Doss 52 Highlands 32

[Yellow Card]

Let me ask you this. Has everyone of the competitive teams at the top gotten better or did their enrollment grow substantially? Is it because they have just done that much more to improve their program headbto toe and have hired the right staff, or is it because they have had more athletes to choose from now? So I ask, is it really getting better or are there just a ton more atheletes? Because at one of the school with success, that staff has been there a long time and the success grew as the population grew. Can be said about others as well.

 

If I buy into your enrollment argument I also have to look at the flip side.

 

What has occurred with the enrollment numbers at Highlands the past 5-10 years? I am asking because I honestly do not know. If I apply your logic as to why the other schools have gotten better I would think that the numbers at HHS have seen a drastic decrease.

[RCC9]

Does it really matter? Not sure what school you are referring to but maybe I'll make the assumption and say you are referring to is SK. In that case I would agree. More kids and open enrollment certainly helps. Not sure your premise applies to the Boone Co schools. Other than Ryle who is biggest of the 4 and enjoys the luxury of platooning the logic doesn't hold IMO.

Call it growth, call it improved talent, call it improved coaching or a combination of any of the above. Many of the other NKY teams have caught up.

 

No it really doesn't matter until other fans start using the reason for the "catch up" as HHS has run out of talent or their coaching has downgraded. Then it does mean something because reading between the lines it says they are saying their athletes are now better and their coaching is ahead of HHS. I'm saying, that's not really the case. The reason for the "catch up" is highly contributed to growth and the fact there are just way more athletes to choose from. I'm not denying they haven't caught up. I'm saying it's not because of why a lot of folks what to insinuate.

 

Time will tell if they can maintain it.

[RCC9]

If I buy into your enrollment argument I also have to look at the flip side.

 

What has occurred with the enrollment numbers at Highlands the past 5-10 years? I am asking because I honestly do not know. If I apply your logic as to why the other schools have gotten better I would think that the numbers at HHS have seen a drastic decrease.

 

Id say 5-10 years, enrollment is about steady. Before that, I'd say it had a little bump. But keep in mind the difference in what we are talking about. I graduated in 86. I had 165 kids in my class 30 years ago. My daughter just graduated last year with one of the largest classes ever (i think). She graduated with 230. And I don't believe there is a class left that is that big now. I may be wrong. Just going off what an 18 year old told me. That's in 30 years! Now tell me how much growth those other schools have had? Well in that time you can count all of Cooper and all or Ryle and SK just about doubled theirs and are still growing! Adding to HHS what SK and Ryle have added would be like adding NCC and Newport to HHS. We just don't have that luxery and turnover. But it's been that way forever. That's another reason we know that it will turn back around again. It always does. As I mentioned in another post, Boone used to be a powerhouse and competed with HHS every year in NKY. It stays fairly steady on The Forts and comes and goes in other areas.

[Yellow Card]

RCC9....

 

I think you are missing my point, I get what you are saying about the changes at other schools... some are new and some because of growth.... I don't disagree.

 

My point is that no huge swings in numbers at HHS but there has been a pretty big shift with their football program... I just think there is more to it than what you tying it to.

[RCC9]

RCC9....

 

I think you are missing my point, I get what you are saying about the changes at other schools... some are new and some because of growth.... I don't disagree.

 

My point is that no huge swings in numbers at HHS but there has been a pretty big shift with their football program... I just think there is more to it than what you tying it to.

 

Got it! There may be. But I just know that it comes and goes. We have just been on a long ride of being "up" and there are a lot of people that have never seen it the other way that think "this is the end!"

[mexitucky]

There are so many issues being debated.

1. Coaching was not good this year. Failure to adapt and change killed this team. When you don't have the quality depth to platoon...don't. If kids don't play assignments, sit them early.

2. This team lacked technical discipline, which used to be the deciding factor for the Birds. That is on the players. The same staff us there for the most part as was there during the previous run.

 

That is a big part of the why for why HHS fell behind District and State foes.

 

As to population diaspora, I would say added emphasis on football at SK, and a great QB at Ryle have played a huge part. I see Ryle as cyclical, SK as constant until it is split up, but I see CovCath as the perennial top dog. With that population boom, there are still only two football playing Catholic school serving Boone and Kenton counties. That is the school that Highlands will need to out coach and out perform annually. They have always been a point of emphasis, but now they are a true rival....again.

[XtraIce]

It's the new weight room and upgraded facilities fault. Since all the new upgrades performance has suffered.

[RCC9]

There are so many issues being debated.

1. Coaching was not good this year. Failure to adapt and change killed this team. When you don't have the quality depth to platoon...don't. If kids don't play assignments, sit them early.

2. This team lacked technical discipline, which used to be the deciding factor for the Birds. That is on the players. The same staff us there for the most part as was there during the previous run.

 

That is a big part of the why for why HHS fell behind District and State foes.

 

As to population diaspora, I would say added emphasis on football at SK, and a great QB at Ryle have played a huge part. I see Ryle as cyclical, SK as constant until it is split up, but I see CovCath as the perennial top dog. With that population boom, there are still only two football playing Catholic school serving Boone and Kenton counties. That is the school that Highlands will need to out coach and out perform annually. They have always been a point of emphasis, but now they are a true rival....again.

 

Very good points and very true.

[OlDog75]

double post deleted

[OlDog75]

Everything is debatable. However, I look at it this way, a program like Highlands that has been successful for a LONG time is bound to have bumps in the road sooner or later. It's just that their cycle takes a LOT longer than most other programs. Bluebird program will be fine, if not stronger, for having gone through some rare adversity. Maybe it's a good thing to be reminded to never take things for granted. I'll repeat what I posted in another thread a while back, probably sooner than later folks will be on these threads complaining about the Bluebirds running up scores again.

[Voice of Reason]

There are so many issues being debated.

1. Coaching was not good this year. Failure to adapt and change killed this team. When you don't have the quality depth to platoon...don't. If kids don't play assignments, sit them early.

2. This team lacked technical discipline, which used to be the deciding factor for the Birds. That is on the players. The same staff us there for the most part as was there during the previous run.

 

That is a big part of the why for why HHS fell behind District and State foes.

 

As to population diaspora, I would say added emphasis on football at SK, and a great QB at Ryle have played a huge part. I see Ryle as cyclical, SK as constant until it is split up, but I see CovCath as the perennial top dog. With that population boom, there are still only two football playing Catholic school serving Boone and Kenton counties. That is the school that Highlands will need to out coach and out perform annually. They have always been a point of emphasis, but now they are a true rival....again.

 

Actually four Catholic football schools - Cov Cath, New Cath, Holy Cross, Brossart.

 

But I agree with you. I think Cov Cath is on their way to another level. The school itself has improved tremendously academically. People can scoff all they want, but that is a factor. They have a coach who can get it done. They need to win a state title to get it really rolling. That is going to be the big challenge with the Bowling Green obstacle.

[Ruckerpark]

I rarely post on here but I feel the need to now. Here goes:

I think it goes to show you how great a program Highlands is when they go 3-8, basically get whipped in a playoff game in the first round, and this thread is 7 pages long.

Some people on here say what they want to make themselves feel better because their program can't each the pinnacle and in the end basically embarrass kids they don't know along the way. Classy.

[spindoc]

I rarely post on here but I feel the need to now. Here goes:

I think it goes to show you how great a program Highlands is when they go 3-8, basically get whipped in a playoff game in the first round, and this thread is 7 pages long.

Some people on here say what they want to make themselves feel better because their program can't each the pinnacle and in the end basically embarrass kids they don't know along the way. Classy.

If you're expecting classy, you'll be disappointed.

[Clyde]

Actually four Catholic football schools - Cov Cath, New Cath, Holy Cross, Brossart.

 

But I agree with you. I think Cov Cath is on their way to another level. The school itself has improved tremendously academically. .

 

It has?

[Mitch Rapp]

I remember back in Highlands' heyday many posts by their fans explaining why Johnson Central would never be competitive unless they platooned like Highlands did and copy the 'Birds balanced offense. Now that Highlands no longer enjoys the depth that they once had, I am enjoying the posts by Highlands fans complaining that their coach has not been playing their best athletes both ways.

 

It is enough to make a Johnson Central fan wonder what might have happened to the Golden Eagle's program if Jim Matney had followed the advice to go to a strict platoon system, without regard to depth, and scrapped his offense.