PrepNation preseason poll released

[Sweeperboy]

If Highlands is able to take care of business on the field and progress through the season without losing, it will be interesting to see if/how they move up in the national rankings, especially since there isn't a 'big-time' game on the 2010 schedule, like there has been in recent years.

 

I think you are maybe mistaken along with other comments on here. The USA Super 25 isnt out just yet. Dont be surprised if the Birds dont crack the Top 25 even with what alot of people are calling a "weak" schedule.

Go Birds 20n10

[**evillive**]

I think you missed my point. You made the assertion that Highlands did not schedule more Ohio teams this year because they were worried about losing games.

 

You're right, a record of winning 3 out of the last 9 games against Ohio competition is not stellar, which proves my point. Despite losing so many of those games, Mueller and Highlands kept scheduling them. If HHS only cared about accumulating wins, Mueller and Co. could have arranged a schedule so that they'd be banging on the door of 50 straight right now. The truth of the matter is that they didn't do this... instead, the put teams like Colerain, Elder and Cincy St. X on the schedule. That 2008 Colerain game (you know, the one that "messed" up HHS' win streak) was at Colerain. How many home games has Colerain lost in the past decade? Not many.

 

That number would be zero.

[CardinalsFan]

IThat 2008 Colerain game (you know, the one that "messed" up HHS' win streak) was at Colerain. How many home games has Colerain lost in the past decade? Not many.

None...to answer your question. Colerain hasn't lost at home since 1999.

 

-CardinalsFan

[FamilyTradition]

None...to answer your question. Colerain hasn't lost at home since 1999.

 

-CardinalsFan

That's pretty impressive!

[jbwill2]

None...to answer your question. Colerain hasn't lost at home since 1999.

 

-CardinalsFan

And this supports my point. If Highlands was trying to dodge teams in order to avoid losses, they why on Earth would they agree to play an away game against Colerain, when Colerain literally doesn't lose at home?

[leatherneck]

Let's see I give no credit for playing CovCath as they are a district foe. Beechwood will be dominated by Highlands-no comparison in those two teams. Boone County will be third in the No.Ky 6A district that has never won a state championship. Ryle-I will give you, but I probably give as many props to the Raiders playing Highlands twice as to Highlands playing Ryle twice. Withrow would not be a top 5 Northern Kentucky team. Manual is a top 5 Louisville school, but just like in Northern Kentucky-there is a top tier-1, and then a huge drop. In Louisville-there is a top 2 and then the drop off of the cliff.

 

Are you saying this is a tough schedule? Are you saying this is a schedule where you would rack up points in a Top 10 in the country?

 

Highlands problem is that they dominate the Northern Kentucky schools, but generally struggle with the GCL schools in Cincinnati. They are way better than teams their size in Kentucky, hence they win state crowns, but when looking to play up in Ohio it can cause losses, which they don't want.

 

I'm sorry History but you are on drugs if you don't think Withrow would be a top 5 team in N. Ky this year. They were the best team we played last year other than Cincy X and I'm including our playoff games in that statement. You are grossly underestimating the quality of Cincy football, it's superior quality of play over N. Ky teams and Withrow's team last year.

[leatherneck]

TTT!!!

 

Ok, here goes. Most everyone knows I played and graduated from HHS. Let me be clear in that I think it's a great thing for a/any program to be "Nationally ranked" not only for the school, the community, the bragging rights, and most importantly for the kids to get exposure for College. I have a nephew on the team this year that this is only going to help him get noticed. Heck, our team was the first HHS team to be Nationally ranked in 1982. I brag about that all the time.

 

Buuuuuttttt, not for one moment do I or any of the other "many" HHS faithful truly believe there isn't 30 teams in either Texas, Florida, California,..... that would beat HHS pretty handily. Heck there might be one in our own State every once in awhile that can and does beat the "almighty Birds". Not often but it happens.

 

With that said, it is fun to have the bragging rights to say your school is a top National team. Finished #3 last year in USAToday. So for the Historys and Spindocs of the BGP world, we are not in denial. We just love to brag!!!!!!!!!!

 

Go Birds!!! 20n10!!!!!

 

Well stated. Don't know if I agree with 30, but surely there were more than 2 teams better than Highlands last year in the nation. Take the rankings for what they are. Dale does but loves to use high national rankings as additional motivation for the kids. I think it's brilliant.

[leatherneck]

No jbwill2-others have told me that Highlands can't travel much due to high expenses, and I offer that traveling to Cincinnati, or having the better Cincinnati schools travel to Fort Thomas shouldn't be that much of a cost. Again, not saying Dale is trying to keep any sort of winning streak alive. I am simply saying that finding good quality opponents isn't as hard as many folks on here believe. All of the GCL schools are ALWAYS looking for good quality, competitive opponents, which is what it sounds like Highlands wants too.

 

I amgoing by what Dale says himself, and that is the #1 goal is to win the state crown. More often than not that is in the bag for Highlands, especially with the watered down six classes. Now he adds the national championship point to the discussion, and I offer that I will buy in if the schedule improves dramatically. Playing Beechwood isn't tough. Would Louisville St. X playing NCC be a test? No. That is a 6A school playing an always competitive 2A school. Same differential. And Boone County-give me a break. Let's just say that final score is 49 to 0 now and save the Rebels the humiliation.

 

 

The bolded is a gross over and incorrect generalization. My guess is that other than Elder, Moeller and X, no GCL team (north, central or south) is salivating to play Highlands. LaSalle might be willing to play CovCath, but with prior apologies to CovCath players, coaches and fans, CovCath has not been Highlands over the last 3 years. Sounds like CovCath is returning to form, but they obviously haven't been there since 06. If you don't think Ohio coaches carefully consider the Harbin ramifications of their schedule, you are indeed wrong. I just can't see a single team in the GCL North or Central divisions wanting to play Highlands. There may be a couple of public schools in the Cincy area such as Colerain, Anderson and Winton Woods willing to play Highlands though. And hopefully that will happen in the upcoming years, but as has been pointed out ad nauseaum to any one with an open mind and willing to listen, trying to get one of them on the schedule this year to fill the Cincy X spot was impossible. We scheduled the best available.

[born2reign]

OR, possibly some of us could get out of our state and see some other regions in our nation play football. Texas for one, and then see that perhaps there's some really good football out there. Or Highlands fans can play the Rodney Dangerfield act and use it as fuel for another terrific season in the Commonwealth.

 

I am a football coach here in the lonestar state and I agree that some folks have limited perspective on high school football around the country. That being said, I would put Highlands up against any school in their class in the country. They won't beat everyone, but there are very few schools in the 800 student enrollment range that will easily handle the birds. JMO.

[History]

So it seems the common theme is that Ohio schools are better in football than Kentucky. Bingo we have a winner.

 

As to scheduling in the future-no reason Trinity and Highlands can't play. If they don't they are ducking each other. Now we have some idea of what the alignments are going to look like. Please save the travel expense excuse, because if you are able to scrimmage, then you are able to play in the regular season.

 

Not many district games to play in any class in Kentucky football. Amazing that they have only played twice ever.

 

Again-arguably the best win in Highlands football history came at home against Cincinnati St. X in 2008. The Bombers finished the year with a mark of 8 + 3. If you want to argue about being the best in the nation, then you have to have at least one big time opponent on the schedule. If you want to be best in the country, then let's make certain that you are best in the state first.

 

As I have said before, Bluebird fans can thump their chest all they want, but there will be those of us that will bring a little reality to their fantasy.