the playoffs and beyond.
Classifications & Playoffs
Each year, the VHSL crowns six state champions who are grouped into six classifications based on student population. Approximately every two years, VHSL revises classifications to reflect a school’s growing or declining student population. Hayfield ranks near the bottom of Class 6 with 1,950 students while T.C. Williams is the largest with 2,900 and Westfield second with 2,800. This is a close estimate on where the classes are currently separated by student population:
Class 6: 1850+
Class 5: 1450-1849
Class 4: 1100-1449
Class 3: 750-1099
Class 2: 500-749
Class 1: 1-499
Each class is separated into two regions, with Class 6 having a Northern and Southern Region. The Class 6 Northern Region has 27 teams and only 16 will make the playoffs. These 16 teams will play in a bracket tournament until a champion emerges to play the winner of the Southern Region in the state final.
Power Points
There are three ways a team can earn points: Game Points, Bonus Points, and Classification Points. A team’s classification and the results of teams on their schedule play a big part in how points are calculated. In order to calculate the Class 6 Northern Region power points, 105 teams will need to be tracked throughout the season. This includes some teams from D.C., North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia—since some schools play opponents outside the Commonwealth.
Game Points
Teams receive game points regardless if they win or lose, but earn significantly more points for winning. For example, a team will earn 26 points for beating a Class 6 team, but will only receive 12 points for losing to a Class 5 team.
Class/Winning Against/Losing Against
Class 6/26/14
Class 5/24/12
Class 4/22/10
Class 3/20/8
Class 2/18/6
Class 1/16/4
Bonus/Rider Points
Bonus points (also known as rider points) are what separate great teams from good teams. For each opponent a team beats—they’ll receive 2 bonus points for each win that opponent has during the season. For opponents a team loses to—they’ll receive only 1 bonus point for each win that opponent has during the season.
For example, if Team A beats Team B who goes 0-10 during the season, Team A will receive no bonus points at all because Team B doesn’t have any wins (0 wins x 2 points) and Team B will receive 10 points (10 wins x 1 point). And if Team A beats Team C who is 9-1, Team A will receive 18 bonus points (9 wins x 2 points) and Team C will receive 10 points (10 wins x 1 point).
Classification Points
The addition of classification points makes it possible for higher class teams to play lower class team's without creating a disadvantage. Historical districts are still used as a core in scheduling, which creates some districts with different class teams. If a higher class team play's a lower class team, they will automatically receive 2 points for each class jump to make up for the difference in base points.
For example, when Hayfield was in the National District, Washington-Lee and Yorktown were Class 6 and Edison, Falls Church, Mount Vernon, Stuart, and Wakefield were Class 5. When Hayfield played Class 5 district teams, they would automatically receive 2 points per game win or lose.
The top 16 teams with the most points at the end of the regular season will make the playoffs. Current power points will be posted each week, so check back often for the latest standings and the Hawks chase for the playoffs and beyond.
