Maroon Beech

South Hopkins were the Tomcats and the girls teams were the Lady Tomcats. Same logic as the Lady G-men?

Footnote on that Class A Championship Game. We played Memphis Mitchell in 2009 in the Semi-Finals of 5A football. Four schools years later, they are 2A in football. Talk about a drop in enrollment.

Ant; Bottom line as I see it; The TSSAA has a choice of completely separating all the Private schools (Non-scholarship & scholarship granting) into a separate Division and risk losing all of them -or- keeping the system status quo and listen to the flak from the public schools. I suppose a third option would be to allow the "non-scholarship" private schools to remain in D1 and further tweak the system to make it harder for them to dominate. Good luck with that one!

Hoops; A "non-scholarship" private school is one that gives no financial aid. However, there is some controversy over the "work study" allowed to reduce tuition used by some of the "non-scholarship" private schools. In TN, financial aid is granted by the "scholarship granting" private schools on the difference between what a student can pay (calculated by entering family's financial info) and the cost of tuition. In theory, a student enters his family financial info and the formula says the family can pay X amount. The school can then grant the difference as financial aid. Some private schools cap the amount they will give, others do not. For example, I know one of the smaller private schools in the Nashville area is about $10,000 per year in tuition. If the student's family enters their financial info and it says the student must pay $6,000 per year, then that school could only grant up to $4,000 in aid. However, in the case of Einsworth or MBA with tuition amount of $18,000 to $22,000 per year, the school can grant the $12,000 or even $16,000 in aid above the amount the student is supposed to pay. If the student's financial status says they can pay little or even zero $, these schools can give them the entire amount of tuition.

Yes. FRA is probably the largest of the D2, Class A schools. Scary to think that Einsworth only has about 300 high school students. I think they could actually be with Franklin Road Academy in Class A instead of playing with Brentwood Academy, MBA, Father Ryan & Pope John Paul II in Class 2A.

Yes. In football, 8 Championship trophies (6 in D1, 2 in D2), all others sports 5 championships (3 in D1, 2 in D2).

Ant; You are correct: I don't think any of the D2, Class A schools, even after the 1.8 enrollment multiplier, would be Class 5A in football. Still, even with the multiplier some of those schools would still have an advantage playing in the Class 3A and smaller classes. For example, a "non-scholarship" Private school with 400 enrollment (Christ Pres. is close to that enrollment for high school) is only "multiplied" to about 700 to remain in D1. They are still only a Class 3A football school. However, they have been in the Semis or Finals the past 3 years or so. If they were forced into D2, they would be playing with the Big 3 in D2, Class AA (MBA, BA & Einsworth). Slightly tougher sledding than beating up on D1, Class 3A teams! Our county has "open enrollment" IF the school you want to attend has room. As some schools have reached their ceiling in number of students and others have not, that has added a further level of friction even among the public high schools within a county.

OlDog; In Division 1 (public and non-scholarship private schools) Class A & 2A in football are grouped into A for all other sports, Class 3 & 4 football schools are AA, Class 5 & 6 football are grouped into AAA. In Division 2 (private, scholarship granting) there are two classes, A & AA (Brentwood Academy, Einsworth, Montgomery Bell, Father Ryan, Pope John Paul II, etc. We are Division 1, Class 5 in football, Division 1, AAA in all other sports. We must compete with all the big Class 6A football schools (Mt. Juliet, Lebanon, Murfreesboro Riverdale, etc.) in basketball, softball and all other sports except football. In KY, think Bowling Green, Cooper, remaining Class 5A in football, but competing with Ryle, Simon Kenton, Male, etc. in all other sports.

Ant; From talking with a person in the know from a private school, the TSSAA is hesitant due to the fact of a threat (real or perceived) that if they force all private schools to Division 2, all the D2 schools will break off from the TSSAA and create a new organization. Losing dues from about 70 schools may not be something the TSSAA wants to see happen. I definitely see the public schools side (I am associated with a public school). CPA (private school, "non-scholarship") just lost their first basketball game in three years (94 in a row) in the Semis of the State Tourney (won last 2 State Championships in AA) while playing in the public Division. It is hard to believe that all their players are paying the ~ $12-15K tuition to attend there. "Work Study" is the way some have tuition reduced. In the Nashville area, you have several schools that are private but are allowed in the Public Division (D1) because they are "non-scholarship": Nashville Christian, Goodpasture, Lipscomb, Christ Pres., etc. All have had quite a bit of success recently in either football or basketball.

Don't forget my mighty Maroons. :up:

Raider; I watched that 1995 Championship game, BG vs. Highlands. Wasn't that Coach Haley's last game at BG?

If I remember correctly, way back then it only took two wins in the playoffs to reach the State Championship game. In both trips to the 2A Championship Game in 1970 & 1971, Madisonville beat Elizabethtown in the semi-finals. The Big 8 champ (Madisonville, Owensboro) would play the WKC (Mayfield, Hop-town, Paducah) Champ in the opening round. I don't remember the other conferences, just playing E-Town in the semis both years. In 1973 the Maroons lost to Tilghman in the first round 2-0. By the time I reached high school in 1975 all that had changed. Except for one great team in 1983 (10-0 regular season, lost to Owensboro 3-6 in first round of playoffs) the Maroons have never come close to reaching those glory years of 1969 - 1973. I don't think Mayfield ever missed a beat!

Snake; Didn't Mayfield beat Madisonville the previous year (1969) in Mayfield when it was bitterly cold. Collins missed the game with an eye injury he suffered in the last regular season game against Daviess County. I was a 4th grader and didn't make the trip, but my brother was in the band. I just remember him talking about how cold it was that night!

Alfred (Sonny) Collins was a Jr. on that team, first of two straight Runners-up finishes. I think that Maroon team also lost to Highlands in the first game of the year (Rec Bowl). Collins broke his ankle in the first game of his Sr. season (1971) and missed the entire year.

Breathitt and Franklin-Simpson met in the 2A State Championship with BC winning in 2 OTs. What a classic game. BC with the spread offense and F-S with wishbone and 2 TEs. I believe both programs had dropped from 3A to 2A that season.

My personal thought is that GOD does not care who wins a high school football game. HE does care about the participants on both sides (equally). I'm not sure the banner was meaning a "Victory" on the football field? I've always taught my kids to NEVER pray for a victory (see first sentence) on the scoreboard, only to pray for safety (for all players) and to do their best, play fair, etc. To me that is the "victory."

An article from a few years back concerning the ACLU in Sumner County, TN. Public school coaches told not to participate in prayer - WSMV Channel 4

Toothpick: We've played Henry Co. the past three years in the regular season. They really have their program at the top of the mountain in Class 5A.

Another great year for Sumner County football. Hendersonville is our #1 rival but I have a ton of respect for Coach Hatfield and their program. We (Beech) had a rough year with injuries but still made the playoffs. Station Camp had a great year, also. As a county, we've had 2 Class 5A Championships and two Runners-Up finishes in the past four years. Two major D1 prospects this season, etc. Wish there was more play between programs in middle TN and KY.

Question: Can you still purchase tickets at the gate? Friday is looking questionable for me but I would still like to drive up on Saturday.

We starting using NFHS Network this season, switching from audio only to video streaming. Our school paid one flat fee for the entire regular season so that anyone could watch free. However, when we started the playoffs it became a subscription fee. I think it was $10 for one game and about $30 for the right to watch any and all playoff games. The TSSAA also was involved in the playoff subscription. It was a positive experience for our broadcast team. Two students from the technology class alternated (one ran the laptop, one the camera), our technology teacher was our producer and we "old guys" did the play-by-play and color. We were also able to run commercials and generate a little revenue for the program.

Ensworth's Coach and Associate Head Coach will be allowed to coach in the State Championship Game on Thursday. Ensworth submitted an appeal based on a NHSFA rule stating the Officials' authority ends when the game is called.

The Tennessean is reporting that the TSSAA is upholding the suspension to both Head Coach and Assistant Head Coach. Per that story, both ejections were for "cursing the officials." Also the TSSAA stated that the Head Coach made contact with official twice. The report said the official also used profane language and will not work any remaining postseason games.

Per our local Nashville newspaper, the associate head coach was also was ejected. He didn't know he was ejected until he read it in the paper on Sunday. Crazy.

Crew was from Memphis.