ARE New Districts or Regions needed for Lexington schools?

[dirtycleats]

Originally Posted by JohnLex7

Yes, Western Hills will get to play in the 11th Region tournament, along with Madison Southern, and Bryan Station, (who each had losing records) while teams like Tates Creek and LCA and Lafayette are home. Somehow, there has to be a better way.

 

Just because the situation is tough for the teams in the 41st district, you should not pick out the three teams that you did because quite frankly they all deserve to be in the tournament at this point as well, especially when compared to every other district in the state (besides the 41st). You can look at this another way, Tates Creek had there chance and gave it a very good effort and lost. I do not buy the fact you include Lex Christian and Lafayette in that category (they are above average yes, but any of the 3 teams you listed could beat them on any given night), because they are very beatable. You would probably be surprised but Bryan Station, Madison Southern and Western Hills has some very talented players on there team. Madison Southern has some of the best hitters in the region playing for them, they just dont have quite the numbers to field a full team that can make them even more competitive, Western Hills has some of the best young position talent in the Region and Bryan Station apparently can beat most of the teams on any given day if the pitching matchup works out. So my point is everyone is going to lose at some point along the way. The argument can be extended to a regional argument even moreso than a district one. Create two regions out of the Lexington area instead of one just like in Louisville.

[gchs_uk9]

First off, the two Lexington districts are the 42nd and 43rd, not the 41st. Second, the districts/regions were just redrawn a couple years ago. Third, regions and districts are based upon geography, even more now than in years past.

 

So while its unfortunate that five stout Lexington schools are in the 43rd District, there is no way realignment should take place just to even the balance. That would be showing preference and that should always be avoided.

[hector]

First off, the two Lexington districts are the 42nd and 43rd, not the 41st. Second, the districts/regions were just redrawn a couple years ago. Third, regions and districts are based upon geography, even more now than in years past.

 

So while its unfortunate that five stout Lexington schools are in the 43rd District, there is no way realignment should take place just to even the balance. That would be showing preference and that should always be avoided.

 

:thumb: I agree

[JohnLex7]

It's not a matter of preference, it's a matter of balance.

 

With respect to the regions, the Louisville schools are divided into two different regions, but the Lexington schools are not. Perhaps one solution is to put Lexington teams in two different regions to add balance.

 

As for the districts, the districts were redrawn two years ago, for purposes of basketball, I believe. Prior to that, the 43d consisted of the public schools in Lexington, with LCA, Sayre and Lex Cath in a district with West Jessamine. Easier than now, but still not easy. However, there is a fundamental question here. Why do the districts have to be the same for basketball and baseball and soccer? Wny not have different district alignments for each sport, trying to keep things balanced? There is no reason that the districts could not be different in basketball and baseball and soccer, and examined every 5 years to see how they are working out.

 

In the end, the question you have to ask yourself is whether it is good to have teams with losing records in the regional? It depends on what you're looking for, and how they get there. I am not saying that we all don't like the occasional upset, we all do, that's what makes this fun. If the worst team in the district, with a losing record, beats the best team and moves on, then that's what we are about, deciding this stuff on the field. On the other hand, it was guaranteed when district play started, that three teams with 20 wins would be eliminated from the 43d, and at least one team with a losing record would be in the Regional. (Madison Southern played Model).

[Hilltopper2005]

1 Lexington school advancing is enough, so leave it the way it is.

[All Tell]

With respect to the regions, the Louisville schools are divided into two different regions, but the Lexington schools are not. Perhaps one solution is to put Lexington teams in two different regions to add balance.

There are more then 20 schools playing baseball in Jefferson County alone. How many in Fayette County? Then add Scott County, Woodford County and Madison County and you still don't have as many schools as there are in Jefferson County so how do you justify needing them to be in more then one region?

[cooperstown]

It's not a matter of preference, it's a matter of balance.

 

In the end, the question you have to ask yourself is whether it is good to have teams with losing records in the regional? It depends on what you're looking for, and how they get there. I am not saying that we all don't like the occasional upset, we all do, that's what makes this fun. If the worst team in the district, with a losing record, beats the best team and moves on, then that's what we are about, deciding this stuff on the field. On the other hand, it was guaranteed when district play started, that three teams with 20 wins would be eliminated from the 43d, and at least one team with a losing record would be in the Regional. (Madison Southern played Model).

 

Not from Lexington area and have no insight on that partiuclar situation, but agree whole-heartedly with your thoughts on this. There is a district up here in NKY that is completely unbalanced (weak) when compared to the other 3 districts around it. It should be the best teams that advance to the regionals - or at least the best team on the day the game was played - not simply the best team to advance out of a top-to-bottom weak district. And beyond that, it greatly affects what then happens in the regionals if someone gets to hold back pitching because their first round opponent was one of these weaker teams.

[JohnLex7]

There are more then 20 schools playing baseball in Jefferson County alone. How many in Fayette County? Then add Scott County, Woodford County and Madison County and you still don't have as many schools as there are in Jefferson County so how do you justify needing them to be in more then one region?

 

The area is split up already, if you look at the regional maps. The counties that border Fayette are Clark, Bourbon, Jessamine, Scott, Madison, and Woodford. Clark and Bourbon border Fayette but are in the 10th. Jessamine borders Fayette but is in the 12th. Franklin DOESN'T border Fayette, but is in the 11th. In other words, there are THREE potential regions that Lexington teams could go in, if it were chosen to split them up. My point was that it dilutes the regional tournament when top teams are eliminating each other year after year after year before they get out of the district because they are forced to play each other. So, since the area already has 3 regions, why not split up the Lexington teams?

 

Louisville schools have these problems in football, do they not?

[dirtycleats]

Wouldnt a good solution be to only take the district champion and then open up the tournament on a Sectional basis ..Meaning Section 1 having teams in districts 1-8 etc.... And take the top teams from this event to the State final 8??

[cooperstown]

Wouldnt a good solution be to only take the district champion and then open up the tournament on a Sectional basis ..Meaning Section 1 having teams in districts 1-8 etc.... And take the top teams from this event to the State final 8??

 

Maybe, but how much time would you be adding on to the playoff process?

[bulldog77]

You've got to be more farsighted than this folks. What, are you going to redraw the districts every year based on yopur opinion of who is weak and who is strong? So you're in a strong district, beat the other teams. Isn't that what tournament play is about? Or are the "better" teams supposed to be preordained to be "in the tournament." You do understand that the Districts are just the first rounds of a statewide, all-team tournament right? Small schools have been fighting this fight since the inception of the KHSAA and now suddenly we have to make adjustments because three teams you deem are better than three others didn't advance. Well, what's good for the goose (small schools in general) is good for the gander. Beat the teams in front of you and you advance. Lose and you go home. Simple as that. Why should LCA's (or anyone else's for that matter)season be extended beyond that?

[STRIKE3]

In the structure of the KHSAA, every team gets an opportunity, to advance in the Playoffs, if they field a team and are eligible.

 

It can said about any sport, Football, Basketball, Baseball, Golf, Volleyball, etc....That the final 16, 8 or 4 teams, are not always the "complete best" teams but they survived and advanced, from District, Regional and Sectional play.

 

I know one Region, may have more balance and more competitive teams than others, but a team from the 16th Region, doesn't have to be the better than a team from Region #1, unless they meet at Applebee's.

[cooperstown]

Gee, I guess our opinion struck a nerve. The district tournament - like any tournament - is supposed to be about finding the best team. Having districts that are clearly inequitable in quality should be a concern, as it allows less-than-the-best teams to advance and eliminates better teams earlier than is fair to that team. And if you feel that is being unfair to smaller schools, so be it. Maybe the answer is to classify the schools and hold more than one tournament. No one has suggested re-districting every year, but it is clear that some districts contain smaller schools that on a regular and repeated basis simply can't compete with the larger schools. I just don't think small schools deserve some special consideration simply because they are smaller. But I certainly respect your right to have an opinion different from mine.

[cooperstown]

In the structure of the KHSAA, every team gets an opportunity, to advance in the Playoffs, if they field a team and are eligible.

 

It can said about any sport, Football, Basketball, Baseball, Golf, Volleyball, etc....That the final 16, 8 or 4 teams, are not always the "complete best" teams but they survived and advanced, from District, Regional and Sectional play.

 

I know one Region, may have more balance and more competitive teams than others, but a team from the 16th Region, doesn't have to be the better than a team from Region #1, unless they meet at Applebee's.

 

Agree with the last sentence, but I still think there needs to be a legitimate effort to make sure that within each region there is a fair and balanced format for teams to advance. And, yes, this may end up being unfair to the smaller schools that traditionally are weaker. Establishing districts based solely on geographically without regard to the past performance history of the teams can and does occasionally result in making a very weak district and belies the process of trying to ensure that the truly best teams advance to the region. IMHO, of course.

[STRIKE3]

Agree with the last sentence, but I still think there needs to be a legitimate effort to make sure that within each region there is a fair and balanced format for teams to advance. And, yes, this may end up being unfair to the smaller schools that traditionally are weaker. Establishing districts based solely on geographically without regard to the past performance history of the teams can and does occasionally result in making a very weak district and belies the process of trying to ensure that the truly best teams advance to the region. IMHO, of course.

With the current classification structure, really only two options come to mind.

 

1) Seed in the District and then, have each District be a double-elimination, which would result in more games but, usually provides true overall champion

 

2) Have the Region include a Playoff system, similar to what the NCAA II does in Football, rank them based off their season performance and only the top 16 say, advance to a Regional tournament. This option, would have it's flaws but certainly, would garner the best of the best, which I think, is what you're saying and most fans, would like to see across the state.