oldtimeqb

It's spring cleaning time in our house, so I thought I would avoid that by dusting off an old discussion. Neutral semi-state football games, something I might support if done correctly, of would pose some logistical challenges. Here are a few observations I noticed last weekend and this weekend with the basketball tournament. 1. It's amazing how much the IHSAA can mandate when they want. Regional and semi-state basketball games have to be on Saturday, and more specifically, the times the games are played. Both Evansville North and Evansville Bosse had their regional games tip-off at 9:30 Central. Perhaps Triton Central and Ev Mater Dei are an exception, but why do they let gamesmanship prevail in football? And yes I'm well aware Regional is a 2 game event which requires the morning sessions, but still the time is set and there is no switching. 2. The semi-state sites were set before the season. If you are going to do neutral sites, they need to be set pre-season, IMO. They didn't choose Seymour this weekend because it happens to be close to halfway between Eastern Hancock and Clarksville Providence. That location was predetermined and the midpoint just happened by coincidence. 3. Lafayette Central Catholic gets to play at nearby Lafayette Jeff. However North Daviess could have played 15 minutes away at Washington, but instead have to travel to Seymour. There is always the possibility that a "neutral site" is much closer to one school than the other. 4. This is the biggest one, IMO. Washington and Seymour both lost in the second round of sectional on a Friday night. Two weeks later they are hosting semi-state. Not a long of time, especially since they also hosted Regional in between. The football equivalent for 2021 would be for your team to lose on Oct. 29th and host a semi-state on November 19th. If they lose first round, it would be Oct. 22, and you would still need to keep your field ready for 4 weeks to host. In the meantime, the athletics department has played 4 girls basketball games before Nov. 19th. The advantage for basketball is that there might be practices for spring sports going on, but there are minimal contests (gymnastics and indoor track being the exceptions) during the first 2 weeks of March. I am for the idea. But I think these issues are why it probably won't happen IMO.

We spend a lot of time talking about non-SIAC teams and hypothetical matchups, but what else are message boards for? In real SIAC news, congrats to these young men for being selected to the N/S All-Star game. Offense: Jacob Potts OL, Jasper. Eli McDurmon WR, Mater Dei. Ray Brodie RB, Memorial. Defense: Garrett Mooney DE, North. Adam Watson LB, Castle. Stephen Pritchett P, Central.

With all due respect, it’s not the SIAC schedule preventing a GS-EM matchup. You can thank the success factor for that. With Bosse moving up, I hope Lincoln gets moved into 32. Sectionals will only give Boonville, Lincoln, and Mater Dei a chance for some fresh matchups each year.

You are correct. Looking at the sketch and notes I made yesterday, I see I didn't have Madison on my list as they had been 4A and also are an independent. I added them while posting and didn't catch that I omitted Charlestown. I agree that Franklin County will move to 30 and I could see Hamilton Heights being moved to a northern sectional in that case.

EC already plays Moeller, Roncalli, and Guerin during the regular season. If they add Chatard and Brebeuf they will get a free set of steak knives and a plenary indulgence from the Vatican.

Yes and yes. But South Dearborn and Franklin County, also EIAC members, and Madison (former MSC) are dropping from 4A to 3A. Add in Salem and North Harrison, who I think will move east out of 32, and 31 is full. Batesville has played Indy Manual, Indian Creek, and Hamilton Heights in sectional games during the last 12 years. So it’s not unheard of to match them with eastern Indy area schools. As I am typing this, I remember 2016 Brownstown played Lawrenceburg in semistate. So MSC teams don’t have to be paired with EIAC teams in sectional but it has happened before too.

My take with the caveat that I love the 'old 24/new 32' footprint before they created the debacle that was 30 for the last 3 years. Sectional 29 (WIC & Sagamore) - Danville, Tri-West, North Montgomery, WeBo, West Vigo, Monrovia, Indian Creek, Owen Valley Sectional 30 (Indy and East) - Speedway, Purdue Poly (I think it's in Indy?), Guerin, Batesville, Rushville, Greensburg, Hamilton Heights + BYE Sectional 31 (MSC, EIAC) - North Harrison, Scottsburg, Corydon, Salem, Lawrenceburg, South Dearborn, Franklin County, Madison Sectional 32 (PAC + VL) - Lincoln, Washington, Heritage Hills, Southridge, Pike Central, Gibson Southern, Mt Vernon Posey, Princeton I think 31 and 32 should be pretty easy. I assume a bye will factor in somewhere, because I don't anticipate a full 64 team field.

So I guess the statement not released is that Vincennes DID NOT get voted into the Big PAC?

I have numbers from the Evansville Diocese. Mater Dei had 538 and Reitz Memorial had 791 in 2009-10. That was the first year of the Success Factor. No grand conspiracy. The IHSAA just didn’t update their spreadsheet.

Out of likes - but thanks for this. Looks like New Pal will be joining 4A south again. And the sectionals should be fairly easy to redraw IMO. Bosse comes up to 4A - pushing Northview to Sectional 22. Bedford and Edgewood take South Dearborn and Madison's spots in 23. New Pal added to 21 lets Muncie Central go "north." And of course 22 adds Chatard and Brebeuf in with Roncalli, which pushes Western, Frankfort and Lebanon back north as well. Sorry Beech Grove, Northview, Attucks, Shortridge, and Indy Washington.

I think they heard enough complaints about the "double bye" - which is what a classification of less than 32 would have. As exciting as a 3 team sectional sounds, I think they will try to avoid that at all costs.

Thanks. Could make for some interesting sectionals draws in the south. Mater Dei and Southridge will move up from 2A to 3A. Between 31 and 32, that is 4 schools that have hosted in the past - Princeton, Washington, Boonville, and Southridge.

Looking at the list 189, 190, and 191 based on size are SR 517, PC 512, and WeBo at 511. Quick math of 32 + 32 + 63 + 63 = 190. So the cut line will be right around there. If somehow WeBo ends up 2A while PC and SR end up 3A, that would be the perfect coup de grace of this sh*^show of a reclassification cycle.

I know the feeling. Mater Dei will be 2A - but traditionally Pike Central has also been 3A, so that would be an even switch in Sec 32 after the numbers come out. Maybe that saves you some time!

I am curious how the officiating clinic symposium with Gene Steratore was received: https://www.indianasportscorp.org/events/2022-big-ten-womens-basketball-tournament-ancillary-events I wonder if events like this, combined with a little bit of extra $$ might help recruit new officials. Officials LOVE sports, which like Yucca mentioned is the primary reason why they do it. I know I am speaking in broad generalities, but those individuals age 20-40 who love sports have chosen to live vicariously through their own children. I see it with my own elementary age son. His youth games have teams of 20 or so players but a minimum of 5 or 6 coach dads. I know other former officials who no longer work Friday nights because it interferes with their kid's fall travel sport schedules. In my opinion, that is the competition for sport-loving individuals who might have chosen to stay involved by officiating. Addressing pay is necessary, but tapping into that mindset is what will help recruit more officials IMO. Maybe holding more events and clinics where the selfie generation gets to take a picture with the Gene Steratores, Ed Hoculis, and Bob Parkers of the world will help?

I heard there was supposed to be a big meeting and vote soon. Perhaps this week even.

Memorial plays home varsity games at Enlow Field (on the campus of Bosse HS) and Mater Dei plays home varsity games at Reitz Bowl. Both teams play sub-varsity (7, 8, Freshman, JV) games on the turf practice fields on their respective campuses.

I’ve heard Jim Irsay needs AA… oh wait. That might be something else

There is a swath of communities east of Oakland City - Spurgeon, Stendal, and the west side of Lake Helmerich who would definitely benefit from going to the closest school and not necessarily the one they are currently districted for. I hold out a little bit of hope that I-69 can help Oakland City and Petersburg. We shall see.

The numbers for Mater Dei and Memorial were inflated as well. Mater Dei is 490-500 range and Memorial is 550-560 range. Both had totals 100-150 students above that. I just assumed they added a multiplier without telling anybody. 😃

5A South really is like a Legos. Lots of doubled pairs depending on how you want to connect them. Castle/Ev North have been paired east (Floyd/New Albany) - North (TH North and South) and Northeast (Bloomington North/South) in the past. I would assume Columbus East/Seymour and Franklin/Whiteland are pretty much matched sets as well.

I'm out of likes - but this is good work. 4A has had 63 teams for the last 3 years, with 24 being a 7 team sectional. So it may not be a major shift if one is moved out. The time and mileage difference is negligible, but I could see BNL and Silver Creek flipped. In most people's mind Bedford is southwest Indiana while Sellersburg is southeast. Either way, one of those schools will be a long drive for the rest of the sectional.

4A South has been a headache for recent classifications. Marion or Muncie Central have both been "south" over the last 4-5 years. Based on the numbers posted it looks like Brebeuf and Evansville Bosse are moving up to 4A and BNL is moving down to 4A, which adds some south flexibility. I also imagine Chatard will be there too. IF Bosse drops (and I'm still not sold on that, there have been issues in the past with their counts) that means Northview is free to be moved somewhere else. Greenwood, Beech Grove, Martinsville, and Mooresville are probably a block that stays together IMO.

That actually makes a lot of sense. Maybe one minor issue - like what if WeBo drops because they lose in sectional but LCC wins regional and stays? So maybe it’s something like 4A 22 - 8 teams including Chatard. 3A 28 - 7 teams including WeBo. 2A 37 - 7 teams including LCC. They showed last time two completely different brackets for two years with Carmel being North and South over a 2 year span that it would not be impossible.

I find it hard to believe that Chatard and LCC - who are two of the teams the SF was created for (let’s not kid ourselves otherwise) would be allowed to drop back after one year. They have shown once before to re-write the rules to prevent Cathedral from dropping down. I expect that to happen again.