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I don't mind sounding like a broken record. I will remind the IHSAA of this every year until it's fixed. Tragedy #1 - Lafayette Jeff vs Merrillville Tragedy #2 - Avon vs Brownsburg No way these teams should have to meet each other in round one. The regular season has tournament implications at every level of every sport............except Indiana high school sports. Sad.

The blind draw cheats the fans and the kids. No other rational way to view it.

THIS P'S Me OFF. Every year the same discussion. So two top teams have to play in the first round and not for the Championship boo hoo hoo. It doesn't matter you have to play someone in the first round or you have to play them in the last round. S#!$ happens, its life.

You can add #2 Pioneer at #3 Cass as Tragedy #3.

That’s irrelevant. The current format renders the regular season meaningless.

I’ve been doing it for 42 yrs. 😂🤣😅 Seriously, some people are just avid high school football fans. High school and small college football are the purest forms of the sport we love.

I'm not picking on Gipper's "have a life" comment, but I think about the following all the time. Someone once asked me............."you go to high school football games? You don't have any kids there? That's weird." My comment back................."you go to NFL games? You don't have family or friends who play on the Colts? You actually wear a jersey with another man's last name on the back? That's weird. Furthermore, you just dropped $500 on a game so that some player can drive home in HIS lamborghini, going home to HIS million dollar mansion, right after blowing a wad on booze and God only knows what else. The game I went to on Friday not cost me $0 in parking, $6 to get in, $5 for drink and food, and my money went to support LOCAL high school athletics." When you go to an NFL game, you are supporting the lavish lifestyle of the owners and players...................no thanks, give me high school football all day long.

Thank you, Commissioner Cox, for weighing in on the discussion. lol

PiratePride...I guess Friday’s win means I keep my job. From one Pirate Football Alum to (maybe another?)...Thank You! We have had a football program at Scottsburg for 6 years. When I took the job, we didn’t have a suitable field, bleachers, field equipment, helmets, paid assistant coaches,...not even a football. This year our 8th grade (first group all the way through since re-starting the program) team lost only 1 conference game. We have a record # of kids out for football in grades K-12 and a successful youth program. You have no idea about the direction or momentum of our program! Please keep hiding behind your screen ( though I’m sure I know at least of you) and making comments like those above, it definitely helps motivate me to work even harder! Coach Dean is a great man and coach as well, which I’m sure you know.

No dog in this fight, but I wouldn’t sleep on Jeff or NA come sectional time. Floyd seems the most solid team and BNL hasn’t really showed anything special- consistent from coaching- but nothing that tells me they should be. Sectional champion contender. we all know it’s tough to beat BNL at home as the stripes always seem to be one sided there. Last time I was there - Seymour won but only after the officials threw bogus flags on every 4th down BNL play and clock keeper added time 3 times on the final drive as BNL was marching for the win only to throw an interception at the goal line. Ref’s were escorted off. Seems to be that way every time we play there.

Stinky, Stink, Stink 1.2.3. Glad to know Coach Nowlin got my donation to #free_Z Straight Cash Homie is right when dealing with STC just don't dont smell it cause there are no guarantees!!!! BiG ReD & BlAcK @ Beech Grove - What a run for Wonderboy and that run looks to continue Friday night. Most excitement the Trojans will have this week is today when they find out their next victim in Sectional 23....or maybe we could get whatever his name is back on the grid to detail his o-line accomplishments...Was it KISS79 or whatever it was or is....STC just knows that was fun. I think we shut down the tread twice that day.....so good stuff. Would love to have some battles again this week. Anywho, take the Trojans -35. Trojans 49 - Hornets 7 Green Slime (Harrison OH) @ Chicken & Jo Joes - Jo Joes are hot right now. They have gotten some dudes back and they are rolling. However, the big boys will come over from Ohio and dismantle them. The Green Slime is no JOKE! Just ask the Bad Boyz from EC. Jo Joes are improving, just not enough fire power in this one. Green Slime 28 - Jo Joes 14 Spartan Town @ Casket Nation - Dawg town will have an easy night vs the 0-8 Spartans. Dawgs have played better down the stretch but they can play bad Friday and still win by 20+. Dawgs will be barkin and C3 & K9 will be doing body shots with Bulldog BL's afterwards. Dogs 35 - Spartans 6 Stewart Town @ Hondaburg - Hondaburg will bounce back after a butt whipping from the Trojans. Hondaburg will get the passing game going and put up 30+ Good game 9 for the Pirates. Can end the season 5-4 and have some confidence for Sectional 31. Boom City / River Rats / KFI @ Stink Town - By far the best game in Week 9. This should be a wild one. When the Boom Boys roll in, you just never know what to expect. Little early to drop a line on this one, will get some facts first before making a final line...but you can bet the following......... Will the River Rats show up on time for Warm-up's? Will Coach Boom be in his "White" pullover? Will Tigers AD park the Gator on the Paw during warm-up's Will Kona Ice be in the house? Will KFI bring the Blow Up Helmet? Will the Concession Stand run out of Walking (Boom) Tacos? Anyway...best week of the year....Boom City vs Stink Town. Let the fun begin, and just so you all know....Coach Boom is really a Tigers Fan!!!

I’m indifferent about this year’s draw. Should’ve known what was coming when I ran into Covington’s QB at the County Market today. He’s a great kid, by the way. Recently I’ve had some great draws. Before that, I’ve had some of the worst draws possible. In either scenario, the draw affected the tournament. That sucks and is incredibly ignorant. There is a reason why Indiana is the only state that does our play-off this way. It’s not because our blind draw is “unique”. It’s because the IHSAA is a lazy cash cow.

It's not unique at all. Every other state has figured it out. Many different ways to do it, any one of which is better than this system.

Count me in the group with Bob. If you do a full seeding, then week 1 becomes a bloodbath. Look at your PAC brother Pike Central. In a traditional sectional 32, no matter who is the #1 HH, GS, or Southridge, no one wants to see a 69-6, 74-0, or 70-3 repeat. Only the IHSAA screwy geography prevents that this year by moving PC to 30. In my opinion, seeding and qualification (and I'm in favor of a low standard - like 2 or 3 wins or certain Sagarin rank) go hand in hand.

Funny as a wrestling coach we figure out how to SEED a SECTIONAL and I’m pretty sure that is IHSAA sanctioned. The fact the IHSAA won’t seed football sectionals is pure LAZINESS. A criteria could be set, just as it is in wrestling, and it would get accomplished and guess what?? It would be a helluva lot better than we have now. Would at least give SOME meaning to a good regular season.

IHSAA will always do Blind Draw. In every sport. And every team will always be included in the postseason tournament. In every sport. If they seeded or decreased the tournament field based on whatever criteria, the exact same people would be bitching about the seeds anyway. END OF DISCUSSION.

There’s plenty you can do, seeding the sectionals is a start. Every single state in the Union has figured out a rating system that determines qualification to the postseason with the exception of Indiana. It ain’t rocket science. Seeding the sectionals would be the starting domino to a qualification system that eliminates half the field after the conclusion of the regular season.

Ridiculous. This draw cheats the Cass County area fans out of what would have been a terrific sectional championship game. Both teams are evenly matched and are within 1 point of one another in the Sagarin. Lewis Cass won the week one matchup vs Pioneer 28-22.

Have to beat ‘em sometime.

Pioneer playing Lewis Cass in week one of this sectional should be against the f#*@ing law!!!

Any of these potential MIC champions are good enough to win state this year (including CG). Avon and Brownsburg have a good shot. No idea on the teams up north but this could also be the year one of them sneaks in. For the first time in a long time the 6A tournament is wide open!

He was impressive. I felt that USC did not use him nearly enough last night.

just a friendly reminder Why not become a booster today? https://gridirondigest.net/clients/donations/1-2019-20-budget/

Carroll went 0-3 against Homestead, Snider, and Dwenger. They will be hungry for a win in the tournament. Noblesville might be the best 1-7 team of all time. Sectional 3 will be fun.

6 more TD’s last night for this beast! Keep feeding him, shatter the records!!

Spot on. November weather is really not known for its brutality. No coach or team worth its salt will purposefully take a dive.

It can be, but doesn’t have to be. Ejections for personal fouls at the HS level (except for fighting, which is automatic) come only when the foul is “flagrant,” i.e., places the opponent at risk of serious injury. If I had to guess why the rules makers didn’t make it automatic, it’s because the sanction is so severe, and we don’t have replay to make sure we get it right like they do in NCAA.

Baring any upsets, I can't wait to see what happens when Dwenger meets Valpo and Cathedral meets New Pal.

Were you at the game? Absolutely BNL came out flat...after that the game was evenly played. Can’t control the weather... I guess BNL is better at handling punts and executing PATs and the like. Maybe work on that between now and November 1. It could be another cold and rainy night. But at least we will know if it’s the elements that would be the cause should BNL lose absolutely nothing to do with how a team executes in said elements. Floyd will absolutely be the favorite at home and should be, but I firmly believe that BNL can win the game.

https://www.amazon.com/What-Cluster-Indiana-footballs-infamous-ebook/dp/B07JF744MB my man @Rudy would beg to differ

and I would counter that one of the better crews was Butch Jones ( I know retired now) from Cass County himself. Plenty of good Lafayette / Kokomo area crews to work that one per se. Same in Indy with Chatard/Brebeuf week 1 game Avon/Brownsburg is Semi Final round so half the crews are gone anyways

One thing that the “it doesn’t matter whether you play them in the first round or the third” folks probably haven’t considered: by the time the sectional championship rolls around you’re working with officiating crews who are in the top 1/3 of the crews in the state. Guess what you get in the first round. Who do you want working the Cass-Pioneer game?

It most certainly does matter.

Tipton will dominate Frankton I think Blackford/Eastbrook could be competitive for a half Lapel/Eastern Greentown winner will be in the sectional final Alex might have the talent, but is hurt by playing in the CiC,..They put up almost 70 on Elwood during the regular season, so no worries there. Round Two - Can Tipton pull off the upset? Am I dead wrong on Alexandria? Chance Eastern's schedule is irrelevant and they'll handle Lapel easily? Round 3...I assume it is Eastbrook from the top of the bracket...who do they prefer to play Lapel or Eastern Greentown?

Avon/Brownsburg is a game that a minimum should be played at the regional level, if not SS or the finals. Only Indiana does the #1 team in the state who went undefeated and won their conference get to play on the on the road in the first round of the postseason, against the 2nd best team in the state no less. That’s unfathomable. It’s wrong. I fully support the IHSAA seeding the sectionals because it’s the first step to a qualification format which I fully endorse. The number of blowouts in round 1 if the sectionals were seeded properly would only further the case for a qualification system. In fact I believe that is the ONLY reason why the sectionals aren’t seeded, because the IHSAA would then have to justify the current all-in format.

Not if every team is playing at the same time thanks to the all-in format.

I've sat in the stands with both fans and players of teams that bowed out in the first round.

Are they the ones with power to bring about change?

Actually, just the beginning. Overall attendance would be better in a seeded tournament. The blind draw is costing athletic departments money. Irresponsible.

So now the winner of that game gets a couple breather weeks before playing what will presumably be a tough regional opponent. Whoever wins that game will likely be thankful for that draw when they are heading into regional relatively rested off of 2 "breather" games rather than having to play someone like Rensselaer Central right on the heels of their toughest, most physical game of the year.

Don't sleep on Elwood.

Simple. Have a committee sit down and seed it. Just like they do in NCAA basketball.

The blind draw is what it is. You really have to just take what you get and go with it. I’m not sure how you fix it? You can’t use sagarin ratings to seed it in my opinion...too many variables there. You have to beat the teams in front of you to win in the tournament...not sure what else you can do?

Yes, we've read your critique many times over. While your argument has merit, one must remember, by continually verbally attacking the IHSAA about this topic, you've obviously never played the game of BINGO, or Powerball, or Mega millions. Those Ping-Pong balls only have numbers attached and not school names. The administrators only have the authority to do what they do by direct authorization of the school members. Your critique needs to be directed else ware other than the commissioners and the executive committee.

At the game yesterday, liked what I saw.

I have the Fort Wayne teams as a three touchdown favorite, but we will see.

Panthers could just be meanies and take it all to themselves!!!

Also, CG’s center has been shown interest by high-end D1 schools. And of course Carson Steele has been offered by great schools. QB might get D1 interest, but probably for basketball. Future is bright at CG

No because FW Dwenger wouldn't have played against themselves. As an example. Basically the team with the highest sagarin rating should have the lowest SOS in those instances.

Here is what does not make sense about what Graham says. I am by no means a Pelosi fan. But if someone in law enforcement receives a tip, they investigate, correct? That seems to be what is happening now. After an investigation, if it turns out a crime was committed, law enforcement will go to the prosecutor to file charges, correct? , There was a tip about a whistle blower. There is now an investigation to see if there has been any criminal activity. Graham is an attorney and should know better. He wants the vote to take place before the investigation is complete. While there may be nothing to the story or investigation, one thing is certain, Trump is doing nothing to help himself. The best interview this weekend was from Chris Wallace on Fox News. The President has the full use of the Department of Justice at his disposal to investigate Joe Biden and his connections in the Ukraine. They have diplomatic protections that private attorneys would not have.....so why hire two private attorneys to investigate?