Playoff Prediction: Will Peters Make It?

In a recent interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Peters head coach said he "likes what he sees," regarding the playoffs.

"We're in a pretty good seat," Piccinini told writer Chris Harlan. "We have to win—take care of our end of the bargain—and let the chips fall."

There is one week left in the WPIAL football season, and only nine playoff spots unclaimed across all four classifications. The other 55 have already been filled.

The Trib reports:

"That includes in the Quad West, where Peters Township (1-3), Baldwin (1-3) and Bethel Park (2-2) are trying for the final two spots. Bethel Park and Baldwin play one another Friday night. Peters Township plays Canon-McMillan (0-4)."

At 4-4 overall and 1-3 in the WPIAL's AAAA Great Southern Conference, 's varsity football team still has a shot at the 2011 postseason with one game left to play—this Friday night at home against Great Southern foe Bethel Park High School (3-5, 2-2 conference) at 7:30.

Any which way that you slice it, Baldwin High will need some help on Friday to get into the WPIAL football playoffs.

Both  and Mt. Lebanon high schools (each 4-0 in conference play) have clinched postseason berths out of the Great Southern, but Bethel Park,  and Baldwin are battling for the conference's final two playoffs spots.

Should Baldwin win at home against Bethel on Friday and  (0-4 Great Southern) win at Peters that same night, the Highlanders and Bethel will clinch.

But even if Peters wins, Baldwin could still earn a playoffs spot if it beats Bethel by 10 or more points. That way, Baldwin, which lost to Peters, , would be in a three-way tie for third and fourth place with Bethel and Peters. Since Baldwin, Peters and Bethel would have all defeated each other in some way this year by at least 10 points every time, two of those teams will advance to the playoffs as determined by a coin toss, or a series of coin tosses.

Technically, Baldwin could still get into the playoffs with a loss on Friday (even by 10 or more points) if Canon-McMillan beats Peters by at least 10. That would put Baldwin, Peters and Canon-Mac in a three-way tie for fourth place with the coin-toss gods taking over from there. Should Baldwin lose to Bethel by less than 10 and Canon-Mac beat Peters by 10 or more, that would put Baldwin in the postseason, as well.

"Anyone I've ever coached with will tell you I'm a guy who starts figuring out scenarios early," Piccinini told Harlan. "It's in my nature to start looking at them as soon as possible."

"For Piccinini, there's a clear path to the playoffs if Bethel Park beats Baldwin, and Peters Township beats Canon-McMillan," Harlan wrote. "Under that scenario, Bethel Park and Peters Township make the playoffs."

What is your game prediction for Friday night? Tell us in the comments.