High School Football Thread 2012-13

[RainMaker]

I'm also guessing some of that is down to personnel and where you are from. When I would drive through Wisconsin, radio stations were hard to come by. So on a Friday night I would listen to whatever local high school game I was driving by. Would guess most of the schools just ran a power running system. But it's Wisconsin, and these schools were filled with big farm boys who could run block like no tomorrow.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Wonder how many schools went through that transformation of having some legendary coach who ran the wishbone or whatever for 40 years being pushed aside for some modern systems. Technically they may have been winning games, but were never going to be more than a pretty good team as long as they ran an outdated system.

A couple of our best in state are still run heavy but among the difficulties is getting kids to buy in.

I know of a situation where a new coach wanted to go run heavy because that's what the personnel was REALLY suited for ... he faced a mutiny. Most of the players made it clear that if he wasn't going to throw it around they'd be the ones taking a pass "no future for us if we can't show what we can do".

That plan got revised quickly ... and yes, several of those players did indeed end up playing on Saturdays.

[Ksyrup]

Bishop Sycamore was supposed to play Johnson Central out of eastern KY on Friday but JC canceled. They played in 2019 (quick check shows JC won that game 34-8) and JC's coach said BS told them the same stuff about all of the D1 commits they had.

[molson]

Could we start a high school and get on ESPN?

I'll be the punter.

Also I'm glad to see there's already a hardy selection of Bishop Sycamore merchandise out there you can buy.

[JonInMiddleGA]

One of the more elaborate jabs at B.S. High I've seen

https://twitter.com/Hawk/status/1432831690938806272

[cuervo72]

[JonInMiddleGA]

1) Check the date on this story
2) See if the names sound familiar
3) See if the situation sounds familiar

Students became collateral damage in COF Academy-AME Church saga - News - ThisWeek Community News - Lewis Center, OH

[thesloppy]

These ghost schools are a trip!

[JonInMiddleGA]

I enjoyed this game more than most, as the son of a dear family friend was a freshman reserver OL for the winners.

Incredible winning streak snapped for Chad Morris' Texas high school program

[JonInMiddleGA]

Remember how I was talking about mismatches being pretty common, at least in Georgia? And how I mentioned somewhere in that discussion about teams playing non-region schedules -- making them ineligible for the post-season -- usually done as a program tries to rebuild from rock bottom?

A score caught my eye in the daily HSFB newsletter so I had to look a little closer at it.

Chamblee (Class 4A) beat Druid Hills (also 4A) 84-7 last Friday night. QB threw for 7 TDs in the first half.

Chamblee is in the second year of a 2 yr cycle playing a non-region schedule (5-1 last year). Druid Hills cancelled their season after just three games last year and is in the very unusual position of being allowed to play non-region for just this single year (so far anyway).

The 84 points they scored last week is more than their total season scoring in any of the five seasons from 2015 through 2019, a stretch that saw them go 6-43

They were a class 3A state semifinalist in 2007, but haven't made the post-season since 2009. And since 1990 they've had 13 head coaches, only 3 graduating classes in the past 31 years have played for the same HC through their high school career. ANd in their entire existence dating back to 1951 they have a winning record against only 3 opponents -- 1 of those is Druid Hills, 1 that routinely plays a non region schedule (Cross Keys) and the 3rd was merged out of existence in the mid 80s (Briarcliff).

Meanwhile Druid Hills is now 6-31 since 2017, hasn't had a winning season since 1993, nor a playoff berth since 1985, and only two playoff berths since 1950.

And that is how easily absurd scores can happen.

[miami_fan]

Isn't Chamblee supposed to be running the 18th string RB into the middle of the line filled with 8th stringers or punting on first down in order to keep the score?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Isn't Chamblee supposed to be running the 18th string RB into the middle of the line filled with 8th stringers or punting on first down in order to keep the score?

Against Druid Hills I'm not sure anything other than taking a knee would work. They'd probably fumble a punt through their own end zone.

[JonInMiddleGA]

There's various video clips on Twitter, not sure you'll see too many wilder finishes than Hamilton (AZ) stunning #7 in the nation Bishop Gorman (NV) tonight.

Down 24-7 with 1:10 left, Hamilton kicks a 44 yd FG to make it 24-10
They recover the onside kick, get a TD, make it 24-17
They recover ANOTHER onside kick, get a TD with 0:08 to cut it to 24-23
They go for two, QB lunges for the pylon and scores.

25-24 Hamilton wins

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

There's various video clips on Twitter, not sure you'll see too many wilder finishes than Hamilton (AZ) stunning #7 in the nation Bishop Gorman (NV) tonight.

Down 24-7 with 1:10 left, Hamilton kicks a 44 yd FG to make it 24-10
They recover the onside kick, get a TD, make it 24-17
They recover ANOTHER onside kick, get a TD with 0:08 to cut it to 24-23
They go for two, QB lunges for the pylon and scores.

25-24 Hamilton wins

Yeah, I just watched that. Pretty crazy.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

There's various video clips on Twitter, not sure you'll see too many wilder finishes than Hamilton (AZ) stunning #7 in the nation Bishop Gorman (NV) tonight.

Down 24-7 with 1:10 left, Hamilton kicks a 44 yd FG to make it 24-10
They recover the onside kick, get a TD, make it 24-17
They recover ANOTHER onside kick, get a TD with 0:08 to cut it to 24-23
They go for two, QB lunges for the pylon and scores.

25-24 Hamilton wins

Hamilton has really rebounded the last two years and gotten back into the top 3 teams in the state conversation along with Chandler and Sag U after a hazing scandal almost gutted them a few years back. They are legit and well coached.

On a side note we (Carl Hayden) went to 2-1 with a 53-6 win over Tempe last night and have a legit shot to bring home only the 5th winning season in the 60+ year history of this school. It has been a joy to be part of this rebuild and we have had packed stands our first 2 home games, when just 2 years ago it was sometimes less than 100.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

There's various video clips on Twitter, not sure you'll see too many wilder finishes than Hamilton (AZ) stunning #7 in the nation Bishop Gorman (NV) tonight.

Down 24-7 with 1:10 left, Hamilton kicks a 44 yd FG to make it 24-10
They recover the onside kick, get a TD, make it 24-17
They recover ANOTHER onside kick, get a TD with 0:08 to cut it to 24-23
They go for two, QB lunges for the pylon and scores.

25-24 Hamilton wins

Nicco Marchiol can't get to WVU soon enough.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Slowest week of the HS football season in Georgia ("only" 181 games between Thurs & Sat) as most regions wrap up non-region play.

Vaguely interesting sidenote from Athens Academy tonight. QB that won the job in the spring but suffered a broken collarbone and missed a month made his debut in the 2nd quarter tonight. First drive results in a double pass ... in the flat to the previous starting QB, who fires a 67 yard TD for an early 21-7 lead.

That debuting QB? Whit Muschamp ... son of Will Muschamp.

[BYU 14]

34 years in the game, but this year might be the most memorable. Carl Hayden has not had a winning season since 1996, and only 5 in the schools history, which dates back to 1957. We won 47-34 Friday top go 6-4 and secure winning season number 6 all-time and first in 25 years.

I have been part of a lot of successful staffs over the years, but this place is truly special. It may be one of, if not the toughest place to coach in the state, but I would put the kids at this school against anyone in terms of character, perseverance and effort.

Here are highlights from our win Friday.

MaxPreps

[NobodyHere]

Bishop Sycamore: State investigation concludes school is 'a scam'

I'm kind of fascinated by this story. So I guess the school was set up to be to have an elite football team that would attract talented players. Or in their words a "midwest IMG Academy". Yet their record is absolutely abysmal. They even got ESPN to show one of their games.

Why would parents voluntarily enroll their children here?

How much does one make off of this scam? (Asking for a friend)

[molson]

There was a school like that in my hometown, they never got on ESPN, but most or all of the students were basketball players, and it existed, at least in its later years, only on a promise of delivering div. 1 offers. And they did develop a decent number of them.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notr..._Massachusetts

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Bishop Sycamore: State investigation concludes school is 'a scam'

I'm kind of fascinated by this story. So I guess the school was set up to be to have an elite football team that would attract talented players. Or in their words a "midwest IMG Academy". Yet their record is absolutely abysmal. They even got ESPN to show one of their games.

Why would parents voluntarily enroll their children here?

How much does one make off of this scam? (Asking for a friend)

There's probably close to a half dozen basketball "schools" like that in Georgia at this point.

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Why would parents voluntarily enroll their children here?

If I remember correctly a fair number of the Bishop Sycamore 'kids' were over 18 and had already graduated from somewhere else (?)

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Bishop Sycamore: State investigation concludes school is 'a scam'

I'm kind of fascinated by this story. So I guess the school was set up to be to have an elite football team that would attract talented players. Or in their words a "midwest IMG Academy". Yet their record is absolutely abysmal. They even got ESPN to show one of their games.

Why would parents voluntarily enroll their children here?

How much does one make off of this scam? (Asking for a friend)

According to the article, they only had one student enrolled officially.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

If I remember correctly a fair number of the Bishop Sycamore 'kids' were over 18 and had already graduated from somewhere else (?)

I did not watch the game.

Do we know how many minors were playing for Bishop Sycamore?

This is less of a story for me if it is just people 18 years and up getting the ass handed to them on a football field by actual high school football players.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I did not watch the game.

Do we know how many minors were playing for Bishop Sycamore?

This is less of a story for me if it is just people 18 years and up getting the ass handed to them on a football field by actual high school football players.

Based on this article that posted yesterday, it sounds like most were "post-graduate". But before you completely dismiss them based on age, might be worth a read (if it doesn't get stuck behind a paywall, it was visible to me, to my surprise). Mostly these were, well ... "desperate" doesn't seem unfair to me.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/17/s...-football.html

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Based on this article that posted yesterday, it sounds like most were "post-graduate". But before you completely dismiss them based on age, might be worth a read (if it doesn't get stuck behind a paywall, it was visible to me, to my surprise). Mostly these were, well ... "desperate" doesn't seem unfair to me.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/17/s...-football.html

I read that article. It was similar to others that I read about the players which led to my question. I agree with the desperation characterization of the post graduates. I don't think I am dismissing them completely and if it came off that way, that was not my intention. They were taken advantage of. For me, it is more of a story for me if it were a 15 year old whose parents actually enrolled them into that school as a way to ride the 15 year old to college and professional football riches.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I read that article. It was similar to others that I read about the players which led to my question. I agree with the desperation characterization of the post graduates. I don't think I am dismissing them completely and if it came off that way, that was not my intention. They were taken advantage of. For me, it is more of a story for me if it were a 15 year old whose parents actually enrolled them into that school as a way to ride the 15 year old to college and professional football riches.

{nods}

I think that's more of a basketball thing than a football thing.

[JonInMiddleGA]

If you haven't seen "the banana in the tailpipe" trick play, it's probably worth a watch.

https://twitter.com/og_triple_og/sta...42017537769474

The context for this is that it's in the 4th OT of a rivalry game. Underdog Loganville decided to pull this out to try to take the lead over top 10 opponent Monroe Area (having gone only 1 for 3 with it in practice during the week). It worked to near perfection though the ball was ruled down inside the 1 yard line. They scored the eventual game winning TD on the next play, with a more traditional dive into the end zone.

[HomerSimpson98]

Fantastic. Never seen that play before. Looks like he was in to me.

[tarcone]

A couple HSs from where I grew up ar playing at Kinnick Stadium. Liberty High is a brand new HS in the area and they are playing City High, which is the oldest HS in the district. I went to West. It is streaming live on KCRG.
Stadium is full on one side. Not Texas full by any means.

[GrantDawg]

The kick that ended the game, but not in a good way:

Here's a clearer version, courtesy of our friends BEAM TV. https://t.co/fDHPgr5zBg pic.twitter.com/UjI5nj2JaA

— Jack Patterson (@JPattersonTV) September 9, 2022

[BYU 14]

Not quite the fireworks you want, but this happened near the end of our game tonight. Thankfully nobody hit or injured, but this is the third time since prior to the 2019 season gunfire has erupted within 200 yards of our field, the other two being during practice.

Sadly, it is a normal occurrence in this neighborhood, to the point where it barely fazes us anymore, the visiting team, from a small community in southern Arizona that doesn't see this was understandably shook. It really sucks because there are so many good hard working families with great kids in this neighborhood, just a rough area.

Reports of shots fired outside of Carl Hayden High School during football game

[miami_fan]

Looks like it has happened again.

What is West Toronto Prep, which lost 96-0 to IMG Academy in game called at the half?

The Canadian version of Bishop Sycamore.

[bronconick]

Does no one want to schedule a football factory masked as a "high school" so they're stuck playing anyone willing to die?

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by bronconick

Does no one want to schedule a football factory masked as a "high school" so they're stuck playing anyone willing to die?

I knew they lost to Miami Central earlier this season so I went to check their schedule to see who else they played. I had no idea that had four different football teams. The team that played West Toronto Prep was the national team.

2022 Football Schedule | IMG Academy

It looks like the Varsity(White) team ended up going 5-4 against schools that actually have high school kids attending and going to class. Seems like that is the normal varsity team. Varsity Blue ended up going 3-5 against similar opposition. According to IMG's site, these are the teams with the student-athletes with Blue being more like the JV team. Looking into the Post Grad team opened up a whole new world to me. I had no clue that there were actual football academies for post grad students. Not community colleges or junior colleges. Football academies.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I knew they lost to Miami Central earlier this season so I went to check their schedule to see who else they played. I had no idea that had four different football teams. The team that played West Toronto Prep was the national team.

2022 Football Schedule | IMG Academy

It looks like the Varsity(White) team ended up going 5-4 against schools that actually have high school kids attending and going to class. Seems like that is the normal varsity team. Varsity Blue ended up going 3-5 against similar opposition. According to IMG's site, these are the teams with the student-athletes with Blue being more like the JV team. Looking into the Post Grad team opened up a whole new world to me. I had no clue that there were actual football academies for post grad students. Not community colleges or junior colleges. Football academies.

IMG is a different world. A buddy of mine that I have coached with in the past, got a gig there as a video QC analyst this season. He is looking at a similar position for next year at UCF, but they don't pay as much as IMG. So a D1 G5 college team can't match the salaries of a "High School" program.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by bronconick

Does no one want to schedule a football factory masked as a "high school" so they're stuck playing anyone willing to die?

Miami Central didn't have a problem playin 'em

edit to add: I mention that because, with a little luck, we'll probably try to see Central (#3 in the nation this week) in their opening round playoff beatdown next weekend. I've seen, offhand, two nationally ranked teams in years past (Cartersville with Lawrence, and Buford). It'd be interesting to see one in another state, though I doubt the matchup will provide enough resistance to get much of a read on them.

[Ksyrup]

This was called a TD in GA playoff game...

Absolutely embarrassing. My heart goes out to Cedar Grove. pic.twitter.com/DjzAlp8gaY

— Ronnell Brown Ed. S (@Ronnell_Brown) December 10, 2022

[JonInMiddleGA]

As I noted elsewhere, it's at least the 4th such incident (improper spots) in championship games in the past six seasons. This is one of the two worst in that stretch.

And keep in mind, these are the top end officials in the state.

You can only imagine what it looks like in week six of the regular season.

[Edward64]

No VAR like help up in the booth?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Edward64

No VAR like help up in the booth?

Nope, not used in Georgia (despite being approved for use since 2019)

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

As I noted elsewhere, it's at least the 4th such incident (improper spots) in championship games in the past six seasons. This is one of the two worst in that stretch.

And keep in mind, these are the top end officials in the state.

You can only imagine what it looks like in week six of the regular season.

Understanding that incompetence and corruption are hard to tell apart, do you have a sense of which it might be?

I'm not talking about ref-taking-a-bribe corruption. More like the subconscious sense that "Team A deserves to win" and shading spots/calls that way.

[Ksyrup]

I don't know much about GA HS FB, but I do know Sandy Creek, and I'd guess they were supposed to win this game since that school has become a college athlete factory (most notably, Megatron). It didn't exist when I went to HS at nearby McIntosh (in fact, Tyrone hadn't yet been developed much and was where the "less fortunate" lived 35 years ago), and I don't know the story of how it went from 0 to 60 in sports, but it's a big-time sports school.

So, if reputation and "supposed to win because they're the better team" factored into that call, it wouldn't surprise me.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Understanding that incompetence and corruption are hard to tell apart, do you have a sense of which it might be?

I'm not talking about ref-taking-a-bribe corruption. More like the subconscious sense that "Team A deserves to win" and shading spots/calls that way.

Most of the time, in the playoffs, it appears to be ineptitude. You see more of the "okay, we don't like Team X" stuff during the regular season.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I don't know much about GA HS FB, but I do know Sandy Creek, and I'd guess they were supposed to win this game since that school has become a college athlete factory (most notably, Megatron). It didn't exist when I went to HS at nearby McIntosh (in fact, Tyrone hadn't yet been developed much and was where the "less fortunate" lived 35 years ago), and I don't know the story of how it went from 0 to 60 in sports, but it's a big-time sports school.

So, if reputation and "supposed to win because they're the better team" factored into that call, it wouldn't surprise me.

Opposite effect here actually, Cedar Grove was a 10 point favorite (and beat SC in a region matchup during the regular season). The Saints have been a f'n machine in the lower levels in recent years, losing only five times to same-classification opponents in the past eight seasons, winning four titles in that span.

By comparison, Creek was in a final for the first time since 2012 and had missed the playoffs entirely twice in the past five years.

[Ksyrup]

Interesting! Of course, I haven't been back to those parts since 2009 so I guess I'm behind the times...

[JonInMiddleGA]

As for how Sandy Creek became a force so quickly, it's been about the players.

63 all-state players (most of them multi-year award winners) since 1995.

The biggest name is Calvin Johnson but five other NFL players among their alums as well (TE Jabari Holloway, DT Kendrick Golston, Johnson, OT Andrew Gardner, DB Isiah Johnson, and CB Mike Hilton).

And the non-NFL players have gone to Boise St, Bama, Tennessee x3 ,Louisville, Notre Dame, South Carolina x2, Cincinnati x3, UGA, Stanford, Ole Miss, Army, and Air Force ... just to name a few)

[Ksyrup]

Yeah, I'm just curious where they all came from. Is transferring allowed/big there?

When I was at high school in the late 80s, our sports at McIntosh were pretty much terrible except wrestling and to a lesser extent soccer. We had a baseball player I graduated with go to FSU and then, of course, there was Jeff Sheppard (who was my brother's best friend growing up) a few years later. So to see a school in essentially the same area blow up athletically like that, it's strange to me.

During my days, Woodward Academy was where you went for sports (I recall them having a stud LB who went to UNC).

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Yeah, I'm just curious where they all came from. Is transferring allowed/big there?

When I was at high school in the late 80s, our sports at McIntosh were pretty much terrible except wrestling and to a lesser extent soccer. We had a baseball player I graduated with go to FSU and then, of course, there was Jeff Sheppard (who was my brother's best friend growing up) a few years later. So to see a school in essentially the same area blow up athletically like that, it's strange to me.

During my days, Woodward Academy was where you went for sports (I recall them having a stud LB who went to UNC).

I was doing pbp for Griffin during the 90s, McIntosh was, umm ... "not good" (aside from soccer) is being gentle. (from '82 to '22 they have nine seasons with 1 win or less, only five seasons with 6 wins or more)

The rapid ascent of Sandy Creek (first of then-five Fayette Co teams to ever reach a football final) was several factors. Explosive growth, affluent growth, played a part. Chris Webber had a house there, Crefflo Dollar, (former Mr. Olympia) Lee Haney.

Another factor in their rise was coaching. Their 2nd HC was state Hall-of-Fame coach Rodney Walker, who was succeeded by his future HOF coach son Chip (3 state titles at SC, 7 straight seasons of double-digit wins)

Somewhere around '03 or so (their 12th season in existence) the elder Walker won 10 games and the school started to look more like a destination. It was already where a lot of people wanted to live if they were in the county, it then became the first choice of anyone with a high end athlete.

Success breeds success, and once things got going they kinda snowballed for the next decade or so.

And you look around the rest of the county schools, the destination aspect becomes clearer. Fayette County HS has been playing since 1951, only once playoff win ever. McIntosh zero playoff wins in 41 seasons.

And that recent downturn for Sandy Creek? Coincides with the ascent of Starr's Mill (9 playoff wins in the past 8 years, opened in '98) and Whitewater (avg 6+ wins a year in their 19 year existence, playoff team 12 of those years)

[Ksyrup]

That's crazy. Tyrone was where the poor kids who went to McIntosh lived when I was there.

We had one great FB season while I was there... that ended up with all 9 or 10 wins vacated due to our RB being declared ineligible (some sort of recruiting violation or he didn't live in county). Other than that, zero or one wins was the typical season.

The one player I remember seeing during that time was Andre Hastings at Morrow. I've never seen a guy who was so obviously a college player. He torched us repeatedly.