October 22, 2007

 

TO: Principals and Athletic Directors, Football Schools in Class 3A, District 6

Principals and Athletic Directors, Football Schools on Current Schedule with

Cawood High School

FR: Julian Tackett, Assistant Commissioner

RE: 2008 Football Playing Season

At its September meeting, the KHSAA Board of Control reviewed a request from the Superintendent of Harlan County Schools concerning the placement of the new consolidated school in Harlan County. Harlan County High School, which will open in August of 2008, is the consolidation of Evarts, Cumberland and Cawood High Schools.

The timing of this consolidation is problematic in that it is in the second year of two-year contract cycle and the final year of an alignment. However, it is not without precedent as the Board of Control dealt with the same issue when Scott County High School was merged, Madison Southern was created, and Mercer County was merged. In each of these situations, postseason play was desired by a member school forming under the auspices of an existing member. As such, there is to be no lapse in postseason eligibility in accordance with the KHSAA Constitution. While it would perhaps be more convenient if the school entered play at a different time at the start of a contract or alignment cycle, the participation opportunity for those students should be protected. This particular opening has other factors involved where it truly is only an educated guess, rather than a reasonably certain prediction, as to the future student population of the school due to the geographic proximity of the closing schools to nearby school districts.

Following review of the written correspondence, by a vote of 14-3 the Board approved the request to consider honoring the contracts signed for Cawood High School by having those contracted games transferred to the Harlan County High School. By that motion, Harlan Central will compete in, and be eligible for postseason play in, District 6 of Class 3A. For the record, this decision is consistent with each of the three other times in the last 25 years that the Board has had to make similar decisions, and consistent with the decision made this season with the opening of a new school in Boone County.

 

There are a few technical notes of which you should aware:

 

· Any non-district opponent who chooses not to play Harlan County High School will be responsible for the forfeit/cancellation fee provided that Harlan County is not able to find an opponent for that date;

 

· District games are to be played. If a game is moved off of its original contract date, such shall be done in writing between the schools. If a district game is forfeited for any reason, neither school shall be able to replace the game and the forfeiting school shall be responsible for honoring the contract forfeit fee;

 

· Any opponent who has a contracted game with Cumberland or Evarts for 2008 should contact the representatives of Harlan County High School if there are contract issues such as forfeit fees, etc.

 

· The KHSAA remains willing to help if any of those issues go unresolved.

 

 

 

Thanks again for your assistance throughout the year.

 

xc: Arthur “Ozz” Jackson, Board of Control

 

Principals and Athletic Directors, Class A, Region 7 Schools

 

KHSAA Executive Staff

Wow, are they guaranteed a state title too, like Mercer Co or they leave that off the contract......

Have to go through Belfry and Breathitt. Not fair but but I wouldn't guarentee anything.

I think they will have a much harder time than Mercer did. You are bringing three groups of kids all of whom have never played together, they will need a lot of work and a lot of coming together to win a state title, not to mention Belfry and Breathitt won't make it easy for them.

No offese, but the year prior to Mercer County's merger, both Harrodsburg High and Mercer County had very Junior laden teams, Mercer was arguably one of the Top 5 2A temas that season, and even without the addition of H-burg would have been a definite factor in the playoffs. None of the schools consolidating now are in that class, Cawood and Evarts are weak teams, Cumberland is a decent 1A team. Additionally, both Harrodsburg and Mercer were running very similar offenses at the time.

 

In order to win the district over Breathitt (who is very young this season), then go on the road and beat a Belfry team that will be returning 7-8 starters on both sides of the ball, will only remotely be possible with an immediate hiring of a coach and a flawless transition of merging these students. Belfry and Breathitt may very well be the top 2 teams in 3A next season. Another aspect making this case unique is the fact that when Mercer merged, it was a MERGE into Mercer County. In other words, Mercer County continued to exist and had the proverbial foothold on head coaches, it was MERCER COUNTY who took over Harrodsburg. With this CONSOLIDATION, there is the potential for alot of different people to assume they deserve to have their input, thus increasing the risk for some downhome politics to go on bhind the scenes.

Agreed EKU, no matter how this one swing you have at least 2 head coaches out of a coaching job if not all 3 and you never know how players will respond to a coach if they feel their coach got the shaft.

No offese, but the year prior to Mercer County's merger, both Harrodsburg High and Mercer County had very Junior laden teams, Mercer was arguably one of the Top 5 2A temas that season, and even without the addition of H-burg would have been a definite factor in the playoffs. None of the schools consolidating now are in that class, Cawood and Evarts are weak teams, Cumberland is a decent 1A team. Additionally, both Harrodsburg and Mercer were running very similar offenses at the time.

 

In order to win the district over Breathitt (who is very young this season), then go on the road and beat a Belfry team that will be returning 7-8 starters on both sides of the ball, will only remotely be possible with an immediate hiring of a coach and a flawless transition of merging these students. Belfry and Breathitt may very well be the top 2 teams in 3A next season. Another aspect making this case unique is the fact that when Mercer merged, it was a MERGE into Mercer County. In other words, Mercer County continued to exist and had the proverbial foothold on head coaches, it was MERCER COUNTY who took over Harrodsburg. With this CONSOLIDATION, there is the potential for alot of different people to assume they deserve to have their input, thus increasing the risk for some downhome politics to go on bhind the scenes.

 

 

 

Before the consolidation and resignation of former head coach at Mercer - Duane Hammonds, they never won a playoff game. How can you be considered a top 2A team when you don't win a playoff game, espicially against a Morgan County team that was ruled to be beat to death. This year they had an all state running back in Andrew Mcloud who is now at WKU.

 

I have no clue why Mercer is noted to be a top 2A team, even when Jaggers one a Playoff game against Morgan Co. in his first year, and then when the consolidation occurred, a lot of great things came together.

 

Don't forget that Jaggers is with a former AD - Bruce Johnson that he was with at Lincoln Co. and they have an indoor facility and Jaggers has only to worry about making sure homebound students are doing there work and its getting turned in and making the money and just concentrating on football.

 

If harlan comes to this, they may win a state title. Good luck and this is the glory of the new KHSAA system.

Before the consolidation and resignation of former head coach at Mercer - Duane Hammonds, they never won a playoff game. How can you be considered a top 2A team when you don't win a playoff game, espicially against a Morgan County team that was ruled to be beat to death. This year they had an all state running back in Andrew Mcloud who is now at WKU.

 

I have no clue why Mercer is noted to be a top 2A team, even when Jaggers one a Playoff game against Morgan Co. in his first year, and then when the consolidation occurred, a lot of great things came together.

 

Don't forget that Jaggers is with a former AD - Bruce Johnson that he was with at Lincoln Co. and they have an indoor facility and Jaggers has only to worry about making sure homebound students are doing there work and its getting turned in and making the money and just concentrating on football.

 

If harlan comes to this, they may win a state title. Good luck and this is the glory of the new KHSAA system.

 

Read what I said again, I never said they were a top 2A team (implying year in year out), I said that SEASON they were probably one of the Top 5 2A teams in the state, they did only beat Morgan County, but they played eventual state champion Russell pretty tough. That particular season Russell and Belfry were #1a and #1b... there was a huge disparity between those schools and the western 2A schools, it could be argued that the Top 6 schools in the state in 2A thats eason all came from the eastern semi-state (Russell, Belfry, Newport, Mercer, Sheldon Clark, Pburg). The Scotties were led by Andrew McCloud, but the line that blocked for him and allwoed him to put up such lofty numbers was nearly entirely in place for the next season.

 

I won't disagree that there were some shady circumstances involved with that emrger, but that is neither here nor there, the point I was trying to say is that people shouldn't automatically assume that Harlan County is going to suddenly set the world on fire and win a state title such as that Mercer County team, there are alot of different tangents with this consolidation that are working against the Black Bears, instead of in their favor.

 

I see this consolidation being more reminiscant of Letcher Central, than Mercer County.

What is the enrollment of the 3 schools currently?

No one from Harlan County is assuming they'll win a state championship the first year.

So who will be on the schedule so far?

I agree HDE, I don't think a state championship was ever mentioned by harlancobears. I think he was just stating that Harlan County High School will play Cawood's schedule. So everybody can relax.

 

Go Black Bears!!!!!

Harlan

Evarts (will have to replace)

Fleming

Middlesboro

Powell

Breathitt

Cumberland (will have to replace)

Estill

Somerset (I think)

Lee Co. VA

 

These games I am sure are not in the correct order. Also, word is that Harlan will buy the contract out.

There will be several schools who used to play Cumberland and Evarts looking for games. Perhaps one or two of them will be on the Harlan County schedule next year.

 

For the record, if all schools used the same schedule next year as this year, the following schools will be losing a game on their schedule:

 

Cumberland

Harlan

Hazard

Jenkins

Knott County Central

Lynn Camp

Pike County Central

Pineville

Williamsburg

 

Evarts

Adair County Bowl

Berea

Gallatin County

Harlan

Hazard

Jenkins

Pineville

Williamsburg

 

If Harlan buys out the Harlan County/Cawood contract, then they will be looking for three games next year. Many of these schools are district opponents so they can't schedule each other again. You could see a run of games with Virginia/Tennessee teams, as well as several schools calling Berea and Evangel (the only Independents).

They were to be in our district of:

 

GRC

Madison Central

Shelby Co

Scott Co

 

In 6A.