Small School Dynasty - Easier in Basketball or Football?

A recent post in the Pendleton-Bracken basketball game thread got me to wondering. The point was made that small schools will often experience a few years of real success, then cycle back down for a while. Yet it seems that we have the same small-school powerhouses year in and year out.

So, is it easier/more common to stay at a high level on the gridiron than on the court? If so, why is that?

Football due to classes.

football due to classes.

Agreed.

What would constitute a dynasty in basketball...Perennial Region Titles and making Sweet Sixteens? Or would they need to challenge for a state title year in and year out like football dynasties do?

I think if a school is in the discussion for region title year in and year out it should be considered a dynasty.

What would constitute a dynasty in basketball...Perennial Region Titles and making Sweet Sixteens? Or would they need to challenge for a state title year in and year out like football dynasties do?

 

I think if a school is in the discussion for region title year in and year out it should be considered a dynasty.

A solid program but not a dynasty if they aren't winning multiple regional championships.

Football due to classes without a doubt.

A solid program but not a dynasty if they aren't winning multiple regional championships.

Without a doubt they have to win several and with different key players to be considered a dynasty. A basketball dynasty is a team that is considered a favorite or co-favorite almost yearly to win the region and then goes out and wins some.

Basketball is much easier to have success in because you only need two good players.

As far as football is concerned, ask anyone that had to go up against Mayfield or Beechwood in Class 1A. I am certain they would say hoops.

I'd say football is easier just because of classes.

As for basketball, it depends on your part of the state. I'd say high level means competing for regional titles in basketball. Sayre can be very good in basketball but they aren't going to with the 11th Region. Pikeville can be good (sometimes very good) and always be competitive in the 15th Region. Sayre could be better than Pikeville every year but never advance as far.

Football hands down due to classes. Most “football schools” have very strong feeder programs due to the high success rate of the parent high school. It’s a culture that is hard to beat.

Basketball is very prone to transfers and that often breeds success for those programs in the short term.

It’s very easy to determine which schools are football vs basketball schools. Most can be labeled in a second or 2. Mostly due to their rich tradition in each sport. I’ll list 6 schools and you tell me what you think and why.

Mason Co

Danville

Beechwood

Pendleton Co

Raceland

Lexington Christian

Those are random off the top of my head.

Now their are exceptions to everything like Paris and Cov Cath off the top of my head. They excell at both or have recently anyway.

Basketball is much easier to have success in because you only need two good players.

 

As far as football is concerned, ask anyone that had to go up against Mayfield or Beechwood in Class 1A. I am certain they would say hoops.

Teams like Mayfield and Beechwood are dynasties. I can't name too many teams in basketball that are at the state tournament every year. But in football I can name several teams that are always in the hunt.

Football. Like multiple users have said above, classes help.

However, it does also depend on how you define a "dynasty". Do you mean a team that wins multiple regional titles? Just simply contends for the regional title? Is in the discussion?

@sweet16 you injected "Classification" into the thread. I was going with what was in the original post by @mcpapa

@sweet16 you injected "Classification" into the thread. I was going with what was in the original post by @mcpapa

Can’t ignore the fact that classes play a big role in the competition level. Beechwood is in the finals every year. Why? Because they are a prolific program in 1A. They dominated that class for years. And will continue to do so because of their rich football tradition. If it were just 1 class like in Basketball could they compete with the big schools of the 9th region? Maybe maybe not.

Depends on the region. If you are a small school in the First or Second Region for basketball, you will continually have to get through the likes of Marshall, McCracken, Christian County, or Henderson County just to sniff a state tournament.

Crittenden County was one win away from making the state semifinals in football.

Obviously the answer is football