Ben Mussolini

On 12/8/2019 at 6:26 AM, Oldbleacherfan said:

Parke Heritage loses 2 all state players in Austin Petrillo and Logan white. Wolves return their top 2 receivers including all state sophomore Noble Johnson and 4 out of 5 starting lineman. Freshman Christian Johnson will be starting next year at the QB position as a sophomore and I had a hall of fame coach tell me he could be the best QB hes ever had. Especially after being behind Logan White for a year. Wolves will continue to grow but I think they are going to have another good* year  

 

Other WRC schools:

Will attica even have a team? 

North Vermillion will be tough as usual. 

Covington will struggle. 

Riverton Parke will be horrendous. 

1.  Why will Attica not field a team?  Are you being facetious?  Coach Good seems to have a very consistent program?

2.  Why no mention of Fountain Central?  Mustangs had an uncharacteristic down year but seem to have had few senior losses. 

On 12/14/2019 at 8:16 AM, LaSalle Lions 1976 said:

In 1969 South Bend had 8 high schools:  Clay, Adams, Riley, Jackson, North Liberty, Washington, LaSalle, and the last year of Central.

My how times have changed.

North Liberty was part of South Bend city schools? 

4 hours ago, DT said:

Admins are forcing an athletic menu down kids throats.  Football is not a requirement, like math and basic english.

And high school football is designed to support other sports through gate revenue and concessions.

Where football is on the cusp of contraction, I say let the kids decide.  

 

Football was growing leaps and bounds back then.

 

It is contracting today.   We are past the peak, at all levels.

 

It happens

Never did get an answer to the question "Is there a path back from contraction?"  Is this a voluntary process on the part of the school, in which case a program could always be restarted if sufficient interest were generated?  Or is this something to be enforced by the IHSAA?  How does this all supposedly work?

15 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

A candidate for contraction?: http://pastfb.homestead.com/logs/Frankfort.htm#loaded

3-37 over the last four seasons, and 2 of those wins came over a similar moribund program.   And the score differential shows the vast majority of those 37 losses were not even competitive games.

 

North Vermillion was 2-38 between 1974 and 1977.  Should they have been contracted back then?  If a program is "contracted", is there a path back from contraction?  This appears to be nothing but a death penalty for lack of success. 

8 hours ago, CoachJB said:

This can be looked at through a lot of different lenses..... depending on your association with the schools and your background. The best way for me to describe why private schools have an advantage in the smaller classes is quite simply the numbers game. Take a public school of 250 students and a private school of 250 students. Compare those two 250 student bodies and tell me that their isnt a drastic difference in makeup. Sure, open enrollment is one argument, but realistically most small school communities are made up entirely of kids that have no choice but to go to that school due to location and socioeconomic status. While a private school, kids literally choose to go there and the school can essentially pick their student body..... A private schools enrollment usually doesnt include students such as special needs students, students that are so low socioeconomically that they are forced into the work force at a young age (hindering their ability to partake in sports), and the "ghost students" that are enrollment counts but rarely attend school. You can argue about public schools and say that they can do the same thing as privates and can grow their program to improve. Theres validity to every argument. However, please atleast acknowledge that the student body makeup between small public and privates are vastly different which has implications to the athletics department.... Trust me, ive been involved in both Public and Private schools over the years and can assure you it is just different. 

The difference in student body composition between public and private/parochial schools is undoubtedly a difference.  With the category of "ghost students" you mention, that also includes a difference in parental population composition.  I acknowledge your point.

"I wonder if the person who started this thread found the answers he/she was seeking." 

The only thing I've learned so far is that Carmel and Westfield apparently have sushi bars at lunch.  Also, private/parochial schools have better desserts at lunch. 

Both private and public schools seem to be capable of success.  Tradition comes from success and success comes when talent meets the hard work of preparation.  This is not new and is the basis of American society.  If we care about something and work at it, we tend to get better at it. 

Is the advantage of private/parochial schools then that they are better at forming communities committed to sports success?  If so, how does that explain some of the private/parochial schools that aren't as successful?  Hmm???

In the 1A championship game topic, it was stated that private schools should not be allowed to compete in 1A as they have too many "advantages"?  What are these advantages? 

Private schools have to compete not just for football players but for literally their entire student body.  The parents of these students all make sacrifices in time and money that public school parents simply do not have to make.   The parents always have the option of deciding that these sacrifices are too much and simply walking away.   There is always a public alternative that the parents have already paid for anyway with their own tax money.

The facilities at private schools are often not their own.  Covenant Christian HS uses the Zionsville West Middle School field as its home field.  In 2016, Lutheran had to move its regional game against Fountain Central to Beech Grove's field as Lutheran's old home field was simply not that good of a field.  How is playing on a field that's not your own an advantage? 

I will grant that many 1A public schools have stretched resources.  They are at least guaranteed a student body from year to year and have their own facilities rather than borrowing someone else's.  Once again, what advantages do private schools supposedly have?

If tradition and all of that is important, then where was it last year when Pioneer was feeding you people your own turf (November 2, 2018 Pioneer 70 LCC 7)?  If Lutheran's field goal attempt doesn't hit the upright, then you people are going back up I65 licking your wounds and crying the blues.  You won a close game, so give yourself some credit (like that isn't going to happen) and count your lucky stars.  You escaped with a win.  Be thankful  

Congratulations to Lafayette Central Catholic.  They won a close game and played better when it counted.

I've seen them both play this year.  Lutheran is better.  11 points better.  Il Duce predicts Lutheran 35 Central Catholic 24. 

1 hour ago, Bonecrusher said:

Hope Lutheran's team isn't looking looking ahead like some of the fans are lol.

Agree 100% with you regarding post season home games.

Lutheran had close calls with Cascade and Covenant Christian.  Senators' coaching staff has doubtless given these games some study.   Saints can be had through the air.

Coach Pasch has doubtless also done some study.  He will hopefully have the Saints focused.  At this level, they will need all the focus they can get.

3 hours ago, LCCAlum said:

Live look at Ben Mussolini.......

 

 

Close, but not quite.  That's my stunt double. 

1 minute ago, gonzoron said:

Why did I read that in Patrick McNee's voice?

My team had a good run, then got over-scheduled and eventually underwent contraction.  At least I didn't get nuked, unlike Harry Tojo.

I've seen both Lutheran and Central Catholic play.  Lutheran is better.  This is not 2011.  This is 2019.  If Central Catholic gets past the Flying Jets, they will go back to Lafayette 5-1 at Lucas Oil Stadium. 

The winner of this game will have the privilege of losing to Indianapolis Lutheran in finals.  Hope Flying Jets win because they have a cool nickname, but the Saints will prevail.  Unless West Washington pulls a huge upset of course.  Things like that happen.

Lowell basketball program in early 1950's had a 51 game losing streak.  Should they have been contracted?

Senators versus Flying Jets would make for a nice clash of nicknames. 

Saints 35, Senators 12. 

I've not seen West Washington, but have seen Lutheran and they are tough.   They will be too much for either Adams Central or Lafayette CC. 

It would be nice to see this game played in Campbellsburg.  IHSAA should never allow a team to play 4 consecutive home games in tournament.

6 minutes ago, Gipper said:

Thanks to my grandpa and his buddies...

Contraction can be a good thing. 

On 10/11/2019 at 9:01 AM, Gipper said:

Maybe you need to have a glass of chianti with Hank Himmler, Joey Gobbels, Marty Bormann, and Al Speer...

Our programs all underwent contraction in the mid-1940's.

On 10/7/2019 at 9:44 AM, MamaSaid said:

Mama Says, 

 

NV rolls over FC.  

 - NV is too well coached to let the conference championship slip from their talons.  On another note, in a proud football school like Fountain Central, what are the chances of Hall having his job next year?  Has FC ever has on 0-10 season? As far back as I could see on John Harrell it looked like they'd at least pulled out 2 wins a year.  Falcons by 5 scores, running clock to start the second half

South Vermillion over Seeger

 - SV has played some good ball games this year and their roster is still talented enough to win without Joey Shew. I had heard some rumors that Garzollini might be injured? Anyone have anything solid on that? That would drastically decide the outcome of this game.  I'll take the mildcats over Mel Gibson by a score

Covington over Tri

 - Men of Troy have to be firing on all cylinders after a win over the Ramblers. I'd expect them to take an early lead with a running clock in the 2nd half. 

Wolfs shred the Pantherz

 - How effective is the Wolf Offense without Anthony Wood? Obviously there are still some very talented play makers on the field, but when you line up 3 stud receivers and 1 mediocre, compared to 4 stud receivers, it certainly makes for an easier job on any defense

 - Regardless of the Wolf's depth at WR, they will get back on track this week with a dominant win over RP. PH by 6 scores. Senior Night for PH?

Attica dominates the Thunderbirds

 - What the heck is a Rambler? Whatever it is... it will be incredibly dominate in Farmersburg on Friday.  After a narrow loss to the Men of Troy, they will come out hot and outplay the Thunderchickens in every facet of the game.  Attica by whatever they want

Fountain Central had a 1-8-1 season in 1970.  The coach was not fired then.  I'm not sure how things would go these days.  Next year should be better for Mustangs regardless.

On 10/7/2019 at 9:44 AM, MamaSaid said:

Mama Says, 

 

NV rolls over FC.  

 - NV is too well coached to let the conference championship slip from their talons.  On another note, in a proud football school like Fountain Central, what are the chances of Hall having his job next year?  Has FC ever has on 0-10 season? As far back as I could see on John Harrell it looked like they'd at least pulled out 2 wins a year.  Falcons by 5 scores, running clock to start the second half

South Vermillion over Seeger

 - SV has played some good ball games this year and their roster is still talented enough to win without Joey Shew. I had heard some rumors that Garzollini might be injured? Anyone have anything solid on that? That would drastically decide the outcome of this game.  I'll take the mildcats over Mel Gibson by a score

Covington over Tri

 - Men of Troy have to be firing on all cylinders after a win over the Ramblers. I'd expect them to take an early lead with a running clock in the 2nd half. 

Wolfs shred the Pantherz

 - How effective is the Wolf Offense without Anthony Wood? Obviously there are still some very talented play makers on the field, but when you line up 3 stud receivers and 1 mediocre, compared to 4 stud receivers, it certainly makes for an easier job on any defense

 - Regardless of the Wolf's depth at WR, they will get back on track this week with a dominant win over RP. PH by 6 scores. Senior Night for PH?

Attica dominates the Thunderbirds

 - What the heck is a Rambler? Whatever it is... it will be incredibly dominate in Farmersburg on Friday.  After a narrow loss to the Men of Troy, they will come out hot and outplay the Thunderchickens in every facet of the game.  Attica by whatever they want

Fountain Central had a 1-8-1 season in 1970.  The coach was not fired then.  I'm not sure how things would go these days.  Next year should be better for Mustangs regardless.