Should the winner of the Highlands-CovCath game...

[BIGBLUE63]

Every year Highlands and CovCath play very difficult schedules against out of state competition and lose. This year is no different. The two schools also seem to play for the NKY championship every year which is more meaningful as far as determining their respective place in the state rankings. Ranking the loser of the game in the top five would be a stretch for me since there are other regions with more than one good team. BG seems a clearcut leader in the West, Central Ky has LexCath, Franklin County and East Jessamine. EKY has JC, and Bell and there are several good teams in Louisville. I get tired of hearing how good Highlands and CCH are each year but they have backed it up in the playoffs. I would put the loser of their game somewhere in the second five of the top ten. The winner would be my number one, than BG, followed by JC, LexCath, and Central in no particular order.

 

You are right on at least one thing CCH and Highlands have backed it up in the playoffs, maybe that is why you hear so much about them.

If we could choose our rankings after teams played we would all be much better at it!!

[DMZ76]

Rankings are for "wanna-bees"...16 going on 17 says it all.

[BIGBLUE63]

Rankings are for "wanna-bees"...16 going on 17 says it all.

 

Well said! Champions don't make excuses they make plays!

[colonel-fan]

Ranking the loser of the game in the top five would be a stretch for me since there are other regions with more than one good team. BG seems a clearcut leader in the West, Central Ky has LexCath, Franklin County and East Jessamine. EKY has JC, and Bell and there are several good teams in Louisville. I get tired of hearing how good Highlands and CCH are each year but they have backed it up in the playoffs. I would put the loser of their game somewhere in the second five of the top ten. The winner would be my number one, than BG, followed by JC, LexCath, and Central in no particular order.

 

For the sake of argument, if the CovCath/Highlands game is decided by fg, does the winner still go to #1 while the loser drops to no higher than 6th? Interesting that BG, JC, LexCath, and Central all would rate within that fg margin.

[samham1967]

Every year Highlands and CovCath play very difficult schedules against out of state competition and lose. This year is no different. The two schools also seem to play for the NKY championship every year which is more meaningful as far as determining their respective place in the state rankings. Ranking the loser of the game in the top five would be a stretch for me since there are other regions with more than one good team. BG seems a clearcut leader in the West, Central Ky has LexCath, Franklin County and East Jessamine. EKY has JC, and Bell and there are several good teams in Louisville. I get tired of hearing how good Highlands and CCH are each year but they have backed it up in the playoffs. I would put the loser of their game somewhere in the second five of the top ten. The winner would be my number one, than BG, followed by JC, LexCath, and Central in no particular order.

 

There is no doubt that Highlands and Covington Catholic are good teams but I agree with much of what you say here. Equate these rankings to college football. In most cases in the college ranks no matter how good you are, the rule is if you lose you drop. This is no different. I also hear every year how great these two teams are and even though they have great traditions they are not locks to be state champs. I heard this a few years back and if I am not mistaken the last time either one of them played Rockcastle they went home and the Rock moved on to the state championship. And as far has how many state championships you have won means nothing. Each year we start with an 0-0 record. Champions do make plays instead of excuses but champions also know how to be gracious winners and not arrogant.

 

I have a lot of respect for both programs. I also happen to live in NKY, but I will always be a Rocket fan.

[NamecipS]

I also hear every year how great these two teams are and even though they have great traditions they are not locks to be state champs. I heard this a few years back and if I am not mistaken the last time either one of them played Rockcastle they went home and the Rock moved on to the state championship. And as far has how many state championships you have won means nothing. Each year we start with an 0-0 record.

 

12 of the last 20 3A state championships have gone to one of those schools. I think they are the measuring stick for 3A. No, they are not going to win every year, but most years the road to the 3A title travels through NKY like it or not.

[BIGBLUE63]

All of these programs are what makes KY football great!

[samham1967]

12 of the last 20 3A state championships have gone to one of those schools. I think they are the measuring stick for 3A. No, they are not going to win every year, but most years the road to the 3A title travels through NKY like it or not.

 

No I did not miss the point. I respect the fact that they have great programs. Kentucky has a great basketball program but they are not ranked in the top 5 every year due to past performances and if they lose they drop just like everyone else. We are discussing rankings of this years team not tradition or past championships. Rockcastle, Mercer, JC and a host of other schools have never won state championships. Does that mean they should be ranked at the bottom every year? I don't think so. This year has nothing to do with past championships. To me rankings are not important but to the kids on those teams that may never win a state championship it is the memory that they will hold dear the rest of their life. They work just as hard all season long as HHS and CCH do and deserve respect as well.

[colonel-fan]

Kentucky has a great basketball program but they are not ranked in the top 5 every year due to past performances and if they lose they drop just like everyone else.

 

I'm not sure the comparison holds true. Do you really think Rockcastle, JC, Central, or Bell would have beaten Elder, Louisville X, Cincy X, Columbus Watterson, or Columbus DeSales this year?

[NamecipS]

No I did not miss the point. I respect the fact that they have great programs. Kentucky has a great basketball program but they are not ranked in the top 5 every year due to past performances and if they lose they drop just like everyone else. We are discussing rankings of this years team not tradition or past championships. Rockcastle, Mercer, JC and a host of other schools have never won state championships. Does that mean they should be ranked at the bottom every year? I don't think so. This year has nothing to do with past championships. To me rankings are not important but to the kids on those teams that may never win a state championship it is the memory that they will hold dear the rest of their life. They work just as hard all season long as HHS and CCH do and deserve respect as well.

 

No one said you "missed" the point. I guess if I have to be blunt.....CCH and HHS are there EVERY year and not on the one year wonder list. Do you really want to bring Mercer in to this discussion? JC's having a good year, there's no disputing that. But when rankings are debated, you have to look at schedules and NO ONE IN 3A plays tougher schedules than CCH and HHS.

 

As for your past champions comment, I think there are those that will/could debate with you on the importance of tradition and what it means to the current team and the effect it has or could have on their opponents.

 

I'm sure there are a few posters who would also argue that there aren't many teams in KY that work as hard as these two schools do.

[samham1967]

I'm not sure the comparison holds true. Do you really think Rockcastle, JC, Central, or Bell would have beaten Elder, Louisville X, Cincy X, Columbus Watterson, or Columbus DeSales this year?

 

No I don't that is why I have no problem with HHS and CCH current rankings. We are talking about after the HHS vs CCH game where each are playing within their own class. The same class that Central, JC, Rockcastle, Lexington Catholic are in. The point is when teams are playing within their own class or a lower class IMO if you lose you drop. You may not drop much according to who you play. IMO with JC record even though untested I think they have a valid argument to be ranked above which ever team loses the HHS vs CCH game.

[samham1967]

No one said you "missed" the point. I guess if I have to be blunt.....CCH and HHS are there EVERY year and not on the one year wonder list. Do you really want to bring Mercer in to this discussion? JC's having a good year, there's no disputing that. But when rankings are debated, you have to look at schedules and NO ONE IN 3A plays tougher schedules than CCH and HHS.

 

As for your past champions comment, I think there are those that will/could debate with you on the importance of tradition and what it means to the current team and the effect it has or could have on their opponents.

 

I'm sure there are a few posters who would also argue that there aren't many teams in KY that work as hard as these two schools do.

 

I am sorry but ranks are about current year not past years. I mentioned Mercer because like it or not they deserve respect this year. They will have to suck it up next year IMO but until then they deserve their current ranking.

 

Schedules are important that is why losses to teams outside of KY or 4a teams have not hurt HHS or CCH so far but losses inside your own class should cause you to drop.

 

I am not saying past championships don't help your teams motivation or intimidate some opponents but it doesn't play apart in ranking the current year.

 

As far as work ethic don't underestimate how hard kids work outside NKY. These kids put there heart and soul into football year round. The Rock doesn't have one of the biggest, strongest O-lines in the state by taking the winters off.

[Fletch]

I think they should go ahead and give the winner of the game the championship trophy and not play the playoffs

[94 Camel]

I think they should go ahead and give the winner of the game the championship trophy and not play the playoffs

There is no need to do that. The 90's are over.

[colonel-fan]

No I don't that is why I have no problem with HHS and CCH current rankings. We are talking about after the HHS vs CCH game where each are playing within their own class. The same class that Central, JC, Rockcastle, Lexington Catholic are in. The point is when teams are playing within their own class or a lower class IMO if you lose you drop. You may not drop much according to who you play. IMO with JC record even though untested I think they have a valid argument to be ranked above which ever team loses the HHS vs CCH game.

 

 

Fair enough. The other side of the coin is that CovCath/Highlands are two of the top 5 teams in 3A (I don't think anyone would argue otherwise) and a loss to the other should not drop the loser out of the top 5, no matter how sparkling the records of a JC, Central, LexCath, or EJ.