So, you're saying that Highlands wouldn't fair well?

 

I think that they could, if they play fundamentally sound football.

 

Later.

 

This year they would, but not on a year-by-year basis. The GCL numbers would win out. It takes an exceptional Highlands team to beat one GCL team. They would still have beat Elder and Moeller, which this year they may very well have done. However, I don't see them being able to beat all 3 in one year. Heck, most years the GCL teams can't run the table. It is that good of a league.

HHS wants no part of the GCL.

Highlands Ranked 4th in Maxpreps.

 

Cincy ST. X 6th

 

Elder 13th

Didn't Highlands slip past a Manual team early in the year 19-8? A team Trinity beat 27-0. Both teams are currently 2-4. Highlands outplayed one good team in one game and has a schedule filled with cupcakes here on and will never be tested until MAYBE the finals. Talks of proxy national championships by riding on the back on Cincy X is just silly. Other than Cincy X, Ryle is only team they have beat that is above 500 right now.

Interesting. You just dissed a lot of programs.

 

No offense but when you start talking about national championships their schedule is not what I would call tough.

 

I think that perhaps Delta's posts do lack a certain amount of respect for what Highlands' team is accomplishing this year. However, I would have to agree that their schedule is still not national championship tough. Highlands has a schedule highlighted with one or two difficult matchups, and their victory over St. X is the only evidence they could have to support an argument for any kind of "proxy national title".

 

Highlands plays some good teams every year, but until they start scheduling games three and four weeks in a row against true national competitors, they're not going to be able to legitimately claim their right to national title contention.

 

Highlands gets a pat on the back for beating St. X, and they inch their way up in the national polls, but lets face it, Elder, Cincinnati St. X, Highlands, Trinity, Louisville St. X - they all are good teams and good competitors. There's a chance for any one of them to beat any of the others on the right day. At this point, though, Highlands just doesn't have the schedule week-to-week to support any title claims.

Do you have any idea how many times St. Xavier has played on National TV? Too many to count.

 

I said this after the game and I'll say it again, this game meant a whole heckuva lot more to Highlands than it did St. Xavier. That doesn't diminish what Highlands did...please don't take it to mean that. But please understand that beating Elder and winning the GCL means a whole lot more than beating an out of state school on National Television. St. Xavier is already known as a national program...Highlands isn't, nor will they ever be. Dale's dreams of competing for a "National Championship" are just that....dreams. Highlands has way too much going against it to ever, and I do mean EVER, have a legitimate shot at a "National Championship." As I have said before, win 5A year in and year out competing against 35 other schools, or whatever ridiculous number it is, and be happy with that. Every two decades or so pull out a win over a big boy from Cincy and throw a two-week long party. This is as good as it is ever going to get for Highlands and that is tremendous in and of itself.

 

As for the Highlands playing in the GCL? Good grief....you'd be looking at a 1-3 record almost every single year. Ridiculous.

 

-CardinalsFan

 

PS: As for the earlier question comparing Byrnes and STA against Highlands....are you kidding me? Byrnes and STA would blow through Highlands like they were Cooper's JV squad...silliness.:ohbrother:

 

A little harsh, but well said and very true.:thumb:

I think that perhaps Delta's posts do lack a certain amount of respect for what Highlands' team is accomplishing this year. However, I would have to agree that their schedule is still not national championship tough. Highlands has a schedule highlighted with one or two difficult matchups, and their victory over St. X is the only evidence they could have to support an argument for any kind of "proxy national title".

 

Highlands plays some good teams every year, but until they start scheduling games three and four weeks in a row against true national competitors, they're not going to be able to legitimately claim their right to national title contention.

 

Highlands gets a pat on the back for beating St. X, and they inch their way up in the national polls, but lets face it, Elder, Cincinnati St. X, Highlands, Trinity, Louisville St. X - they all are good teams and good competitors. There's a chance for any one of them to beat any of the others on the right day. At this point, though, Highlands just doesn't have the schedule week-to-week to support any title claims.

 

I just found the term "cupcakes" interesting.

Nah, they come for the education.

 

This is a great thread!

 

:lol:

This year they would, but not on a year-by-year basis. The GCL numbers would win out. It takes an exceptional Highlands team to beat one GCL team. They would still have beat Elder and Moeller, which this year they may very well have done. However, I don't see them being able to beat all 3 in one year. Heck, most years the GCL teams can't run the table. It is that good of a league.

I was talking about Highlands hanging with either Byrnes (South Carolina) or St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida).

 

Later.

I do not believe Highlands' schedule is strong enough for a Nat title. They needed to beef it up with at least 1 maybe 2 more big boys. X plays a crazy schedule and I dont even think they have a Nat ship do they?

 

I would have liked to have seen HHS play a Colerain or Glenville speed teams.

Edited October 5, 200916 yr by John Anthony

Do you have any idea how many times St. Xavier has played on National TV? Too many to count.

 

I said this after the game and I'll say it again, this game meant a whole heckuva lot more to Highlands than it did St. Xavier. That doesn't diminish what Highlands did...please don't take it to mean that. But please understand that beating Elder and winning the GCL means a whole lot more than beating an out of state school on National Television. St. Xavier is already known as a national program...Highlands isn't, nor will they ever be. Dale's dreams of competing for a "National Championship" are just that....dreams. Highlands has way too much going against it to ever, and I do mean EVER, have a legitimate shot at a "National Championship." As I have said before, win 5A year in and year out competing against 35 other schools, or whatever ridiculous number it is, and be happy with that. Every two decades or so pull out a win over a big boy from Cincy and throw a two-week long party. This is as good as it is ever going to get for Highlands and that is tremendous in and of itself.

 

As for the Highlands playing in the GCL? Good grief....you'd be looking at a 1-3 record almost every single year. Ridiculous.

 

-CardinalsFan

 

PS: As for the earlier question comparing Byrnes and STA against Highlands....are you kidding me? Byrnes and STA would blow through Highlands like they were Cooper's JV squad...silliness.:ohbrother:

 

I am pretty sure that Saint Xavier was only on national television one time prior to the Highlands game... their Herbie game was televised on an ESPN network back in 2007.

 

CF, I understand what you are saying about Highlands not being deserving of the "national championship," but keep in mind that, rightly or wrongly, Highlands is currently ranked 4th in a national prep poll (MaxPreps). There is a very strong possibility that the team will not lose any games this year... if that happens, what will they end up being ranked in MaxPreps and the other polls??? Again, I am not arguing whether they truly deserve to be ranked so highly... the fact is they are, and if they win out this year, they just might be ranked 2nd or 3rd nationally in some polls... heck, if things shake out just right with some other highly ranked teams not winning their state titles, they may end up being ranked, gulp, first nationally in at least one poll by year's end.

 

A lot of people (including you, I believe) scoffed at Mueller when he was making comments about winning a national title this year, but with how the polls are looking right now I'd say that those comments may not have been so far off base.

 

Poll rankings are what they are... you can argue for or against them, but the fact remains that Highlands is currently ranked 4th nationally in a poll.

From the Cinti Enquirer regarding St X loss to Highlands -

"The Bombers were coming off the emotional high of a 43-13 thrashing of four-time defending Kentucky state champion Louisville Trinity, and Specht said they may have been caught looking ahead to Elder.

 

"For (Highlands), this was their national championship game," he said. "For us, it was Week Five. We always look at each game as a great opportunity to go 1-0. We try to keep it even keel, but maybe I need to evaluate how I approach this."

 

From a respective point of view... for a head coach, Specht, to say St X may have been looking ahead towards the Elder game is nothing but baloney. Highlands last loss in the past three years was the loss to Colerain last year. I did not hear any comments from Dale that the 'birds were looking ahead to the next game. Dale would most likely admit that the 'birds got beat by a better team and that they will learn from the shortfalls on the field, make adjustments and move on. (I think...)

 

At which point in the game did they (St X) realize they were in a battle? The on-side kick with seconds remaining on the clock? If I was Specht and I saw goose eggs on the board at half, I am thinking they would no longer be looking at the pending Eldger match-up but working on a way to pull out a win against HHS.

 

I will never fall for the excuse. "We got caught looking ahead to the next game." We came out flat... yes, but not looking ahead. That is just a cheap shot to the winning team who outplayed the opponent.

Edited October 5, 200916 yr by rockmom
Rule 8

I would rather see Highlands become a private educational institution, thanks to KERA! That way they could play anyone they like, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana. Unfortunately, that would prevent HHS the opportunity to play in the Kentucky State Championships....

 

Moving up to 6 A would be fine in my books, but that will not be allowed per KHSAA rules / regulations.

 

So I guess its on to more state championships in 5A... that's not all bad!

Didn't hear the, "If they weren't looking ahead of them it would've been much worse." argument the last 9 times HHS played big Cincy schools. Can't use that only when you lose.

 

If you have a tough schedule annually, you have a tough schedule annually. You know you can't afford to lose focus.

From a respective point of view... for a head coach, Specht, to say St X may have been looking ahead towards the Elder game is nothing but BS. Highlands last loss in the past three years was the loss to Colerain last year. I did not hear any comments from Dale that the 'birds were looking ahead to the next game. Dale would most likely admit that the 'birds got beat by a better team and that they will learn from the shortfalls on the field, make adjustments and move on. (I think...)

 

At which point in the game did they (St X) realize they were in a battle? The on-side kick with seconds remaining on the clock? If I was Specht and I saw goose eggs on the board at half, I am thinking they would no longer be looking at the pending Eldger match-up but working on a way to pull out a win against HHS.

 

I will never fall for the excuse. "We got caught looking ahead to the next game." We came out flat... yes, but not looking ahead. That is just a cheap shot to the winning team who outplayed the opponent.

 

 

Food for thought.....Where would Highlands rank nationally if you were comparing like-size schools? Obviously it would be hard for Highlands to compete with the big schools in TX, CA and FL. But what about the schools with 400-600 boys?

I would rather see Highlands become a private educational institution, thanks to KERA! That way they could play anyone they like, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana. Unfortunately, that would prevent HHS the opportunity to play in the Kentucky State Championships....

 

Moving up to 6 A would be fine in my books, but that will not be allowed per KHSAA rules / regulations.

 

So I guess its on to more state championships in 5A... that's not all bad!

 

We gotta get the enrollment up. Need a ton of new houses built in the Ft. :lol: