Ethical dilemmas are rare in football. It's a zero-sum game, after all. Somebody wins. Somebody loses. And usually there is no gray area between the sidelines and the end zones. But this week Weatherford is finding out that's not necessarily the case, which is why the school's athletic director Philip O'Neil felt compelled to make a declaration about his team's intentions.

"Our focus is totally on trying to win the game," he said.

Why wouldn't it be? After all, a victory over Burleson on Friday ensures Weatherford one of the four playoff berths allotted to District 3-5A. But here's the thing: So does a loss of 13 points or more.

"It's a strange scenario," O'Neil said. "It's one of the weirdest ones I have been associated with."

And it could bubble to the surface if certain results are achieved, forging a three-way tie in the process. If such a deadlock is created, point differential is used to determine the first team that advances. Once that is resolved, the outcome of the head-to-head matchup between the remaining two teams decides which one earns the final playoff berth.

As a result, the following situation could arise: If Richland falls to Haltom and Burleson defeats Weatherford, the three teams each have 3-3 records in the district. Richland has a plus-6 point differential, Weatherford a plus-1 and Burleson a minus-7.

But if Burleson defeats Weatherford by 13 or more points, it will give Burleson the edge in three-way tie point differential, and Burleson would make the playoffs. With two teams remaining and one playoff spot, the tiebreaker reverts to the outcome of a head-to-head matchup, and Weatherford would advance on the basis of its one-point win over Richland.

"I think there is enough integrity where somebody wouldn't do that," Richland coach Gene Wier said. "Most coaches play to win. But I think we need to beat Haltom and not worry about it."

3-5A: Abilene and Haltom have clinched playoff spots. Richland is in with a win over Haltom, a win by Weatherford over Burleson or a win by Burleson of less than 13 points. Weatherford is in with a win over Burleson or a loss to Burleson by more than 13 points. Burleson is in with a win over Weatherford.

4-5A: Arlington and Arlington Bowie are in. Arlington Martin is in with a win over Arlington Lamar. Arlington Lamar is in with a win over Martin or a loss by Mansfield Summit. Mansfield Summit is in with a win over Arlington Bowie or a loss by Martin.

5-5A: Euless Trinity, Colleyville Heritage and Grapevine have clinched playoff spots. The winner of Keller vs. Keller Fossil Ridge clinches the last spot.

6-5A: Southlake Carroll and Coppell have clinched playoff spots. Flower Mound Marcus is in with a win over Hebron or a loss by Flower Mound. Flower Mound is in with a win over Coppell or a loss by Hebron. Hebron is in with a win over Marcus.

7-5A: Cedar Hill and Irving Nimitz are in. Duncanville is in with either a South Grand Prairie loss or an Irving MacArthur loss. Irving MacArthur is in with a win. South Grand Prairie is in with a win and a MacArthur loss.

8-5A: Allen, Plano East and Plano West have all clinched playoff berths. The winner of Friday's Plano-Jesuit game will secure the final spot.

9-5A: Skyline and Lake Highlands are in. Richardson is in with a win or a loss to Creekview by eight points or fewer. Richardson Berkner is in with a win or a loss to W.T. White by 13 or less. Creekview is in if it beats Richardson by nine or more.

10-5A: Garland and North Garland are in. South Garland is in with a win or a North Garland loss. Garland Naaman Forest is in with a win or a Sachse loss. Sachse is in with a win and a South Garland win. Rowlett is in with a win and a Naaman Forest loss.

11-5A: DeSoto, Tyler John Tyler and Tyler Lee have all clinched playoff berths. Mesquite is in if it defeats Mesquite Horn on Friday. North Mesquite is in if it defeats Tyler Lee on Friday and Mesquite loses to Mesquite Horn. Mesquite Horn is in if it defeats Mesquite and North Mesquite loses to Tyler Lee.

8-4A: Stephenville and Everman are in. Arlington Seguin is in if it beats Joshua on Friday or if it loses and Mansfield Timberview loses to Mansfield Legacy. Legacy is in if beats Timberview or if it loses to Timberview by eight points or fewer or if it loses to Timberview by nine points or more and Seguin loses. Timberview is in if it beats Legacy by nine points or more or if it beats Legacy by eight points or fewer and Seguin loses.

9-4A: Sherman and Denison are in. If Liberty beats McKinney and Wakeland beats McKinney North or if Liberty loses by seven points or less and Wakeland wins, the following teams make the playoffs: Liberty and Wakeland. If Liberty loses to McKinney by eight points or more and Wakeland wins, the following teams make the playoffs: Liberty and McKinney. Win or lose, Liberty is in the playoffs. If Wakeland loses to McKinney North, it is out.

10-4A: Highland Park, Carrollton Newman Smith and Rockwall-Heath and Richardson Pearce have clinched playoff berths.

11-4A: Carter, South Oak Cliff and Pinkston are in. If Seagoville beats Adamson and Kimball beats North Dallas, Kimball makes the playoffs. If Adamson beats Seagoville, Adamson is in.

12-4A: Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson and Samuell have all clinched playoff spots. The winner of Friday's Conrad-Bryan Adams game will clinch the final spot.

15-4A: Red Oak and West Mesquite have clinched playoff spots. Terrell is in if it beats Lancaster or loses by six points or less, or if Forney beats Red Oak. Lancaster is in if it beats Terrell by seven points or more and Forney beats Red Oak. Forney is in if it beats Red Oak or if Lancaster loses to Terrell.

16-4A: Waxahachie and Waco Midway have clinched. The winner of Friday's game between Cleburne and Corsicana is in. The winner of Ennis-Waco U game is in.