2007 5A Football

[Jumper_Dad]

Never too early to start thinking about next year. What are your Predictions?

 

CLASS 5A

District-5-1- Christian County, Hopkinsville, Ohio County, Owensboro

District-5-2- Barren County, Bowling Green, Grayson County, Warren Central

District-5-3- Doss, Iroquois, John Hardin, Waggener

District-5-4- Anderson County, Grant County, Jeffersontown, Oldham County, South Oldham

District-5-5- Covington Catholic, Dixie Heights, Highlands, Holmes, Scott

District-5-6- Ashland Blazer, Bryan Station, Johnson Central, Montgomery County, Woodford County

District-5-7- Lincoln County, Mercer County, Pulaski County, South Laurel, Southwestern

District-5-8- Clay County, Letcher County Central, North Laurel, Perry County Central, Whitley County

[Jumper_Dad]

With realignment I think a lot of us may not know much about our new class mates, so if you know about these teams please share with the rest of us.

[colonel-fan]

I'll go out on a limb and say Bowling Green, Warren Central, CovCath and Highlands should be pretty good.

[Theoldguy]

All I know is that on a live telecast of the Holmes vs. Holy Cross game, during halftime, the AD (?) was really, really upset that CovCath and the Team from Ft. Thomas were alowed to move up to 5A. Of course I guess I can understand, as now Holmes will have to fight Scott (Kenton Co.) for that fourth and final spot in the playoffs, as CovCath, the Team from Ft. Thomas, and Dixe will take three of the four playoff spots more years than not......

[Theoldguy]

I'll go out on a limb and say Bowling Green, Warren Central, CovCath and Highlands should be pretty good.

 

Don't forget Johnson Central.....they are a up and coming program.....

[Hatz]

I think you can add Mercer County and Lincoln to the big questions for this class. It looks like the most competitive and balanced class of the 6. I'm anxious to see the future because I really don't think Mercer is a one year wonder and I think French is doing a great job at Lincoln. The question will be if they are lost in all the great programs in this class.

[colonel-fan]

All I know is that on a live telecast of the Holmes vs. Holy Cross game, during halftime, the AD (?) was really, really upset that CovCath and the Team from Ft. Thomas were alowed to move up to 5A. Of course I guess I can understand, as now Holmes will have to fight Scott (Kenton Co.) for that fourth and final spot in the playoffs, as CovCath, the Team from Ft. Thomas, and Dixe will take three of the four playoff spots more years than not......

 

For whats it worth, I agree with the Holmes AD. For whatever travel issues, rivalry issues, or the chance to "prove you want to play up" issues exist, Homes is getting the short end of the stick.

[just 4 fun]

Never too early to start thinking about next year. What are your Predictions?

 

CLASS 5A

District-5-1- Christian County, Hopkinsville, Ohio County, Owensboro

District-5-2- Barren County, Bowling Green, Grayson County, Warren Central

District-5-3- Doss, Iroquois, John Hardin, Waggener

District-5-4- Anderson County, Grant County, Jeffersontown, Oldham County, South Oldham

District-5-5- Covington Catholic, Dixie Heights, Highlands, Holmes, Scott

District-5-6- Ashland Blazer, Bryan Station, Johnson Central, Montgomery County, Woodford County

District-5-7- Lincoln County, Mercer County, Pulaski County, South Laurel, Southwestern

District-5-8- Clay County, Letcher County Central, North Laurel, Perry County Central, Whitley County

 

D1 should be a battle yr in and yr out with these teams, D2 will be a 2 horse race every year, D3 has no clearcut favorite and should be alot of balance between the 4, D4 looks to be one of the weakest districts but should come down to Oldham Co and S.Oldham most years, D5, like D1 should be a battle every week and alot of fun with all teams capable of winning on any given night, D7 looks to be pretty stacked as well and D8 could go in any direction and probably the weakest of all districts..

[Theoldguy]

For whats it worth, I agree with the Holmes AD. For whatever travel issues, rivalry issues, or the chance to "prove you want to play up" issues exist, Homes is getting the short end of the stick.

 

Do you think you would have enjoyed CovCath playing against (understand I am only guessing this is the district they would be playing

District-4-5) Bourbon County, Franklin County, Harrison County, Pendleton County?

 

I see no problem with CovCath or the Team from Ft. Thomas asking to play up, and Covington Holmes High School has a whole lot more problems to deal with, than who is in their football division...

[leatherneck]

For whats it worth, I agree with the Holmes AD. For whatever travel issues, rivalry issues, or the chance to "prove you want to play up" issues exist, Homes is getting the short end of the stick.

 

 

No doubt Holmes chances for the playoffs would have been better without CovCath and Highlands in the district, but I disagree with the AD whining about it and disagree that they got the short end of the stick. Getting into the playoffs because the district is filled with weak teams should offer no one any satisfaction. Winning against weak competition is no accomplishment; none whatsover, on any level of any activity, in my opinion. If the AD wants to be sure the team is going to make it to the playoffs, then he needs to improve the football program. He sure can't complain about being one of the smaller teams in the class or district next year, that's for sure.

 

Its pretty much been a pretty strong concensus on here and with the football coaches, that "size matters". Thus no school, no head coach nor no AD should ever complain about smaller teams moving up into their class. To do so is nothing other than an acknowledgement that their program is not getting it done to the point they cannot even beat teams smaller and in some circumstances, much smaller, and sends the totally wrong message to the players and coaches in that program. While I can understand complaining about having to be in a class with Trinity, a school much larger than Holmes, I cannot for the life of me understand complaining about playing against a school much smaller. It explains to me a lot of Holmes football program's failures.

 

I know that comes across as harsh, but its time we quit pussyfooting around certain issues. There is zero legitimate reason for Holmes football program to be as poor as it is and has been. No rural disadvantage, no lack of talent disadvantage, no any other disadvantage either. Holmes is a great high school with a long and great athletic tradition. It has a great academic reputation, and offers some of the most advanced academic programs found in the state. And I refuse to accept the "undisciplined, inner city athletes" excuse. Not only do I find such reasoning stereotypical and prejudiced, it is not supported in fact. There are a lot of powerhouse inner city football programs found throughout the country. If they can do it there, Holmes can do it in Covington. Perhaps people need to stop looking for excuses for failing and accepting failing and make a committment to doing what it takes to win. Again, I'm sorry that comes across as harsh, but I'm in a tell it like it is mood today and for some AD to whine about having to play against a school much smaller than it is, after all the complaining we've heard over the last several years about schools complaining about how unfair the 4 classes were because of the size differentials in the AAAA class and the A class, really pops my cork.

 

And for what its worth, the ONLY and I mean ONLY factors considered by the KHSAA Board of Control was the geographic issue and the effect a move up would have on the number of teams in the receiving district and the sending district. In the case of the Highlands and CovCath district, it required Grant Co to be moved to another district, which Grant was happy with as it placed them in a district with teams similar to their basketball district and had very little geographic effect on them. The BOC DID NOT consider effect on rivalries nor did it consider requests from teams that said they had something to "prove" by playing in a higher class, nor did they take into consideration what effect a school moving up would have on the likely inter district game results and chances of making the playoffs. Anyone who says to the contrary is totally wrong, doesn't know what they are talking about and is lieing. Requests for moves based on those motivations were summarily denied by the the BOC. Nor should they have considered those issues. The decision to go to 6 classes was approved with the specific understanding that in order to resolve the likely geographic problems resulting from 6 classes, move ups to cure the geographic problems would have to be made when they could be made without causing schools in the receiving district their own geographic problems. And that's what was done. Nothing more, nothing less. And as they say, that's a fact.

[h.s.sportsrbest]

LN, I'm glad I read your post before I myself quoted Colonel-Fan's post and stated something far less eloquently. I agree with your sentiment 100%.

 

Short end of the stick? Come on...

[colonel-fan]

No doubt Holmes chances for the playoffs would have been better without CovCath and Highlands in the district, but I disagree with the AD whining about it and disagree that they got the short end of the stick. Getting into the playoffs because the district is filled with weak teams should offer no one any satisfaction. Winning against weak competition is no accomplishment; none whatsover, on any level of any activity, in my opinion. If the AD wants to be sure the team is going to make it to the playoffs, then he needs to improve the football program. He sure can't complain about being one of the smaller teams in the class or district next year, that's for sure.

 

 

While agreeing with most of what you say, I would argue that it does hurt Holmes having CovCath/Highlands as district foes. For whatever reasons, the Bulldog football team is not where it could/should be. Getting to that level is not aided by squeaking into the playoffs as a 4 seed and getting beaten in the first round of the playoffs. The win/loss record of the team creates a perception of success/failure, like it or not. Many outside of Highlands' fandom (and some in it) see the 7 - 5 season as a failure on a level that goes beyond not winning state. There may be kids in Covington that don't come out for the team b/c they know, realistically, they are not going to beat CovCath/Highlands in the regular season. Add to that almost certain first round playoff losses. It's easy to say get better, but when recent history is not there, it's not an easy task to overcome the inertia of mediocrity. Having CovCath/Highlands in the district doesn't help matters for Holmes.

[colonel-fan]

Do you think you would have enjoyed CovCath playing against (understand I am only guessing this is the district they would be playing

District-4-5) Bourbon County, Franklin County, Harrison County, Pendleton County?

 

I see no problem with CovCath or the Team from Ft. Thomas asking to play up, and Covington Holmes High School has a whole lot more problems to deal with, than who is in their football division...

 

I personally would not like to be in that district. I'm looking at it from the Holmes perspective.

[leatherneck]

While agreeing with most of what you say, I would argue that it does hurt Holmes having CovCath/Highlands as district foes. For whatever reasons, the Bulldog football team is not where it could/should be. Getting to that level is not aided by squeaking into the playoffs as a 4 seed and getting beaten in the first round of the playoffs. The win/loss record of the team creates a perception of success/failure, like it or not. Many outside of Highlands' fandom (and some in it) see the 7 - 5 season as a failure on a level that goes beyond not winning state. There may be kids in Covington that don't come out for the team b/c they know, realistically, they are not going to beat CovCath/Highlands in the regular season. Add to that almost certain first round playoff losses. It's easy to say get better, but when recent history is not there, it's not an easy task to overcome the inertia of mediocrity. Having CovCath/Highlands in the district doesn't help matters for Holmes.

 

 

While I understand that logic, I do not agree with it. And I don't for a moment think it will be easy for Holmes to right their ship. Its going to take a dedicated administration, serious money (and with the right person asking I believe some large corporate citizens in Covington would provide a lot of money for the football program) and going out and hiring the best football coach available in the country who is a great motivator of young men. Difficult? Yes. Impossible? Not even close.

[h.s.sportsrbest]

Getting to that level is not aided by squeaking into the playoffs as a 4 seed and getting beaten in the first round of the playoffs.

 

Did you see the interview with the AD that we're speaking of? It came off horribly. This above quote from you sounds like you are taking pity on them? What district should Holmes be in so they don't have to "squeak" into the playoffs as a 4 seed? Should struggling programs be able to play down while the good ones can play up? We could always put Holmes in the district with Bourbon Co. and Grant Co. so that they don't have to "squeak into the playoffs as a 4 seed."