foxbat

I was wondering about that as Lutheran HS showed up as 0% FRL, but I know folks who go to Lutheran who, like you said, would qualify for FRL based on their income levels. The FRL % that's reported seems likely based on those who sign-up for the FRL. If a school has something like open-campus for lunch and you provide your own lunch from home or run to McDonalds, I'm pretty sure that school would show up as 0% in the numbers. As such, I think your question adds a pretty good item for consideration. I know that the local Lutheran school, St. James, which is K-8, has around a 35% FRL. In their case, it would seem that they have a lunch program. A couple of other private schools showed up as 0% too ... like Heritage Christian. I couldn't tell from their website exact what the assistance prospect might be there, but if anyone from HC has some insights like you've been able to provide for Lutheran, that would be appreciated.

Your numbers will be somewhat off though, especially in private school reporting, as the FRL for most private schools will be 0, actually non-existent, in the IDOE spreadsheet. In general, LCC belongs to the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana and the Diocese has roughly 13% FRL across its network, but LCC has FRL around 19.8%. That won't make too much of a difference with regard to the new range that you have, but there are other private schools that would likely be counted as 0 because if the IDOE spreadsheet that are actually non-existent, but actually do have decent sized FRLwhich may impact class changes. The biggest of these, tied to rankings and traditional power, would be Luers which sits at around 42% FRL. As other private examples, Bishop Noll's FRL is around 56%, yet would likely show up with FRL as non-existent in the spreadsheet. BTW, Chatard's FRL is a bit over 17%, while Cathedral's clocks in a bit under 9%. For some comparison in the Lafayette area ... West Lafayette clocks in around 18.7%, nudging out LCC for lowest FRL in the area, Harrison is around 29.6%, Jeff is close to 69%, while McCutcheon is around 43%. Faith is listed at 0%, but I suspect that's because of non-reported numbers as opposed to no FRL at all.

Frankly, I'd leave SF alone even if something else was adopted tied to FRL and perhaps SPED/disability stats. The idea of FRL coupled with SPED/disability as a starting point ends up being mainly just that, a starting point. As teams/programs progress, the idea of SF could still be something that can be used, although I would make a couple of tweaks to it such as making it a four-year rolling cycle to move up. If we are going to stay with the two-year cycle, then we should go back to 2 points to stay up; 4 if we go to a four-year cycle. The current move to 3-to-stay-up, in a two-year cycle, will mean too much yo-yoing.

2 Point Games Benton Central @ Tipton Guerin @ Central Catholic Rensselaer @ Logansport Twin Lakes @ Western West Lafayette @ Hamilton Heights Clinton Prairie @ Eastern Delphi @ Taylor Culver @ South Central Clinton Central @ Tri-Central Eastbrook @ Oak Hill

Just curious ... do Indiana schools keep numbers on participation rates in extra curricular activities in their schools as a component of their general state reporting?

The adjustment based on FRL could be a start. The only other thing that I'd want to look at, in addition, would be students with disabilities too that might impede them from participating in athletic activities. It might be moot as several with disabilities also tend to be part of FRL grouping, but I think that a kid who's disabled should not count against a school's athletic denominator unless there is probability of them being in the numerator too.

I don't think it's a question of West Lafayette leaving if RCHS solely left, but if RCHS and TL left, I could see WL looking for a biggest stone to sharpen the sword on. Also, in a conference like Sagamore, WL'd have a 6A/5A rival set that they've already played with another 4A tandem, plus enough "extra games" to still play teams like LCC and/or even Jeff. In a sense, it'd be following the LCC model where the conference they play in, prior to being SF'd, always provided opportunities to play up a class or two for almost all conference games. The addition of Logansport this year probably slows down the decision-making a bit for a team like WL, but the departure of RCHS and TL. If that happens, puts pressure on Tipton to an extent. At a minimum, it's going to take away the division framework whether big/small school or east/west. You are potentially correct that TL doesn't leave and will have enough competition left with LCC, Tipton, WL, Logansport, and Heights if RCHS leaves and the rest of the conference stays intact.

Could possibly see West Lafayette heading to the Sagamore if TL and RCHS both leave the Hoosier at the same time. West Lafayette already has had Harrison and McCutcheon on its schedule recently. Danville and Lebanon added in would put West Lafayette in the ranks of the smaller schools, but given that WL consistently has had 4A, 5A, and 6A schools on its schedule for the last half decade plus wouldn't necessarily make being on the smaller size of that conference an issue. WL could still schedule LCC as a non-conf game so that rivalry could survive.

I think it was the old Northwest Hoosier Conference which disbanded back in 1998.

That was kind of my question too. I know that BC, especially for women's sports, tends to be a basketball school. Also pretty good in volleyball too. I'm not as sure about the other sports at the other schools in the Hoosier other than I think Tipton's pretty good at men's basketball and I think West Lafayette tends to be fairly good at men's soccer.

Forgot to mention the time zone issue, but Midwest would fit much better for RCHS. Not so much for competitiveness since the MWC is pretty much 1A competition.

Would be interesting to see them leave, but given the other teams that have been departing, it's somewhat in the same cloth given the mix of size vs. competitiveness. The last set of departures have been: Sheridan (1A) - Departed 2012, last entered 2000 Deplhi (2A) - Departed 2016, last entered 1998 Northwestern (3A) - Departed 2023, last entered 2015 Lewis Cass (2A) - Departed 2023, last entered 2015 The last few teams to "come in" are: LCC (2A by SF) - Last entered 2011 Hamilton Heights (3A) - Last entered 2015 Western (3A) - Last entered 2015 Lewis Cass (2A) - Last entered 2015, departed 2023 Northwestern (3A) - Last entered 2015, departed 2023 Logansport (4A) - Last entered 2024 With the conference split being big school / small school now, I have to expect the RCHS may be seeing that the teams coming in are larger, on average, and the ones departing are smaller. There are only four teams in the small school division and there likely has to be concern with BC looking for an opportunity to find a conference that allows them to perhaps grow their football program as opposed to what they've had to endure the past few seasons ... especially bouncing up and down from 3A to 2A just about every other season. The question for them would be finding a conference with competitive volleyball/basketball while taking some pressure off of football. If BC goes, the idea of a small school division also likely goes unless teams like Sheridan would return. Possibly more likely to see some other 3A/4A come into the mix, which would then completely toss out the idea of a big/small school alignment.

He got caught in the backfield a bunch tonight. Several of those were secondary sacks when his first/second targets were taken away. It was just unbelievable how much time LCC's offense DIDN'T spend on the field tonight. I'm not sure of the most offensive plays in a series for LCC, I stopped watching full-time at the half, but I don't think they had more than 4-5 plays at most in an offensive series in that first half and, even then, they were only spending a minute or so on the field. This would have actually been a really good game for that Knight offense to practice killing time ... that is, running the no-huddle offense, but using up the whole 40 seconds. That skill could come in handy later on in the post-season and it'd be better to have practiced it before possibly needing to use it.

Jeff with a last minute score to make it 45-21 over Harrison with 45 seconds left in the game. Now final.

Jeff just putting this thing away now. Leading over Harrison 38-21 with 3:56 left to play.

Jeff 31 - Harrison 21 with 8:28 left to play.

Jeff 24 - Harrison 21 with 10:07 left to play.

Injury at Benton Central. Ambulance is driving onto the field. They took out the board. Player's parents came onto the field. Have him on the stretcher as the other Bison players stand by the ambulance waiting for him to be put in. Couldn't get a number on the player, but looked like it might have been the Bison QB. He looked like his head was strapped down. Ambulance has now departed the field. Looks like they are going to resume play. Please keep the young man and his family in your prayers tonight.

Benton Central fumbles the ensuring kickoff, but recovers ... only to fumble the next snap and turn it over to the Knights on the Bison 7 yard line. Two plays later, LCC picks up another TD. 42-0 about midway through Q2.

After good punt return, LCC scores on a 2-play drive, one of which was an illegal procedure penalty. Leads Benton Central 35-0 with 8:45 left in half.

Harrison 7 - Jeff 3 at the half.

Less than a minute after switching sides to start Q2, LCC goes up 28-0 on Benton Central.

After a 15 yard punt return, LCC takes just two plays and about 30 seconds off the clock to stretch the lead over Benton Central to 21-0 with 1:44 left in Q1.

LCC with a 44-yard punt return for TD. Now leads Bison 14-0 with 4:20 left in Q1.

Harrison and Jeff knotted at 0 at end of Q1. Update: Harrison with a one-yard run for a TD. Leads 7-0