A look ahead at NCHSAA playoffs, courtesy of RPI ratings, plus Charlotte-area standings

If the high school football season ended today, West Charlotte would have home-field advantage for every round of the playoffs, up to the state championship.

Monroe would have a similar advantage, and Weddington would play most of its postseason games at home.

That is based on this week’s RPI ratings, used by the N.C. High School Athletic Association to seed teams for postseason play.

Of course, the season doesn’t end today, and there will likely be numerous changes between now and Oct. 28, when the NCHSAA announces the brackets for the football playoffs.

The RPI ratings are based on a team’s winning percentage, plus the winning percentage of a team’s opponents, and the winning percentage of a team’s opponent’s opponents.

That makes a game like Friday’s West Charlotte at Hough contest important to both teams. With West Charlotte at 6-0 and Hough at 5-1, the winner will pick up a chunk of RPI points.

The RPI ratings come with one caveat — conference champions get the top seeds in each classification. They are ranked by their RPI scores. Then the remaining playoff berths go to teams, in order of their RPI values.

In 2A, for example, Forest Hills has a higher RPI score this week than Monroe, although the Red Hawks beat Forest Hills 28-0 last week. If Monroe finished as Rocky River 2A-3A champion, it would be seeded higher than Forest Hills — regardless of RPI value.

So this is a partial snapshot, but it gives you an idea of how things stand so far.

Here is a look at the various classes:

Class 4A West

The top 10 are Watauga, Weddington, Grimsley, West Forsyth, Mooresville, Sun Valley, Lake Norman, Hough, Davie County and Butler.

Only one of Watauga’s remaining opponents has a winning record. Several other teams — Weddington, Sun Valley, Mooresville, Lake Norman, Hough and Butler, for example — have multiple games against teams with winning records.

So it’s entirely possible that Watauga will be displaced at the top, even if the Pioneers finish 10-0.

Other Charlotte-area teams in the field of 32: Porter Ridge (13th), Mallard Creek (14), Charlotte Catholic (15), Cox Mill (16), Cuthbertson (17),; Chambers (19), Independence (20), Ardrey Kell (23), Marvin Ridge (24), Providence (25) and Hickory Ridge (32).

Just outside the top 32: North Mecklenburg (35), A.L. Brown (36), South Mecklenburg (38), Hopewell (39) and West Cabarrus (40).

Class 3A West

Top 10: West Charlotte, Pisgah, Crest, Hickory, Kings Mountain, Eastern Guilford, Ledford, West Henderson, Northwest Cabarrus and Jay M. Robinson.

Other Charlotte-area teams in the field of 32: Statesville (14), East Lincoln (16), Hunter Huss (21), South Point (22), Concord (23), West Iredell (26), Ashbrook (27), North Gaston (28), Lake Norman Charter (32).

Just outside the top 32: West Mecklenburg (34) and North Iredell (38).

Class 2A West

Top 10: Forest Hills, Monroe, Reidsville, Randleman, Salisbury, Community School of Davidson, East Surry, West Lincoln, Bunker Hill and East Gaston.

Other Charlotte-area teams in the field of 32: Mount Pleasant (13), Pine Lake Prep (15) and Lincolnton (28).

Class 1A West

Top 10: Mount Airy, Robbinsville, Swain County, North Rowan; Murphy, Eastern Randolph, Draughn, Mitchell, Starmount and Thomasville.

Other Charlotte-area teams in the field of 32: Mountain Island Charter (12), Corvian Community (16), Christ the King (21), Bessemer City (24) and Cherryville (30).

Just outside the top 32: Union Academy (33)

Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle

Area High School Football Standings

Queen City 3A-4A

Friday’s games

Hopewell at Chambers, 7

Mallard Creek at Harding, 7

West Charlotte at Hough, 7

West Mecklenburg at North Mecklenburg, 7

SoMeck 4A

Friday’s games

Ardrey Kell at Myers Park, 7

Palisades at Olympic, 7

Open week: Berry Academy, South Mecklenburg

Southwestern 4A

Friday’s games

Butler at Rocky River, 7

Charlotte Catholic at Garinger, 7

Independence at Providence, 7

Open week: East Mecklenburg

Big South (NCISAA)

Friday’s games

Providence Day at Charlotte Country Day, 7

Cannon School at Charlotte Latin, 7

Charlotte Christian at Christ School, 7

Greater Metro 4 4A

Friday’s games

Hickory Ridge at Lake Norman, 7

South Iredell at Mooresville, 7

West Cabarrus at A.L. Brown, 7

Open week: Cox Mill

Southern Carolina 4A

Friday’s games

Marvin Ridge at Cuthbertson, 7

Weddington at Porter Ridge, 7

Open week: Sun Valley

Big South 3A

Friday’s games

Ashbrook at Stuart Cramer, 7:30

Crest at North Gaston, 7:30

Hunter Huss at Forestview, 7:30

Kings Mountain at South Point, 7:30

South Piedmont 3A

Friday’s games

East Rowan at Central Cabarrus, 7

Jesse Carson at Northwest Cabarrus, 7

South Rowan at Concord, 7

West Rowan at Jay M. Robinson, 7

Western Foothills 3A

Friday’s games

Fred T. Foard at East Lincoln, 7:30

North Iredell at Hickory, 7:30

St. Stephens at North Lincoln, 7:30

West Iredell at Statesville, 7:30

Rocky River 2A-3A

Friday’s games

Anson County at Piedmont, 7

Parkwood at Monroe, 7

West Stanly at Forest Hills, 7

Catawba Valley 2A

Friday’s games

Bandys at Maiden, 7:30

Bunker Hill at East Burke, 7:30

Lincolnton at West Caldwell, 7:30

West Lincoln at Newton-Conover, 7:30

Catawba Shores 1A-2A

Friday’s games

Community School of Davidson at Winston-Salem Prep, 7

Corvian Community at Carver, 7

Mountain Island Charter at Christ the King, 7

Pine Lake Prep at Bishop McGuinness, 7

Southern Piedmont 1A-2A

Friday’s games

Bessemer City at East Gaston, 7:30

Cherryville at Highland Tech, 7:30

Thomas Jefferson Academy at Burns, 7:30

Open week Shelby

Yadkin Valley 1A-2A

Friday’s games

Albemarle at South Stanly, 7:30

Mount Pleasant at Union Academy, 7

Lake Norman Charter at North Stanly, 7:30

Piedmont Athletic

Friday’s games

Asheville Christian at High Point Christian, 7

Asheville School at Covenant Day, 7

SouthLake Christian at Hickory Grove Christian, 7

Western Conference

Friday’s games

Metrolina Christian at Rabun Gap School, 7

Cannon School at Charlotte Latin, 7

Charlotte Christian at Christ School, 7

Independent

Friday’s game

Lake Norman Charter at North Stanly, 7:30

Saturday’s game

Cabarrus Stallions at Greenville (SC) Hurricanes, 5

SOUTH CAROLINA STANDINGS

Region 3 5A

Friday’s games

Nation Ford at Blythewood, 7:30

Rock Hill at Fort Mill, 7:30

Spring Valley at Clover, 7:30

Region 3 4A

Friday’s games

Catawba Ridge at York, 7:30

Indian Land at Northwestern, 7:30

Lancaster at South Pointe, 7:30

Region 4 3A

Friday’s games

Union County at Chester, 7:30

Woodruff at Emerald, 7:30

Open week: Clinton

Region 5 2A

Friday’s games

Buford at North Central, 7:30

Cheraw at Central Pageland, 7:30

Chesterfield at Andrew Jackson, 7:30

Region 3 1A

Friday’s games

Whitmire at McBee, 7:30

C.A. Johnson at Great Falls, 7:30

Open week: Lewisville