2023 Power Point Standings
The top 8 teams in each region with the most points at the end of the regular season will make the playoffs. Up-to-date power points will be posted each week.
Standings As of 11/4/2023
Region C
South County (330) 33.00
Lake Braddock (323) 32.30
West Springfield (310) 31.00
Edison (284) 28.40
-
Fairfax (272) 27.20
Hayfield (266) 26.60
Mount Vernon (264) 26.40
West Potomac (252) 25.20
=====
Robinson (246) 24.60
Lewis (225) 22.50
Justice (217) 21.70
Annandale (215) 21.50
Falls Church (208) 20.80
W.T. Woodson (203) 20.30
Alexandria City (197) 19.70
Region D
Madison (348) 34.80
South Lakes (344) 34.40
Washington-Liberty (329) 32.90
McLean (322) 32.20
-
Herndon (305) 30.50
Westfield (293) 29.30
Yorktown (274) 27.40
Langley (266) 26.60
=====
Chantilly (263) 26.30
Marshall (260) 26.00
Centreville (225) 22.50
Oakton (212) 21.20
Wakefield (207) 20.70
Region C
South County (330) 33.00
Lake Braddock (323) 32.30
West Springfield (310) 31.00
Edison (284) 28.40
-
Fairfax (272) 27.20
Hayfield (266) 26.60
Mount Vernon (264) 26.40
West Potomac (252) 25.20
=====
Robinson (246) 24.60
Lewis (225) 22.50
Justice (217) 21.70
Annandale (215) 21.50
Falls Church (208) 20.80
W.T. Woodson (203) 20.30
Alexandria City (197) 19.70
Region D
Madison (348) 34.80
South Lakes (344) 34.40
Washington-Liberty (329) 32.90
McLean (322) 32.20
-
Herndon (305) 30.50
Westfield (293) 29.30
Yorktown (274) 27.40
Langley (266) 26.60
=====
Chantilly (263) 26.30
Marshall (260) 26.00
Centreville (225) 22.50
Oakton (212) 21.20
Wakefield (207) 20.70
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 points based on wins and losses and the number of wins their opponents have. Teams that play difficult schedules have the ability to earn more points.
Classifications & Playoffs
307 Virginia high schools compete in football and are divided across six classifications based on student population. 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 1,989 students. In comparison, T.C. Williams is the largest with 3,515 and Woodbridge is second with 2,855. This is a close estimate on where the classes are currently separated by student population:
Class 6: 1900+
Class 5: 1500-1899
Class 4: 1150-1499
Class 3: 800-1149
Class 2: 500-799
Class 1: 1-499
Each class is separated into four regions, each region determines their own regional playoff format to send a representative to the state tournament. Hayfield is in Class 6 Region C (Occoquan) which plays an eight-team playoff bracket. The Region C winner plays the winner of Class 6 Region D (Northern) in a state semi-final. The winner of the state semi-final will play in the state final against the winner of Region A & B.
Power Points
There are three ways a team can earn power 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 Region C & D power points, 56 teams will need to be tracked throughout the season.
Game Points
Teams receive game points whether 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 14 points for losing to a Class 6 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 the contenders from the pretenders. 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 (10-0) 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 a few years ago makes it possible for higher class teams to schedule lower class teams without the fear of losing out on potential points (i.e. A Class 6 earning 26 points for beating another Class 6 vs. a Class 6 earning 24 points for beating a Class 5). 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. Essentially, teams are made whole on the points they would have earned if they played a team in their own class.
For example, when Class 6 Hayfield plays Class 5 Edison in the annual Bird Bowl. Hayfield earns an additional 2 points, win or lose, for playing a team one classification level down.
Classifications & Playoffs
307 Virginia high schools compete in football and are divided across six classifications based on student population. 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 1,989 students. In comparison, T.C. Williams is the largest with 3,515 and Woodbridge is second with 2,855. This is a close estimate on where the classes are currently separated by student population:
Class 6: 1900+
Class 5: 1500-1899
Class 4: 1150-1499
Class 3: 800-1149
Class 2: 500-799
Class 1: 1-499
Each class is separated into four regions, each region determines their own regional playoff format to send a representative to the state tournament. Hayfield is in Class 6 Region C (Occoquan) which plays an eight-team playoff bracket. The Region C winner plays the winner of Class 6 Region D (Northern) in a state semi-final. The winner of the state semi-final will play in the state final against the winner of Region A & B.
Power Points
There are three ways a team can earn power 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 Region C & D power points, 56 teams will need to be tracked throughout the season.
Game Points
Teams receive game points whether 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 14 points for losing to a Class 6 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 the contenders from the pretenders. 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 (10-0) 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 a few years ago makes it possible for higher class teams to schedule lower class teams without the fear of losing out on potential points (i.e. A Class 6 earning 26 points for beating another Class 6 vs. a Class 6 earning 24 points for beating a Class 5). 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. Essentially, teams are made whole on the points they would have earned if they played a team in their own class.
For example, when Class 6 Hayfield plays Class 5 Edison in the annual Bird Bowl. Hayfield earns an additional 2 points, win or lose, for playing a team one classification level down.