3A, 4A, and 5A: Parity or Paltry?

[ATLCat]

Following scores this year and since the 6 Class System this is the most wide open and unpredictable I can ever remember these three classes being. Traditionally dominant or strong handed programs are losing to lower classification teams or teams they traditionally beat. Teams expected to be near the top of the class are struggling with teams expected to be non-factors.

 

 

What is your opinion? Are these three classes just significantly down this season? Are these three classes feeling the impact of parody created by the 6 Class System as other teams have simply raised their levelr? Is it more of a product of the other classes being significantly stronger?

[Purple88]

ATL,

 

I'm with you in 3A and 4A, not so sure I agree in 5A. But maybe you mean, if you take a team or two out of the equation then it's pretty equal?

[75center]

Not sure it goes for any of the classes, the big favorites are still just a handful of the familiar names.

[WeagleWeagle]

I think what we are seeing is what is typical of high school athletics in this area of the country. With the exception of a few outliers, (highlands would be a perfect example) the public schools will have up and down periods, ie: Anderson, Central, Wayne...as classes of athletes roll through the high school program the wins will come, then your community is dry of athletes for a few years and there are less wins. I don't think it is necessary to call into question the entire 6 class system because we have some unexpected results. When the bottom dwellers are on top for a year it does not make things unfair or ridiculous, it makes them entertaining, just enjoy the show

[WeagleWeagle]

I think what we are seeing is what is typical of high school athletics in this area of the country. With the exception of a few outliers, (highlands would be a perfect example) the public schools will have up and down periods, ie: Anderson, Central, Wayne...as classes of athletes roll through the high school program the wins will come, then your community is dry of athletes for a few years and there are less wins. I don't think it is necessary to call into question the entire 6 class system because we have some unexpected results. When the bottom dwellers are on top for a year it does not make things unfair or ridiculous, it makes them entertaining, just enjoy the show

 

Not implying that Anderson is down this year, just that they could be like any other ky public school

[tdyballgame]

Following scores this year and since the 6 Class System this is the most wide open and unpredictable I can ever remember these three classes being. Traditionally dominant or strong handed programs are losing to lower classification teams or teams they traditionally beat. Teams expected to be near the top of the class are struggling with teams expected to be non-factors.

 

 

What is your opinion? Are these three classes just significantly down this season? Are these three classes feeling the impact of parody created by the 6 Class System as other teams have simply raised their levelr? Is it more of a product of the other classes being significantly stronger?

 

Well I don't follow the other teams outside of 4a to care or know about so can you list the teams that are losing to lower level teams?

[Beach Bumm]

I see the same teams at top of their class. From 1A to 6A.

[Hellbird]

Not sure it goes for any of the classes, the big favorites are still just a handful of the familiar names.

Yea, I agree.

 

You could say it if in 1A Mayfield and BW weren't among the favorites to win a title this year

I don't know enough about 3A mainly due to lack of 3A teams in NKY. Only thing I know about 3A is Belfry and/or Central have been in every championship game except for 1 since they went to 6 classes.

4A still has Highlands dominating and I don't think it will change much this year. Collins won last year but don't see it happening again this year

5A BG is still the class of the class

6A you have the Louisvill big schools dominating that class.

 

So I don't see the parody, I continue to see the usual suspects dominating.

[ATLCat]

Just a few things to consider:

 

In 3A:

The Consensus #1 team Belfry lost to 1A Pikeville

#4 Bourbon County was handled by Warren Central who was then crushed by 2A DeSales

#6 Bell County lost to 2A Middlesboro

#3 Corbin barely defeated 2A Danville

#5 Central, normally at the top of the heap, has had two running clocks against good competition. Usually they compete for 4 Quarters with Manual and St X

#7 Tilghman has 5 losses

#8 Garrard County lost to 2A Danville

#9 Mason County has been unimpressive in wins over weak competition such as Boyd Co, Rowan Co, and Lewis Co

 

In 4A:

#1 Highlands won by narrow margins over Campbell County and Bryan Station

#3 Johnson Central has played one of the weakest schedules in the State

#4 Owensboro has narrow wins over Greenwood and 3A Tilghman and a blowout loss against Central Hardin

#5 LexCath has losses t Bryan Station and Lafayette, also a narrow win over Mad. Central

#6 Boyle County lost to LexCath and closer than expected wins vs GRC and Danville

#7 Covington Catholic was blown out by Highlands and lost to 1A Beechwood

#8 Knox Central lost to 3A Bell County

#9 Franklin-Simpson was blown out in their lone loss and barely defeated 1A Russellville

#10 Ashland lost to 3A Russell and barely defeated 1A Raceland

 

In 5A:

#1 Bowling Green is strong

#2 Pulaski County only defeated North Laurel by 2

#3 Bullitt East has two losses

#4 Warren Central lost to 2A DeSales

#5 Anderson County was handled by Boyle County and has questionable value wins against Montgomery County and South Oldham

#6 Cooper was blown out by Simon kenton and has questionable value wins against Ryle and Conner

#7 Madison Southern lost to Southwestern and has questionable value wins against Dunbar and South Laurel

#8 Southwestern has losses to 3A Belfry and Corbin

#9 North Laurel has 3 losses and a questionable value win against Wayne County

 

 

I just look at these classes and don't see the depth of strong teams.

 

Central, Bell Co, Bourbon Co, Tilghman, Boyle, LexCath, CovCath, Ashland, Franklin Co, Pulaski, John Hardin... all programs we expect top be at the top of their class and competitive against any team in the state...this year they all seem a bit pedestrian.

 

 

 

Outside of Belfry, Highlands, and Bowling Green you aren't seeing teams step up in class to make statement wins... and even then Belfry and Highlands don't seem to have that sense of domination we are accustomed to.

[PurplePride92]

4A is parity and I'll explain why later. Headed to my son's basketball game. I'll be on later.

[Knights]

A loss or a close win vs Bryan Station isn't something dismiss to this season, they can beat anyone is the state this year. The Defenders have that much talent. Their games vs Scott County and Henry Clay will be barn burners.

[BigVMan23]

4A is parity and I'll explain why later. Headed to my son's basketball game. I'll be on later.

 

Basketball game? Please fill me in, might be something I would like to go watch.

[BigVMan23]

#5 Anderson County was handled by Boyle County and has questionable value wins against Montgomery County and South Oldham

.

 

Actually AC lost to South Oldham in a shootout., 43-52.

[ATLCat]

Actually AC lost to South Oldham in a shootout., 43-52.

 

Even more telling... thanks for the correction!

[PurplePride92]

The 4A has parity right now and IMO it's easy to see. I think people are seeing that Highlands, Boyle County, LexCath and even CovCath to a degree aren't as "strong" as they normally are. At the same time these 4 teams are a combined 19-7 and those losses came from: LexCath(Boyle County), Bryan Station, Lafayette, Bowling Green(LexCath) and Highlands, Moeller (OH), Beechwood(CovCath).

 

LexCath lost to two Lexington schools that are bigger sized schools than them and that have caught up to them in terms of talent on the field. They defeated arch rival Boyle County at LexCath last Friday and are in the driver's seat to have home field advantage through at least the first three rounds of the playoffs. They seem to be getting better and getting healthier every week and their victory over Boyle County can be a huge confidence builder and momentum starter. Maybe adjusting to a new coach and a new system played a role in their early season losses. Or maybe Bryan Station and Lafayette are better than given credit for.

 

Boyle County has defeated two top 10-5A schools in Anderson County and Bullitt East. They also defeated crosstown rival Danville who is also ranked #7 in 2A. Boyle County has hurt themselves in some situations but this is still Boyle County led by Chuck Smith so you can't just dismiss them just because they aren't winning games 56-0. They are still better than a majority of the schools in the state and their class.

 

Early this season Highlands may not have been impressive in their narrow wins or Campbell County and Bryan Station but last I saw they were still undefeated and astill the class of 4A. Until the Scott County/Bryan Station game we still don't know just how good Bryan Station really is. Much like LexCath, Highlands seems to be playing better football right now than early this season and that shouldn't go unnoticed.

CovCath hasn't looked like the CovCath we expected to see these past two weeks but despite those performances I'd argue that they are still a top ten team in 4A capable of defeating most teams in 4A and in the state.

 

Owensboro has played arguably the toughest schedule out of everyone in 4A now. They are 6-1 with victories over 2A #4 Owensboro Catholic, 4A #4 Madisonville-North Hopkins, 5A #4 Warren Central and gave 5A #1 Bowling Green all they wanted and then some in a 42-34 loss. Of note, their victories over the ranked teams all came on the road and the BG loss was at home.

 

Madisonville-North Hopkins has two losses. One is to 6A #9 Central Hardin and the other is to 4A #2 Owensboro. The Owensboro loss was a 7 point loss at home.

 

Johnson Central is undefeated so far and their schedule strength is what folks say is the reason behind that. While undefeated they are an unknown that we won't find out much about until playoff time. They are usually undefeated around this time and it seems like business as usual for Johnson Central.

 

Knox Central is 5-1 and their only loss is to Bell County. Since when is losing to Bell County not respectable? Especially when you have lost to Bell County a lot in the last decade. Bell County is ranked #6 in 3A and only has one loss. To a #9 ranked 2A Middlesboro team.

 

Maybe 2A is a lot stronger than their school size should dictate. That's normally what folks say about 4A. That they can beat most teams in any class. Maybe that is how good 2A is this year. It doesn't mean that 4A is paltry this season. It means others are catching up or going through a cycle of exceptional talent.

 

Franklin Simpson is a team no one knows much about yet but they are only a couple of years removed from playing in the state title game against Highlands.

 

Collins also seems to be playing a lot better as well. Maybe their new faces are putting things together and creating their own legacy now.

 

 

 

Highlands is the favorite to win the 4A title this year and they should be. I don't think it will be an easy journey for them back up to the top of the 4A mountain. I don't think the 4A is paltry. I think it has more parity than before. With the exception of last year it's always been about Highlands, LexCath, Boyle County and CovCath. I don't think it is as clear cut as before for anyone.