BlueBomber94

Not if Cincy X has anything to say about that. They're returning the majority of their offense and defense. (18 players either starting or with PT including QB, 2 RBs, WR, 3 OL, 2 DL, 3 LBs, CB, DB and more)

A couple times Harbins have bumped the Panthers out of the playoffs. After a their 2-8 record in 2011, I think they had to tone it down a bit (played 5 defending state champions of 2010).

The Bombers dropped St. Eds for the same reason. St. Eds plays Elder, Moeller and Cincy St. X. Trinity plays Elder, Cincy St. X and Indy Cathdral. It's all due to Harbins and how Cincy St. X squeezed into the playoffs in 2010 and 2012, all depending on points from defeating Lou St. X those 2 years.

Actually St. X went 9-3 and were GCL-S Champs losing to Elder 17-14 in the regional semifinals of the playoffs.

and reschedule Cincy Colerain (only public school in Cincinnati to defeat Cincy X since Specht took over) and Cleve. St. Ignatius (11 state titles since the late 80s)

Don't quote me on this, I' not expert, but I think they take the size of the KY school and compare it to what division they would be in Ohio and give points to the team according to school size. For example, if Trinity has 500 students, Cincy St. X would get less points than playing a D1 Ohio school. I believe the KY 6A is closer to Ohio's DII or DIII. But with Trinity usually going all 10 games with 1 or 2 losses on the year, Cincy X would get a lot of L2 points for all the wins Trinity has if Cincy X defeats them. If X loses, they get no points.

I can completely understand the "more money" aspect of having more teams. You said there are like 35 teams per class. Yeah, Ohio averages more like 120 in each of the 6 divisions. The divisions are being split up and there are now 7 for this year (new enrollment system). It'll be more like 102 per division but still a lot more. I wasn't sure how many teams there were in KY for each class. That makes much more sense. I wasn't trying to imply that KY has a bad system, it was just very confusing to me.

Somebody please explain to me the difference between OH and KY playoffs. As I understood, even if a KY school goes 0-10, they still make the playoffs. What is the point? Is there no system to have those teams deserving to go to make it? Is it possible to have a 5-10 state champion? That would just be plain ludicrous. Ohio uses the Harbin system (as flawed as it may be, it works). The top 8 teams (point-wise) from each Region of each Division makes the playoffs and compete for the state championship. A team at 6-4 could make the playoffs if they have accumulated enough points but at 5-5, you're out of luck. After team A defeats team B, team A receives extra points from any opponent team B defeats later. Many OH teams are ragged for playing "Harbin Cows" like Lou Trinity or Highlands. If you win, obviously those two teams are going to load you with extra points, as they both win the state championship most years. Here's the Ohio system: KEY Wins over a Division I school - 6.0 points Wins over a Division II school - 5.5 points Wins over a Division III school - 5.0 points Wins over a Division IV school - 4.5 points Wins over a Division V school - 4.0 points Wins over a Division VI school - 3.5 points COMPUTER RANKINGS EXAMPLE Team A, a Division III school, is 3-0. Each opponent Team A has defeated is Division III. Opponents 1 and 2, which Team A has defeated, are each 2-1, with their victories coming over Division III schools. Opponent 3, which Team A has defeated, is 1-1, with its victory coming over a Division III school. Opponent 3 has had one open date. First level points 15.0 points {3 wins times 5.0 points (for defeating Division III opponents)} divided by 3 (the number of games Team A has played thus far) = 5.0000 first level points. Second level points 10.0 from Opponent 1 {2 wins times 5.0 (for defeating Division III opponents)}, 10.0 from Opponent 2 {2 wins times 5.0 (for defeating Division III opponents)} and 5.0 from Opponent 3 {1 win times 5.0 (for defeating a Division III opponent)} for 25.0 points. These 25 points are then divided by 99 (since Opponent 3 thus far has had an open date) and multiplied by 10 = 2.5253 second level points. Total Points: 5.0000 (first level points) plus 2.5253 (second level points) = 7.5253 NOTE: Say during week four, Opponent 1 has an open date. Then the second level points divisor for Team A after week four becomes 98, since Opponent 3 has had one open date and now Opponent 1 has had one open date.

Knowing Colerain and how they reload every year, the Rocks will have their work cut out for them.

Yeah, that 7-3 loss to the Tigers was kind of unexpected in 2011 for a Bomber team that went to the state semis in Ohio before abadonding the only gameplan that was scoring them points. That runningback was the workhorse of the running game. He's all St. X had besides a sophomore, who was no Hundley. I also know the starting QB was in and out of the game for various injury-related reasons. There was no depth. Once a starter was out, it was over for that position.

Anyway you spin it, both teams bailed, due to business decisions. Apparently Cincy X wasn't hurting to find competition as they have already picked up 2 big Indiana schools and still playing Cleve. St. Ignatius. St. X is playing 5 OOS teams (Ben Davis, Indy Cathedral, Warren Central, Brentwood Academy, Lou St. X), 3 GCL (league) games, St. Ignatius and Colerain. Not exactly an easy time qualifying for anything but a butt whooping. The Bombers don't play any Cincinnati team besides Colerain and their GCL rivals (required league games). St. X is not going to bail on a game on their home turf when they're reloaded. I can bet it was all business.

So which part of last year's game did he miss? It's practically the same Cincy X team with more experience and a QB, 2 RBs and a WR who all run sub 4.5 40-yd dashes. That's not even including the new sophomores and juniors on varsity. Cincy X is reloaded and playing teams like Colerain, Ben Davis IN, Indy Cathedral IN, Warren Central IN and Brentwood Acad TN. That right there is tough competition already. Then add in Cleve St. Iggy and the GCLS. Cincy X will be well prepared for Lou X.

Oh I know. Indy Cathedral (huge OOS rivalry) plays Cincy X and despite starting out 0-3, the know they'll make the playoffs anyway and even possibly win the state championship. Ohio teams are lucky to make the playoffs with 3 losses.

You'd better hope they have all their ducks in a row when they meet the St. X Bombers. The Bombers and Tigers have a great rivalry built up. Cincy St. X has 18 returners (11 starters) the rest with PT. Among starters are their QB, RB, RB/CB, WR/CB, 2-3 LBs, NT, DE (about half the defense) and half the OL. They will have a very senior-heavy team. Every member of the 2013 team has been on the field during the 2012 season several times.

So in the KHSAA playoffs, an 0-10 team can make the playoffs? Why even bother having playoffs in that case? In OHSAA, despite the jacked up Harbin system, teams have to earn their way into the playoffs, by winning and showing they deserve to be there. To me, that makes more sense.

It also ruined decades old rivalries Cincy Elder vs Western Hills (Battle of Glenway Avenue) right down the same street Cincy Elder vs Oak Hills (Price Hill vs Oak Hills) close by neighborhoods Cincy LaSalle vs Colerain (Battle of White Oak) right around the corner from each other Because of the utter lack of Harbin points for the winner, these rivalries are history and these teams never face off anymore. It's a shame!

These teams are not scared to play Trinity. As Guru pointed out, it was a business decision. Brentwood has been trying to schedule St. X for a couple years now. Since the Herbstreit Classic became a flop, teams like Don Bosco and Brentwood and several Indiana teams and the Lou powers have come to Ohio to play. Recently, unless OH bordered a state, they were not able to do a home-home because OH teams were not permitted to go past a bordering state. Now that ban has been lifted as competition has developed to a national level. They are now able to leave OH and go across other states outside of Tournament events (like the Herbie). The Harbin system is also a joke. If it wasn't for this lame system, there would be no worries. But because it matters, being 5-5 will not get you into the playoffs. Even being 6-4 is flurting with danger. Colerain went 8-2 in 2009 and LaSalle went 8-2 in 2005. Both teams missed the playoffs because of the Harbin system. It's obviously faulty.

Well, whatever happened! Being that the Bombers finished 6-4 and just edged their ways into the playoffs (because of Harbin points), I can see them dropping Trinity. On the other hand, the game would have been in Cincinnati @ X, and St. X has many of their key players returning so I don't know why they would drop someone when they are reloaded. Is Trinity supposed to have a bad year in 2013? Other schools have dropped opponents due to not getting many Harbin points from that team. For example, Elder and St. X dropped: 1. Oak Hills (consistently 4-6) 2. Western Hills (consistently 1-9) not anymore though Is that possible? I'm not trying to argue, I'm just inquiring.

What do you know, there's a brand new St. Xavier Tigers 2013 Schedule Thread now!

I can almost guarantee it was purely business. Neither school will back down to the other when we all think about it. I don't know who you get your know from (I'm sure he/she is reliable) but I get mine from people who talk to the AD and seldom from my own conversations with him. He hasn't stated who dropped who (as I think I once stated) he simply said the Bombers don't back down from playing anyone. If you looked at Cincy X's calender on High School Sports Video Platform | HighSchoolSports.com Video Platform, they had Brentwood and Warren Central on there calender back in November '12.

This makes the most sense. I truly believe both sides wanted something the other couldn't agree to. This makes the most sense. Sully has already said that St. X does not cancel anyone. I am sure Trinity is the same.

They had graduated their miracle class from 2007 and any stars from the 2008 season. The 2009 season only had 2 original members from the state champ team. The offense was quite anemic that year. That offense was not very explosive, like St. X was used to. I'm not intending to discredit a very good Highlands team, but 2008-2009 X team did not have a consistent offense all season. Ask anybody! One game they beat up Trinity by more than 5 touchdowns, the next they can't even score a TD. That's not consistent. St. Ed wasn't even that good that year and they won by 1pt in a 5pt game. It looked like baseball score. They beat a down Trinity team, a Colerain team that didn't even make the playoffs, Lou X and a Cathedral team that started their season 0-3. Not exactly what I call competition before meeting Highlands. Why can't Highlands play at X? They never cared to get a home-home. Sully said HH refused to play at X the next year.

The score Cincy X - 43, Lou T - 0 at halftime still rings in my ears.

Cincy X had just graduated all their talent. What do you expect? They still finished the season 9-3. I'd like to see Highlands play the team from 2011. Too bad Highlands wasn't good enough to return the favor and play at X. You say X is slow but they still held Highlands to only 12pts. I'd say the same about Highlands. You post like Highlands destroyed X. It was a 5pt game. Good job on the win. Pitiful dignity.

Cincy X was ranked in the top 25 at 3-0 after defeating nationally ranked Colerain in 2011. Then Trinity had a close 17-7 fight. That was a great game and kudos to Trinity. They earned their ranking.