Jump to content
Head Coach Openings 2024 ×
  • Current Donation Goals

    • Raised $2,716 of $3,600 target

Linton-- WIC? The Schedule? the Future?


Recommended Posts

I think I kinda feel how this was going to go down, but I don't recall any announcement spelling

it out?  Maybe the date for that hasn't arrived?  maybe I missed it?    Brief history:  Linton for years has played in a couple football conferences with essentially the same teams. My dad founded the Tri-Country conference..which was when I was in school.  Sullivan, Linton, Dugger,  N.Daviess, N. Knox maybe N.Central not really crisp on the memory... after several years of not being in any conference, the Southwest 7 was formed in early 2000's...Linton, ND, NC, NK, Eastern Greene, Wood Memorial and Dugger. 

     The Miners ran roughshod through that schedule most every year we were in it.. and eventually the desire to face better competition led to dropping Wood Memorial and Union (Dugger)..which made us ineligible to win any conference title. Essentially we dropped out.. and North Daviess followed suit soon after.  I thing the Southwest because the Southwest 5 or 6... ND eventually re-joined.  I think now it's just the Southwest Football Conference.  ND, NK, EG, NC?   Linton still plays long time rivals ND, NK and the fellow Greene Countyian EG Thunderbirds.. who have finally gotten themselves a solid program.... 

       In the mean time Linton scheduled Monrovia, Southridge, North Vermillion, Providence.. got a couple games with Sheridan,  Ritter,   Still playing our core rival Sullivan Arrows as expected.  THis year 4A Boonville has been added to replace Ritter.   The schedule is undoubtedly tougher.   Has this tougher schedule helped Linton reach higher levels?  We went to semi-state several times falling short as well documented.  We went to state game falling to a superior LCC team in 2015, and then ran the table in 2016 defeating Pioneer for the ultimate goal.  

    In both 2015 and 2016 the schedule wasn't all that different from previous years...altho adding Monrovia provided in 2016 was the only game Linton was really challenged until the finale with Pioneer.   North Vermillion and Linton had a couple tight games..  Speedway were both easy Miner ways but did give up a test with their speed.  I guess for me... 2015 and 2016 schedules still had ND, NK, NC, Sull, EG, even Springs  Valley and Tecumseh in 2015.   I would love to have seen those 2 miner teams play the schedule we currently are playing. 

   But we are coming off our first losing season since I believe 1996.  There was such big talk about Linton being asked to join the realigned divisions of the WIC... and a lot of back n forth on the merits and demerits.  I think it's obvious Linton is gonna stay 2A from here on out. This will make the Miners one of the smallest 2A in the tourney.  So we know the climb is gonna be tough and likely always going to involve teams like Mater Dei from Evansville...Southridge (Altho they are pushed up to 3A now).. 

     I've heard folks on both side lament the long drive to Clarksvlle Providence...and  the hope that our schedule isn't going to turn into a 2 hour drive just to play games.  I've also heard both sides of the rivalry opponents. I don't want to ever see Linton not play our long time rivals like North Knox. or North Daviess.. I don't think we'd ever not play Sullivan lol.   It wasn't always Linton domination over the Warriors or Cougars.  It's been a long time since those days---but every few years both ND and NK meet Linton and the pundits think it's gonna be a battle. .sometimes it was.  But in my days of playing ND usually got the upper hand... and NK in the 70's were a very tough squad.  Things can change.  I like the banter between the towns.. the folks..  I don't want to lose that atmosphere. 

     BY joining the WIC it would almost assure that we have a schedule of opponents new, and a loss of games dating back decades.  We'd have Sullivan.. and re-add West Vigo... but add North and South Putnam, as well as Greencastle and Northview,   The Knights were 10-1, Sullivan won 9, N Put 8  S Put was 6-7.   In my youth Linton played Greencastle and Brazil... and played and beat Northview in '97 and '98 when the Knights were lucky to win 1 or 2 games in that whole 2 year span.  We had West Vigo in the old days, but also from 2004 thru 2014, and it was a 2-2 series those first 4 meetings..dogfights---  but LInton won 6 of the next 7 then the Vikes dropped us.  I don't know that we've ever played North Putnam.. but South Putman was one of the teams that beat us in a semi-state I believe in 1986.   

    I don't necessarily think this schedule would be any more difficult that our current schedule...  depending on who it worked with playing the other division... clearly the weaker side other than Edgewood and Indian Creek... Owen Valley didn't win a game, Cloverdale and Brown Country each with 2 wins...Cascade with 5, but three W's against the three previously listed...    I like being in a conference.. I think it gets some recognition and coverage for the kids who excel.  But I look at our schedule--- Southridge, Sullivan, Monrovia, NOrth Vermillion, and now 4A Boonville replacing Ritter) as our 1st 5 games....It's not a stretch to be 0-5.   We got thru is 1-4 last year..but the losing took its toll on the young team trying to live up to the previous teams.      

     We then had the run through our local rivalries, and lop-sidded wins over, ND, NK and revenge on Eastern Greene.  All three of these schools and their fanbases were licking their chops at coming in to hammer the Miners, and all were sent back with a hearty L on their record.  Course Providence ran all over us for a quarter before the team work up and played even for 3 quarters, but it was sure easy to see how that long bus ride and a rainy night affected things.  Plus..Providence was pretty dang good!   

People said.. well.. we got got no business played ND or NK....beating them 52-6 42-6 etc... it's not making us any better.  Well I disagree. You can always lose a game.  We were 1-4 and in a little big of disarray.  We needed an injection of confidence.  We had beaten a North Vermillion team handily for our only win thus far--- and NV went to the class A state championship.  Southridge was the 2A defending champs. Monrovia always a factor, Ritter has always been a factor as well...and we fell in overtime to perhaps not the best Raider team we'd seen.  The Arrow were having their best seasons every in Sullivan. Our team had a handful of seniors., and by season's end...2 were injured..so the offense was total underclassmen, freshman were out there starting in key positions.  

     Still in the end... Linton showed they could be dangerous... and against lesser quality teams they came out and dominated.  They played well at times against the better teams, but in the end did not make the big plays.  2019's team with be loaded with a lot of seniors who have will have started 3 years... They've also had to endure the comments.. the comparisons... the diminished crowd turns out on the road..and worse yet at Roy WIlliams Field. Last year's team would have perhaps tun the table in the regular season as that great 2012 Miner Team that went to 13-1 losing to Scecina on a 4th and inches in overtime going for the win.  In fact I think both the 2017 and 2018 Miner  teams would have run that regular season unbeaten.

   But that's not what anyone wants really----blow out games week in and out and having a sense of being better than you migh be... only to be handed your hat when you run into a team who matches up.  BUt I also think you can kill a program...you can start the eroding process if not careful about it.  Losing brings out all the snakes, the finger-pointers and second guessers.   Kids get discouraged, kids lose interest in putting in the offseason or even in-season work.  Kids who used to just want to be part of it...who didn't really see much game time...  they fall off.  depth becomes a danger spot... injuries become more frequent because of poor prep....and it always seems the injuries are worse. 

 I don't see Linton falling to such extreme low by any means in the near future... but I can see that if we give ourselves a schedule of facing very tough competition every week, and most of them bigger schools... and start having 4-5, 3-6 type seasons... it will have an effect on the over-all program.  I know it's all designed to be prepared for the level of Post -season.  I got that part.  I'm all for that, but I think you gotta maintain some of the games that spark the people too...and that means keeping those games that will bring people out.. and will fire your kids up because they play these kids from other local areas all through grade school and in other sports.  and they have to play well because ND, NK and Eastern have all had good teams at times in the last 10-15 years. 

OK... My diatribe is over....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Im completely worn out.  Almost made it to the end.

Paragraphs , which we learn in second grade in the northern half of the state , would be extremely helpful.

Much appreciated.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The WIC is moving to Big School and Small School divisions in 2020 season. Not sure the small schools would take Linton now. Some of the  big schools (OV, Northview, Edgewood, Indian Creek, and Sullivan I think) might not want to lose to 2A Linton. But the Miners would bring a crowd every time!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know we had some trouble in our area getting better teams to schedule Linton...3a wanted no part of a big loss to a little ol 1a school.   I think the battles with Ritter in semi-states helped our state wide reputation, and the win at Sheridan back to back.  Monrovia has been a good series too.  

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Small division of Big 8/PAC would be perfect.  You can’t compete with Heritage Hills, Jasper, and Gibson Southern but maybe one out of 10 years.  The MIC has a lot of dead weight.  Owen Valley, Brown County, Cloverdale, are historically not good programs.   I’m not sure about travel concerns, but IMO the Big8/PAC small division would be better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, superjay said:

Small division of Big 8/PAC would be perfect.  You can’t compete with Heritage Hills, Jasper, and Gibson Southern but maybe one out of 10 years.  The MIC has a lot of dead weight.  Owen Valley, Brown County, Cloverdale, are historically not good programs.   I’m not sure about travel concerns, but IMO the Big8/PAC small division would be better.

Ya, I'm not in love with that 2 hour drive😒 - pretty sure other PAC teams would feel the same. Linton is a bit too "north" for our liking.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, 2017statechamps said:

Tell City to Linton.  NOT a fun drive.

Nope...  neither was Linton to Clarksville last year LOL!   Nor Linton to Sheridan a few years back.    We've done the trip to Leopold a couple times too.  Back in my playing days we hosted South Spencer one Friday night.  I know that had to be long trip.. but a good trip home for them as they trounced us...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Campbellsburg to Sheridan was a trek a few years ago. And it rained with the wind blowing toward the visitors side. Uphill both ways! We got trounced. 

I did get to witness what it looks like for a community to embrace a program and support it. The fans and boosters treated us well until kickoff, did I mention we got trounced, then they shook our hands and thanked us for coming. Wished us well and a safe trip home. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...