Frozen Tundra

I just hope folks stop overlooking teams like New Palestine for playing "weak schedules" and start paying attention to what actually goes on out on the field. Your schedule doesn't mean a freaking thing. Executing on the football field, being disciplined, and having players/coaches that are 100% bought in does. 

Every time I think New Palestine has finally earned everyone's respect, they play a new tough opponent which brings out another group of clueless doubters. Stop it. 

Week 13 Prediction

Floyd Central (9-2) at Bloomington South (7-4): The Highlanders look to win their first ever regional championship while the Panthers look to win their first since 2016 (and 11th overall). Bloomington South struggles to play to its full potential at times despite its amount of talent and legendary head coach. However, I don't think they have much to worry about in this one. Their big defensive line will make it hard for Floyd Central to move the ball while their offensive line will allow for Maveric Thiery to break some big runs for long touchdowns. The season ends for the HHC as Bloomington South wins by at least three touchdowns.

52 minutes ago, Impartial_Observer said:

I was told by two folks in the know that the jobs would be posted. Now that being said, the dude at Central is in the driver’s seat.

"The dude at Central." Is that what you call him now? lol

4 minutes ago, cg_holmeaid said:

Columbus North just better be grateful that they weren’t stomped at the hands of CG in sectionals again 😂😂

Sounds like they were the worst team in the sectional. Just proves what I've said all along. They might be the better team in Columbus in week 2 but they never improve. They either flat-line or get worse. By season's end, we're better than them. Bloomington South in 2016 and Terre Haute North in 2017 implied the same thing.

2 minutes ago, cg_holmeaid said:

East was most definitely a tougher opponent. FC’s first touchdown was gifted to them by CG’s quarterback (Pick six thrown right to the defender). Second one was in the 4th quarter, CG had the scout team in, and FC had their varsity still out there. East defense was much stronger than the FC defense

Good to know. Columbus North fans were giving us crap last week. At least we lost to you guys and not Franklin Central.

20 hours ago, cg_holmeaid said:

Center Grove 49

Franklin Central 7

1:22 2nd

Was East a tougher opponent than Franklin Central? Seems like it based on the score but we all know that doesn't tell the whole story.

18 hours ago, Donnie Baker said:

I probably know more about Woofs than anyone I know 

That's not what Randy told me.

1 hour ago, WCGrad92 said:

A 6A team that lost in the 1st round of the playoffs would probably trash them both TBH

I know a 6A school playing for a regional championship that lost to both teams during the regular season. 

Hint: It's the team your boys are playing next Friday.

For the first time since 2010, an HHC team has advanced further than Columbus East in the state tournament. Floyd Central was the lone team to do so in 2010. This year they are joined by Jeffersonville who has outlasted East for the first time since 2005. Congrats to both schools. It's nice to know there will still be activity in this thread for at least one more week.

Week 12 Prediction

Jeffersonville (4-6) at Floyd Central (8-2): Floyd Central is looking for its first sectional title since 2009. Jeffersonville is looking for its first sectional title since 2007. Just like last week, the Highlanders will be repeating a match-up from earlier in the year. They pulled away in the second half to beat the Red Devils 23-6 back in week 5. Jeff has definitely improved with the new coach and doesn't seem to be having the same issues that they are infamously known for. Could they pull the upset here? It's possible. However, the cold weather favors Floyd's effective ground game. Therefore, I think the Highlanders get the win.

4 hours ago, Gipper said:

I still contend Andrean over Boone Grove was not an upset.  Andrean plays in a much tougher conference and were much more physical.  I still like BG, don’t get me wrong, but this was not an upset.  The Rensselaer game will be epic.

Yeah I picked Andrean over Boone Grove in the bracket challenge. Some games I struggled with trying to decide a winner but this wasn't one of them. Therefore, not an upset in my mind.

2 hours ago, Trojanmp52 said:

I would thought east would have rolled the dice on a 4th down or 2 late in the game

A few things from my first time at east is one Is a little odd the press box is on the visitor side two after the game at the cross walk I was surprised that their was a cop or some one thier

 

 

The visitor side used to be the home side but they switched when bigger bleachers were put in. They moved the home fans over there so that we could finally avoid the sun being in our eyes in the early season games. Four decades of the sun in our eyes sucked.

Week 11 Predictions

Center Grove (4-5) at Columbus East (7-2): It's been nine years since these two teams last played. The Olympians avenged a 2009 2nd round loss by defeating the Trojans in the 1st round in 2010. Center Grove is still one of the best football programs in the state but they're not as big and scary without their star RB Carson Steele. They're vulnerable but my gut tells me they'll have an easier time moving the ball than East will. Center Grove wins.

Seymour (4-5) at Franklin (7-2): Another HHC vs Mid-State match-up. Those didn't end well for Jennings County and Madison last week. The Owls are coming off five straight losses but, even if they weren't, it wouldn't be enough to stop all of the superior attributes this Grizzly Cubs team has. Franklin gets the W.

New Albany (4-5) at Jeffersonville (3-6): The Red Devils won the week 3 match-up 32-13 but the Bulldogs have rattled off three straight wins and don't seem to be the same team as they were earlier in the year. My gut is weighing in again and it's telling me the old Jeffersonville rears its ugly head at the worst time. Steve Cooley's experience as a head coach will have the boys prepared. New Albany wins.

Bedford North Lawrence (3-6) at Floyd Central (7-2): Yet another repeat HHC match-up. The Stars have shown flashes of brilliance this year as well as flashes of awfulness, sometimes within the same game. BNL gets another crack at the Highlanders in Floyds Knobs except, this time, the weather will be dry. I think that actually favors the Highlanders with their speed and ability to pass the ball. Floyd Central gets the win.

8 hours ago, Trojanmp52 said:

I do miss not have a game this week but I am happy the players can get heath for playoffs.  The first and maybe second year that 6 a only had 32 teams the bye was the week before state finals.  not sure why ihsaa moved it.

Because, from a player's perspective, that's a long time to have to ponder on and wait for a big game like that. Also, and probably most important, it allows for less games to be played the first week of the tournament so that there's no/less threat of a referee shortage.

16 hours ago, Olympian06 said:

Shut up!! 

Real men play football in cold weather.

15 hours ago, Impartial_Observer said:

I worked a game in the snow one time.....it's over rated. 

I watched a night game in the snow at hallowed Lambeau Field one time. Nothing overrated about it. However, I underrated how cold it could get up there though. Even with four layers on, I still couldn't feel my fingers or toes until two hours after the game. Luckily, I still have all of them and they all still look and function properly. Can't wait to do it again.

8 minutes ago, cg_holmeaid said:

And chances of snow ☠️

My kind of weather

6 hours ago, DT said:

It is the responsibility of the IHSAA to attempt to see that all schools are treated fairly and equitably.  While the schools themselves are not concerned about the bye situation, the governing body, the IHSAA, should be.  It just defies logic that a school with 100 kids on the roster that goes 4 deep at every position gets a week off while a school with 21 that cant even scrimmage in practice has to go out and play a do or die elimination game.  Where's the fairness and equity in that?

You're in a small minority of folks that care. If the schools or the coaches thought it was an issue then something would be done about it.

1 minute ago, DT said:

1. Bigger schools aren't playing smaller schools so who cares?  Please explain

2. Unless 5A gets evened out to 32 teams, this won't work.  Really?  Is there no way to work this out?  Do we need to consult with NASA for a solution?

1. Why do small schools care that 6A gets a bye and they don't? They're not playing the bigger schools so it's not like they're playing teams with an advantage. They're playing the teams within their class. I know when East was in 4A none of us gave a crap about 6A only having 32 teams and having a bye thrown in. We all knew it's an all-in tournament and we had twice as many teams in 4A. We weren't playing any 6A schools in the tourney. Just play the game and control what you can control.

2. Even if 5A got evened out to 32 teams, what about the other classes? There are 63 teams each in 1A and 2A so one team in each class gets a bye. Should we cry about that and how it's unfair those teams get to rest while everyone else has to play? 4A has 61 teams so three teams get a bye. I haven't heard the other 58 teams complaining about it.

5 minutes ago, DT said:

Just to even things out and continue on the course of true competitive balance, I would like to see the IHSAA mandate a 10th regular season game for 5A and 6A schools.  These schools should not be getting a bye week with their deep rosters while smaller schools with very thin rosters are getting no time off.  

Simple rules for week 10.

No games against conference teams and no games against sectional teams.  Good chance for some interesting cross sectional games and some travel for kids and families before the season ends.  

Two problems with this:

1. Bigger schools aren't playing smaller schools so who cares?

2. Unless 5A gets evened out to 32 teams, this won't work.

Columbus East definitely needed the bye. Our boys are a lot more banged up than in previous years. Regardless, I have no problem with the bye being that particular week. Sure beats 2013 and 2014 where the bye in 6A was the week between semi-state and state. If I was a player on one of those teams playing for a state title I would've hated having to think about that game for two weeks.

Gonna be a chilly game. The forecast is showing low 40s/upper 30s.

5 hours ago, LuersLady said:

1. Luers is not a private school with money.  Luers is VERY POOR.  Luers is Title I eligible!  Well over 80% of Luers students are on scholarship. 

2. The Luers coach gets paid less than the public school coaches in Fort Wayne.  He is the Luers coach because he is a Luers grad.  In fact, all or darn-close-to-all of the Luers football coaches are Luers grads. And several are volunteers...

( For that matter, it is not just coaches who make less at Luers;  Luers teachers make just over 60% of what they would make at a public school.)

3.  Refer back to my response to #1. But, long story short: I think you have the wrong idea about the Luers demographics.  

 

Also -- I understand that you are not talking about "recruiting" but I still want to point out that Fort Wayne has fully open enrollment in all public schools...  so SNIDER can (and does!) pull athletes from anywhere in Fort Wayne, just as much as Luers/Dwenger/Concordia can, without charging any tuition!  

You responded six weeks later?! Lol. I'd completely forgotten about this interaction.

I mentioned tradition and a winning reputation as being an advantage. This is where Snider falls and that's why (along with coaching) they're able to consistently win year after year. They pull in some of the best athletes because of open enrollment. (Yes, I was aware of open enrollment. We have that in Columbus too.)

I must admit, it sounds like I may be a little out of the loop on the economic situation at Luers based on what you're telling me. Has Luers always been poor? They won eight state titles in a 14 year period from 1999 to 2012 so I'm curious to know what advantages led to that success. Makes me think things have changed there since then.

Greenwood beat Madison 61-0.

Martinsville beat Jennings County 42-7.

Week 10 Predictions

Only two games this week. I'll try to put up the pick 'em standings a little bit later.

Greenwood (3-6) at Madison (1-8): The Woodmen take it. Not much more to say. No explanation needed.

Jennings County (3-6) at Martinsville (3-6): In week 1, the Artesians slaughtered BNL 40-7 who went on to smash Jennings County in week 3 50-21. Normally I wouldn't use the transitive property to pick a winner but there's a big difference between the Mid State Conference and the Hoosier Hills Conference. These scores allow you to see that clearly. Martinsville wins.

15 hours ago, Olympian06 said:

Columbus East has had an excellent Fall Sports season.

HHC Champs in :

Boys Soccer (won regional tonight) 

Girls Soccer (lost in sec champ)

Volleyball (Sectional champs tonight)

Football 

Baseball will be extremely good again this year, will be pre season #1 or #2. 
 

Ready for football sectionals now, but have to wait 2 weeks for 6A to start. 

Girls cross country team also advanced to semistate. It was by the skin of their teeth but they did it.

Heck yes. I'm not happy with my 2nd place finish last year. I'm in!