This is not a T/X thread. Hang with me here. Here is the recent 6A top ten:

 

1. Trinity vs. #2 Saint Xavier (Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium)

2. Saint Xavier vs. #1 Trinity (Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium)

3. Male vs. Dayton Dunbar, OH

4. Ballard - OPEN

5. Ryle vs. Campbell County

6. Manual - OPEN

7. Simon Kenton vs. Cooper

8. Eastern vs. 4A Shelby County (9/30)

9. Seneca vs. Butler (9/30)

10. Henry Clay at Bryan Station

 

7 teams from Louisville, 2 teams from NKY, and Henry Clay limping it at #10. All ten are from the golden triangle with only one from Lexington. Why is it the 6A programs outside of the golden triangle are so down? Or is this business as usual? Either way, what is the solution for the "state" 6A teams?

For starters, 11 teams out of the 36 total in 6A are outside the golden triangle. So odds are already against other teams. Add to that, you are guaranteed that Trinity and St. X are going to in the top 10 every single week of every single year. So they only have a real shot at getting into 8 slots.

 

When I look at the makeup of teams outside the golden triangle in 6A, there's only one that you could ever have considered a power (and that would even be a stretch) in Henderson County, who's not having the best year they've ever had. Nelson County obviously had times in the 90s that they were a power, and I believe they are a fringe top 10 team at this point. Greenwood has typically been a bottom dweller, but has experienced an uptick of late, which has made them also, a fringe top 10 team. I would actually say that either one of those teams would be very competitive with the bottom of the top 10. Meade County is the only other team that has accomplished very much significant in the past, but they're usually a late season team, and not often a power enough to get in the top 10. Anything beyond those teams are teams that are almost never, ever, ever competitive on a statewide scale.

 

I think what's ailing the state 6A teams is that there are 6 classes. When there were 4 classes, you had powers like Christian County, Owensboro, Warren Central, and John Hardin at the highest level. Any of those 4 teams put into 6A would immediately be at worst fringe top 10 (Warren Central), and at best likely in the top 10 (the other three).

6A football is what it is. The biggest schools. By definition, the there can be a LARGE difference in population of the largest schools vs. the bottom of the class. That's an immediate advantage. But from that point on, it truly "is what it is." These are the schools that fall in this classification. It's up to the schools to make themselves competitive.

How many regions have a 6A team? I know North-Eastern Kentucky doesn't have a 6A team, and I don't think there are that many in all of Eastern Kentucky.

I think dragonfire hit the nail on the head. There's only 11 of 36 teams not located in the triangle and only 8 legit shots of getting in the rankings. The 2nd fact is besides T and X, either the Lex or Louis schools are the next largest enrollments with a few exceptions like Henderson, Mad Central and Scott Co and all 3 of those have had some success in past yrs making the top 10...IMO, they should go back to the old Metro and statewide big classes and then pool the remaining teams into 3 or 4 other classes...6 is way too many. I liked 4 just fine, but, could live with 5....

How many regions have a 6A team? I know North-Eastern Kentucky doesn't have a 6A team, and I don't think there are that many in all of Eastern Kentucky.

 

GRC is the only 6A team east of the I-75 corridor, and they certainly don't count as Eastern Kentucky.

GRC is the only 6A team east of the I-75 corridor, and they certainly don't count as Eastern Kentucky.

 

I couldn't think of any. I guess GRC is the closest, but I guess they would be in the Central Region with Lexington.

With 'State' being the only championship I believe its hard for schools to motivate their programs. The odds are against everyone but you know who. They are even more against you if you are outside Jefferson County.

 

Historically and statistically (1959 - 2008) for the highest class (3A, 4A, 6A):

 

66% of the State Championships are won by X/T/F.

88% of the State Championships are won by Jefferson County teams.

 

The first non-JeffCo Champion was Henry Clay in 1981. The last non-Jefferson County State Champion was Nelson County in 1996. So from 1981 to 1996 non-JeffCo teams won 6 titles. Before that - 0, after that - 0.

 

The golden age of 'statewide' schools seems to be from 1987 to 1996. During that 10 year run there were 3 statewide champions (Shelby, GRC and Nelson Co.) and 8 runner ups. The only year in that stretch where statewide schools did not have representation in the finals was 1988. So during that time statewide schools took 55% of the slots in the finals. Since 1996 though only 5 statewide schools have reached the finals. So this is less than 20% (5 out of 26) of the slots in the finals.

 

I am not sure what magic was in the bottle from 1987 to 1996. Maybe it was the change away from the JeffCo champ vs. Statewide champ format (1987). Maybe it was the weakening of the entire JeffCo football environment due to logistical impact of busing and the disruption to the traditional powers. Maybe JeffCo is now stronger that it has gone to open enrollment, not only reversing the effects of the busing days but making at least some of those schools stronger. Central HS shows that may be the case.

 

Some of the powers that were contenders that are not today - Boone County, Henderson County, Shelby County, Christian County, Henry Clay, GRC, Warren Central. Why? New schools (MLC in Shelby, new schools in Bowling Green area, new schools in NKY...) draining established powers?

Edited September 29, 201015 yr by Bluegrasscard
Remove extra paragraph

Go to five classes, with Trinity and St. Xavier all alone in 5A ... then 4A would have as much parity as we could stand.

I know that in our area, our football program has been impacted by the addition of the soccer team. Our numbers are consistently under what should be expected of a 6A school even the during the years after a successful playoff run. Before the addition of the team, if a kid was athletic and had a desire to complete, they were on the football team. That alone can't explain our lack of numbers but at a county school, it has an impact. I also think that the addition of year round programs for other sports have hurt football. Not many kids are multi-sport atheletes in HS anymore. I totally agree that it really is a joke of a playoff system when there is no way to compete with the reigning programs.

Go to five classes, with Trinity and St. Xavier all alone in 5A ... then 4A would have as much parity as we could stand.

 

That is a heck of an idea. Either would never do worse than 'runner up." We could just "split the pot" every year.

Anybody ever look at the schedules? Some teams won't play

the contenders in Ky. or anywhere else. They want the guaranteed win.

Step up your competition. When was the last time a Lex. played X or T in the season?

I know that in our area, our football program has been impacted by the addition of the soccer team. Our numbers are consistently under what should be expected of a 6A school even the during the years after a successful playoff run. Before the addition of the team, if a kid was athletic and had a desire to complete, they were on the football team. That alone can't explain our lack of numbers but at a county school, it has an impact. I also think that the addition of year round programs for other sports have hurt football. Not many kids are multi-sport atheletes in HS anymore. I totally agree that it really is a joke of a playoff system when there is no way to compete with the reigning programs.

 

Welcome to the site! Here's a link to "BGP Basics" that is very helpful:

 

http://www.bluegrasspreps.com/showthread.php?35010-Everything-a-Rookie-should-know-about-BluegrassPreps-and-then-some...

Anybody ever look at the schedules? Some teams won't play

the contenders in Ky. or anywhere else. They want the guaranteed win.

Step up your competition. When was the last time a Lex. played X or T in the season?

 

 

Lafayette played a home and home with Trinity in 07 and 08 I believe.

Population is the issue here. The schools with the most boys will do better than the others. Private schools will always have the advantage. At least in Jefferson County. I can only speak of the area I know about. I would even like to see a 6A school win the State outside Jefferson County.

 

I could win the PowerBall and give a Mil to the Male football team and they would have to share with the girls (and I wouldn't mind that) but the privates don't have that problem.

 

The 6A out in the state schools... if a kid goes to Ryle he lives in the area, but could he go to Conner/SK if he wants not to attend Ryle? So my question in NKY can a kid go to the school he wants or is he district bound. Is he County bound?