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Started thinking of the best overall all around football programs in the state AT THIS TIME. This can obviously be opinionated for some and doesn’t always have to reflect state championships. I tried to think of the best run programs regardless of class. I also kept private schools off of this this because I consider those programs to be run very differently (youth leagues, middle schools, etc.) Top 10 in my opinion:

Center Grove

Carmel

Westfield

New Pal

Gibson Southern

West Lafayette

HSE

Ben Davis

Valpo

Decatur Central

Honorable mentions- Brownsburg, Zionsville, Mt. Vernon, East Central, Lawrenceburg

 

 

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3 minutes ago, Indiana Fan said:

Started thinking of the best overall all around football programs in the state AT THIS TIME. This can obviously be opinionated for some and doesn’t always have to reflect state championships. I tried to think of the best run programs regardless of class. I also kept private schools off of this this because I consider those programs to be run very differently (youth leagues, middle schools, etc.) Top 10 in my opinion:

Center Grove

Carmel

Westfield

New Pal

Gibson Southern

West Lafayette

HSE

Ben Davis

Valpo

Decatur Central

Honorable mentions- Brownsburg, Zionsville, Mt. Vernon, East Central, Lawrenceburg

 

 

Totally forgot about Merrillville. That would probably make the list or at least be honorable mention. Sorry about that Pirate fans.

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What makes Westfield a better program than Pioneer? 

What makes Hamilton Southeastern a better program than Adams Central?

Just curious what your criteria was when coming up with a list of "what makes a great program."

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10 minutes ago, Indiana Fan said:

Started thinking of the best overall all around football programs in the state AT THIS TIME. This can obviously be opinionated for some and doesn’t always have to reflect state championships. I tried to think of the best run programs regardless of class. I also kept private schools off of this this because I consider those programs to be run very differently (youth leagues, middle schools, etc.) Top 10 in my opinion:

Center Grove

Carmel

Westfield

New Pal

Gibson Southern

West Lafayette

HSE

Ben Davis

Valpo

Decatur Central

Honorable mentions- Brownsburg, Zionsville, Mt. Vernon, East Central, Lawrenceburg

 

 

How many public school towns/cities don't have youth football or Middle School football?  

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6 minutes ago, Indiana Fan said:

Started thinking of the best overall all around football programs in the state AT THIS TIME. This can obviously be opinionated for some and doesn’t always have to reflect state championships. I tried to think of the best run programs regardless of class. I also kept private schools off of this this because I consider those programs to be run very differently (youth leagues, middle schools, etc.) Top 10 in my opinion:

Center Grove

Carmel

Westfield

New Pal

Gibson Southern

West Lafayette

HSE

Ben Davis

Valpo

Decatur Central

Honorable mentions- Brownsburg, Zionsville, Mt. Vernon, East Central, Lawrenceburg

 

 

I know you stated “at this time” but is there a more specific time frame you are judging these programs off of? Because if you’re going off this past year, Carmel should probably be lower with the huge flop they had against Brownsburg in sectionals. Carmel also majorly disappointed the year before losing to a Ben Davis team in regionals that they had beat 31-9 a few weeks earlier. But if you’re going off, say the past 5 years, HSE doesn’t even belong on this list.

Not trying to throw a slight at you or anything like that, just want know your basis for how you decided these.

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Just now, Bears62 said:

I know you stated “at this time” but is there a more specific time frame you are judging these programs off of? Because if you’re going off this past year, Carmel should probably be lower with the huge flop they had against Brownsburg in sectionals. Carmel also majorly disappointed the year before losing to a Ben Davis team in regionals that they had beat 31-9 a few weeks earlier. But if you’re going off, say the past 5 years, HSE doesn’t even belong on this list.

Not trying to throw a slight at you or anything like that, just want know your basis for how you decided these.

Just simply putting together a top list of programs. Nothing specific. Recent success, moving in right direction, great leadership, places people would want to play at and be involved with

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47 minutes ago, Indiana Fan said:

Started thinking of the best overall all around football programs in the state AT THIS TIME. This can obviously be opinionated for some and doesn’t always have to reflect state championships. I tried to think of the best run programs regardless of class. I also kept private schools off of this this because I consider those programs to be run very differently (youth leagues, middle schools, etc.) Top 10 in my opinion:

Center Grove

Carmel

Westfield

New Pal

Gibson Southern

West Lafayette

HSE

Ben Davis

Valpo

Decatur Central

Honorable mentions- Brownsburg, Zionsville, Mt. Vernon, East Central, Lawrenceburg

West Lafayette has a youth program and a junior high program.  Matter of fact, if I'm not mistaken, they were one of the founding members of the program that LCC, McCutcheon, and one other program, along with West Lafaayette formed back in the 1980s or so.  They used to play in the same youth program with LCC, Harrison,, Benton Central, South Newton, and others.  When Harrison broke off to form its own self-contained league, HYF, West Lafayette used to play with their league too.  They also have a flag league in the area as well that feeds into their youth tackle program.  Public, definitely.  Run differently, not that much.

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4 minutes ago, foxbat said:

West Lafayette has a youth program and a junior high program.  Matter of fact, if I'm not mistaken, they were one of the founding members of the program that LCC, McCutcheon, and one other program, along with West Lafaayette formed back in the 1980s or so.  They used to play in the same youth program with LCC, Harrison,, Benton Central, South Newton, and others.  When Harrison broke off to form its own self-contained league, HYF, West Lafayette used to play with their league too.  They also have a flag league in the area as well that feeds into their youth tackle program.  Public, definitely.  Run differently, not that much.

Columbus North is 2nd in all time Team State Titles behind Carmel.  The Bulldogs have excelled equally in both boys and girls sports.  

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41 minutes ago, Indiana Fan said:

Just simply putting together a top list of programs. Nothing specific. Recent success, moving in right direction, great leadership, places people would want to play at and be involved with

I don’t think Gibson Southern belongs on this list then. Good-Great program but only advanced past sectionals once in Brady Allen’s career. Yeah they’ve had it really tough with Memorial in their sectional, but I don’t think you can be considered a top 10 public program with 1 sectional title in the past 6 years. 

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5 hours ago, Esso Ayche said:

You HAVE to be a masochist for starting this thread.

For shame, sir. Or ma'am. No judgement.

Are you saying I am wrong? A program advancing past sectionals once since 2016 is a top 10 public program in recent times?

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4 hours ago, Bears62 said:

Are you saying I am wrong? A program advancing past sectionals once since 2016 is a top 10 public program in recent times?

I was being facetious with my chagrin.  But since you mention it, Indiana Fan's qualifiers for making his list include: "Recent success, moving in right direction, great leadership, places people would want to play at and be involved with."  In no particular order, I'd say GS would respond with "Check, check, check, check aaand check." 

In the last ten years, with the exception of 2014 and 2020, GS has lost to the eventual 3A state champ or runner-up every year.  Memorial (3x), Chatard (2x), Brebeuf, and Heritage Hills. 

That only accounts for nine years, though.  Not sure what the outcome of the tenth was, but I will Google it and let you know what I find out.

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11 hours ago, Esso Ayche said:

I was being facetious with my chagrin.  But since you mention it, Indiana Fan's qualifiers for making his list include: "Recent success, moving in right direction, great leadership, places people would want to play at and be involved with."  In no particular order, I'd say GS would respond with "Check, check, check, check aaand check." 

In the last ten years, with the exception of 2014 and 2020, GS has lost to the eventual 3A state champ or runner-up every year.  Memorial (3x), Chatard (2x), Brebeuf, and Heritage Hills. 

That only accounts for nine years, though.  Not sure what the outcome of the tenth was, but I will Google it and let you know what I find out.

Guess we are being penalized for not being in sectional 30.

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On 6/25/2022 at 10:05 PM, Titan32 said:

Guess we are being penalized for not being in sectional 30.

No you’re being judged for continuing to lose to schools the same size as you in the postseason lol.

Gibson Southern does not belong in the top 10 for public school programs despite what you or your homer buddy @Esso Ayche think. Many schools such as West Lafayette, Merrillville, Zionsville, Western Boone, Decatur Central, Pioneer, Ben Davis deserve to be ranked ahead of them and have shown the ability to have deeper postseason runs outside of one single year. 
 

Congrats on GS’s championship, they deserved it and proved a lot of people wrong. Time to go back to reality though.

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32 minutes ago, Bears62 said:

No you’re being judged for continuing to lose to schools the same size as you in the postseason lol.

Gibson Southern does not belong in the top 10 for public school programs despite what you or your homer buddy @Esso Ayche think. Many schools such as West Lafayette, Merrillville, Zionsville, Western Boone, Decatur Central, Pioneer, Ben Davis deserve to be ranked ahead of them and have shown the ability to have deeper postseason runs outside of one single year. 
 

Congrats on GS’s championship, they deserved it and proved a lot of people wrong. Time to go back to reality though.

Damn.

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1 hour ago, Bears62 said:

No you’re being judged for continuing to lose to schools the same size as you in the postseason lol.

Gibson Southern does not belong in the top 10 for public school programs despite what you or your homer buddy @Esso Ayche think. Many schools such as West Lafayette, Merrillville, Zionsville, Western Boone, Decatur Central, Pioneer, Ben Davis deserve to be ranked ahead of them and have shown the ability to have deeper postseason runs outside of one single year. 
 

Congrats on GS’s championship, they deserved it and proved a lot of people wrong. Time to go back to reality though.

Probably the most consistently "good" public 3A team over the past 11 years (4 sectionals 2012, 2013, 2015, 2021).   Seems a little simplistic to just look at sectional championships....there are some pretty soft sectionals in this state.  A couple close playoff games GS probably shoulda/coulda have won (2016, 2019, 2020) maybe 3rd or 4th best 3A team in the state those years regardless of sectional results still probably tarnished the legacy a tad, but not in the minds of people who understand the level of play that comes out of that program year after year.

 

 

 

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