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http://www.ihsaa.org/Portals/0/ihsaa/documents/news media/2018-19/042919.BoardMeeting.pdf Seems like they passed the easy stuff (Success Factor tweak, Football Mercy Rule) & either strongly rejected (multiplier, easier to transfer) or tabled (territory definition) the tough stuff.

It does appear that the IHSAA did approve a proposed minor change to the Success Factor. For schools that have been bumped-up to a higher class, the proposal was to lower the minimum number of points to remain in that higher class from 3pts to 2pts during the 2-year cycle. In today's Sectional alignments, Marquette boys basketball is still listed in 2A after earning 2pts (2 sectional titles) in 2018 & 2019. This is a good change, in my opinion. If you're good enough to win back-to-back Sectionals or 1 Regional, then you're competitive enough to remain up there instead of dropping down.

There's no doubt that the Pitch Count rules have changed the game. Top teams need a solid staff instead of just 1 or 2 studs on the mound. And when you're facing an ace, it makes sense to have your weaker hitters work the count just to get his Pitch Count high. Did the IHSAA make any rules in the offseason regarding an infraction in a tournament game (to avoid another Scecina) or to mandate real-time Pitch Count tracking by the tournament host site?

Doubt the IHSAA would do something like that because they would have to shuffle the Sectionals each & every year.

I know we're still in the early part of the season but has any school broken the Pitch Count rules during the 2019 season?

IMO lowering the minimum to 2 Points for a school to remain in a higher class should be passed & go into effect immediately. Best current example is Marquette boys basketball. 4 years ago, they earned 6+ Points & moved up from 1A to 2A. In the next 2-year cycle, they won 2 Sectional & 1 Regional for 3 Points which kept them in 2A. In the most recent 2-year cycle, they won 2 Sectionals for 2 Points. If they do not change the rule, Marquette will drop back into 1A. Any school who wins 4 (or 2) straight Sectionals is certainly competitive enough & should remain in that higher class.

Tweets from Indystar's Kyle Neddenriep: John Rockey was told today that Franklin Central is going in a different direction with boys basketball program. Rockey was head coach last eight seasons, went 84-106 overall. Won four sectional titles from 2013-16. Rockey coached in Franklin Central system for 39 years, including 26 of those with Mark James. Flashes had struggled last two seasons, winning seven games total. But Rockey believed it would pay off. "Personally I felt like we competed every night and had a good young staff."

LOL Do you teach/coach at New Prairie, Wedgebuster? I grew up in LaPorte.

1A PREDICTION 41: Winamac, LSE, Gary Roosevelt, NJ, SC, WC, No White, So Newton 42: Taylor, Clinton Pr, Carroll-Flora, LCC, Clinton Cent, Tri-Central, Frontier, Tri-Co 43: Churubusco, Fremont, No Miami, Southwood, Northfield, Triton, Culver, Caston 44: Adams Cent, Monroe Cent, M-G, So Adams, Wes-Del, Union City, So Wells, APA 45: Covenant Chr, PT, Sheridan, Edinburgh, Tindley, Lutheran, TPC, Ind Deaf 46: Milan, Knightstown, Hagerstown, No Decatur, So Decatur, CCL, Tri, Oldenburg Acad 47: So Putnam, Cloverdale, Parke Heritage, Fountain Cent, Riverton Parke, Covington, No Vermillion, Attica 48: E Greene, Perry Cent, Tecumseh, No Daviess, W Washington, NC-Farmersburg, SV, RCA

2A PREDICTION 33: Wheeler, BG, RC, Whiting, Noll, Andrean, No Newton, Bowman 34: Manchester, Bremen, Rochester, Wabash, Cass, Delphi, LaVille, Pioneer 35: Luers, Woodlan, Fairfield, Bluffton, Whitko, CN, Prairie Hts, Eastside 36: Eastern-Green, Blackford, Frankton, Tipton, Eastbrook, Alexandria, Winchester, Elwood 37: Centerville, Lapel, Triton Cent, Heritage Chr, Shenandoah, Union Co, E Hancock, NE 38: Speedway, WeBo, Southmont, Cascade, No Putnam, Scecina, Howe, Seeger 39: Monrovia, Mitchell, Paoli, Crawford Co, Eastern-Pekin, Clarksville, Switz Co, Providence 40: So Vermillion, Ev Mater Dei, No Posey, Tell City, So Spencer, No Knox, L-S, FP

3A PREDICTION 25: Hammond, West Laf, Twin Lakes, Clark, HC, Calumet, Benton Central, RF 26: Yorktown, Brebeuf, Guerin Cath, Hamilton Hts, Chatard, Crawfordsville, NW, No Montgomery 27: SB Washington, MM, Peru, Maconaquah, Jimtown, Glenn, Knox, TV 28: Norwell, Concordia, Bellmont, WN, Heritage, Garrett, Lakeland, OH 29: Franklin Co, Greensburg, Ind Washington, Batesville, Manual, Rushville, Lawrenceburg, Ritter 30: Danville, Edgewood, OV, IC, WV, Tri-West, Greencastle, Sullivan 31: Scottsburg, Corydon Central, Charlestown, No Harrison, Brown Co, Salem, Brown Central, Southridge 32: Ev Bosse, Washington, VL, GS, Princeton, Mt Vernon, Heritage Hills, Pike Central

4A PREDICTION 17: Morton, Hobart, ECC, Highland, Lowell, Gary West, Gavit, Griffith 18: Riley, Plymouth, KV, Clay, NP, NorthWood, St Joe, CMA 19: Northridge, EN, DeKalb, Col City, NH, Leo, Wawasee, Angola 20: Hunt North, FW Wayne, FW South, Logansport, Marion, Jay co, Western, Mississinewa 21: Pend Hts, Mun Central, Cathedral, Attucks, Shortridge, Lebanon, Frankfort, Delta 22: GF Cent, Martinsville, Mooresville, Mt Vernon, Greenwood, Roncalli, Northview, BG 23: Richmond, EC, Jennings Co, Shelbyville, Connersville, NC, Madison, So Dearborn 24: Ev Reitz, Ev Harrison, Ev Central, Jasper, Boonville, Silver Creek, Ev Memorial (7 teams)

6A PREDICTION 1: LC, CP, Merrillville, LafJeff 2: Chesterton, Valpo, Portage, Penn 3: Warsaw, Homestead, Carroll, Noblesville 4: Westfield, Carmel, Fishers, HSE 5: Pike, NC, LC, LN 6: Avon, Brownsburg, BD, Zionsville 7: Southport, PM, Tech, WC 8: FC, CG, Col North, Col East 5A PREDICTION 9: LP, MC, Munster, SB Adams 10: Concord, Goshen, Mishawaka, Elk Central, Elk Memorial 11: FW Dwenger, FW North, FW Northrop, FW Snider 12: Anderson, Kokomo, Harrison, McCutcheon 13: New Pal, DC, Plainfield, Whiteland 14: BNL, Bl North, Bl South, Plainfield 15: Floyd Central, Jeffersonville, NA, Seymour 16: Castle, Ev North, TH North, TH South

Just spotted this today on the IHSAA site. Looks like the Indians have a homestand through June 16 so the HS State Finals are getting bumped to Monday & Tuesday. No gametimes are listed yet. I wonder if the IHSAA dropped the ball or if MiLB ignored the Indians' request for a homestand even if they made a request to be on the road to accommodate the HS Finals. Does anybody have some insight?

I was going to post my best guess for 5A but CrimsonAce (33 teams) & HoopsCoach (34 teams) both nailed it already.

Here's my take. 1: Crown Point, Lake Central, Merrillville, Lafayette Jeff (Bronchos will travel straight up I-65) 2: Chesterton, Penn, Portage, Valpo (Porter Co vs the Kingsmen) 3: Carroll, Homestead, Noblesville (Millers are closest to FW by a nose), Warsaw (Tigers used to head west, now they head east...or south) 4: Carmel, Westfield, HSE, FIshers (Hamilton Co slugfest) 5: LC, LN, North Central, Pike 6: Avon, Ben Davis, Brownsburg, Zionsville (Zionsville becomes only school north of Marion Co to be placed in the south) 7: Warren Central, Tech, Southport, Perry Meridian (gee, who's gonna win this sectional?) 8: Center Grove, Col East, Col North, Franklin Central (Flashes face murderers' row)