One thing to keep in mind when looking at the Maher rankings is that you have OH teams included in these numbers. If you filter out the OH schools when you look at the SOS, NDA would have the 11th toughest in KY and Highlands would have the 16th toughest.

 

Great point YC. I commend both NDA and HHS for getting some top level OH teams on their schedule.

Great point YC. I commend both NDA and HHS for getting some top level OH teams on their schedule.

 

Your correct, they both played some quality opponents from OH but this really has no basis for what I was trying to make clearer.

 

In your earlier post you mentioned that 50 teams in KY have played a tougher schedule then HHS and that 24 of them have played a tougher schedule then NDA. This is not correct, the numbers you quoted are not just the KY schools. This SOS ranking would mean that 50 teams in OH and KY combined played a tougher schedule than HHS and that 24 teams in OH and KY combined played a tougher schedule than NDA.

Slightly related topic, any of those excellent photographers at the game get a good shot of all of the Regional Tournament winners at the end of the game? With all of the pro photographers on the field, the amateur parents in the stands couldn't get a group shot. Anyone willing to post one like the group photo from last year: http://bluegrasspreps.com/ky-girls-soccer/notre-dame-3-314506.html#post5698245

Thank you in advance.

 

I want to again add that the game demonstrated why these two teams were playing Saturday night. They were an excellent example of two well coached, highly prepared, very skilled teams leaving it all on the field. There was a ton of individual talent on that field yet they blended into two excellent teams. The rest of us in the 9th know it isn't going to get any easier on us next year either.

 

Congratulations to both teams.

If this thread wasn't such a hot mess, @paNDA would probably post it on here.

I know he has posted that and more on Facebook already.

BGP is not a good forum for sharing pics.

Tower will not be taken out of the rotation since it's one of the few fields that meets all the requirements. Standing room only for girls final NICE!

Doubt they add more seating anytime too soon.

A few games, maybe 4-6 counting boys, were at or greater than seating capacity (visually speaking-meaning it looked full - no idea on actual #s ).

A few years more success like this year and better should start to fill the seats more often. And then maybe add...

Highlands had a great year, but Notre Dame hasn't won all those regionals by coincidence. I look forward to watching them over the next few years, particularly outstanding underclassmen Lindsay Meyer and Ali Gessner. Highlands will definitely be in the mix for the next 3 years ...

 

And while I agree one call should not be celebrated or bemoaned as the reason you won or lost, the morbid curiosity part of me would like to see the video that the stills were taken from .... is there a reason you didn't post the few seconds of video Q? I think that would put an end to that part of the conversation.

Not sure who has the video. Only saw two frames of it.

Did you even see the game? I'd say both teams were ready and it was an even game. A missed call from being a tie game.

 

Are you suggesting Highlands didn't prepare for the post season with their schedule and NDA did? Both schedules were about as strong as you could make them while still playing the required conference games. Either team could've won and the other teams in the region were a notch below imo. Nda is on an impressive run, but both will be the teams to beat for the foreseeable future.

 

Not suggesting at all that HHS wasn't prepared, I have seen both teams play more than once this year and IMO ND was the better team. HHS did beat them with a late score in the regular but remember ND played with only 10 players for 3/4 of the game and still took more shots than HHS. the 2 best teams were in the finals that's for sure and the best team won. IMO

Getting better, but we need a few more frames. Lets remember how offsides is governed. It is a split second occurrence, is the HHS player in an onsides or offsides position at the EXACT time the ball leaves the other HHS player's foot? In this frame the ball is still on the HHS players foot and it would appear she is getting ready to pass the ball with her right foot, so we need a few more frames. Maybe just maybe the NDA player on the far left steps up or the HHS runs onto an offsides position right before the HHS player actually passes the ball. The HHS player (without the ball) is just slightly past the NDA center back...in this frame.

 

These are great shots for this discussion by the way. With a few more frames they would be great to use in refereeing courses.

As a former official, I found it interesting how much the center ref tolerated from the ND coach. He was calling out HHS players ("dirty" , etc.) and was very demonstrative. I'm ok with the coach questioning or objecting to calls/no calls, but when you make your dissatisfaction so visible, and speaking directly to the other teams players, that crosses the line.

Other than that, I thought it was a great game and the high pressure that ND applied was the difference. They dispossessed HHS, regularly throughout the midfield and final third. I also thought the longer passes for ND created some problems for HHS. Good Luck Pandas and Great Season Birds.

Anyone have more details on the 2 yellows/red card ejection? How much time was left when this occurred? Also, who was the player that was ejected?

 

I believe it was #10 for Highlands. The first yellow came in the first half. In the 2nd half, the center stopped play and had some words with her again. I assume he was trying not to give her another card. Then with under 10 to go, she got her 2nd. I don't know what occurred to warrant the cards.

Tower will not be taken out of the rotation since it's one of the few fields that meets all the requirements. Standing room only for girls final NICE!

 

My only negative about the place, as it was my first time there, is the track around the field. That concrete edge so close to the playing field is going to lead to a serious injury. I was glad to see the Highlands player get up after landing hard on that track.

My only negative about the place, as it was my first time there, is the track around the field. That concrete edge so close to the playing field is going to lead to a serious injury. I was glad to see the Highlands player get up after landing hard on that track.

My son has played at Tower a LOT, my only issue ever with that field was it seemed so over-rubbered, if you'll allow the term.

As a former official, I found it interesting how much the center ref tolerated from the ND coach. He was calling out HHS players ("dirty" , etc.) and was very demonstrative. I'm ok with the coach questioning or objecting to calls/no calls, but when you make your dissatisfaction so visible, and speaking directly to the other teams players, that crosses the line.

Other than that, I thought it was a great game and the high pressure that ND applied was the difference. They dispossessed HHS, regularly throughout the midfield and final third. I also thought the longer passes for ND created some problems for HHS. Good Luck Pandas and Great Season Birds.

Part of the job of the coach is to protect his players. If he was seeing rough play or intentional dirty play against his players that the center was not seeing, he has an obligation to bring that to the attention of the center. If the rough play still goes unchecked, he is right to become more vocal in order to protect his players.

Part of the job of the coach is to protect his players. If he was seeing rough play or intentional dirty play against his players that the center was not seeing, he has an obligation to bring that to the attention of the center. If the rough play still goes unchecked, he is right to become more vocal in order to protect his players.

That may be true but while the game was chippy. It wasn't out of control. He was being a little dramatic at times. I suspect partly to try and work the ref, which wasn't going to work given who they had. Those that know him will agree, and the other part was that the Highlands coach looked to be saying some things to him at times as well. Obviously from across the field this is hard to see.

 

I didn't mention these things originally because ultimately they are irrelevant to the game as a whole.

That may be true but while the game was chippy. It wasn't out of control. He was being a little dramatic at times. I suspect partly to try and work the ref, which wasn't going to work given who they had. Those that know him will agree, and the other part was that the Highlands coach looked to be saying some things to him at times as well. Obviously from across the field this is hard to see.

 

I didn't mention these things originally because ultimately they are irrelevant to the game as a whole.

 

Different coaches, different styles and approaches. Luckily there were no injuries and things never got out of hand. It is good to see both programs elevated to the level they are currently playing. I'm sure both teams earned the respect of the other this season.

My son has played at Tower a LOT, my only issue ever with that field was it seemed so over-rubbered, if you'll allow the term.

 

I'll allow the term as I hate those rubber pellets. My truck is full of them. ;-)

 

I didn't notice the concrete until the player took a hard fall on the track in front of me. I was just glad she didn't hit it.