McDowell and South Caldwell

[MooresvilleDevil06]

these two schools are in a real tough spot come next realignment. Speculation is they could both be put into an all 4A conference with Charlotte area schools (Mooresville, Lake Norman, Hough, Hopewell, N Meck...... Just a possible conference i came up with). While the obvious travel logistics would be a nightmare- especially in the non-footballer sports- the question seems to be what is the best way to place them in a conference? The NCHSAA's goal is to eliminate split conferences. What do you guys think?


Heres an article looking at it from the McDowell perspective http://m.mcdowellnews.com/sports/op...786-00ba-11e5-9ef8-cb852a02e88b.html?mode=jqm

 

[Sportsnut17]

I really don't see this happening. I think when final realignment is done there will be some split conferences.

 

[MooresvilleDevil06]

I agree. You almost have to have a split conference in the mtns.

 

[new_dawg]

Back in the late 70's/early 80's South Caldwell was in the same conference with Ashbrook, Hunter Huss, and Asheville. Would that not be similar travel to what is being proposed?

 

[MooresvilleDevil06]

Here is what i came up with- what do you guys think:

3a conference
Asheville
Roberson
Erwin
AC Reynolds
Enka
Pisgah
North Buncombe
3A/4A split
McDowell
South Caldwell
Alexander Central
Watauga
Hickory
St Stephens
Patton
Foard
Freedom
4A conference
Mooresville
Lake Norman
Hough
Hopewell
North Meck
Vance
Mallard Creek
(Maybe w charlotte)

 

[Earnhardt Forever]

Where will Statesville, North Iredell, South Iredell and West Iredell play? Will they play with Wes Rowan, East Rowan and Carson?

What happens to West, North, and East Henderson? Will they play in a split conferences again? Will Tuscola be 2A and Pisgah be 3A?

So you are proposing a split conference with 7 3A schools and 2 4A schools?

What happens to Hibriten? West Caldwell? I thought WC might be 3A next realignment.

Why move A.C. away from the Iredell County Schools?

 

[MooresvilleDevil06]

Apparently pisgah may drop to 2A in the new format- and replace them with the Hendson Co schools. I didnt put AC with iredell co schools because i believe you could see an Iredell/Rowan conference potentially. I put AC with the Hickory area/S Caldwell/McDowell schools because they already have history with those schools. S Caldwell being their biggest rival- they have been in the conference with mcdowell before so it made some sense. But you could easily put them in with iredell/rowan too.

And i think you're right on West Caldwell- I originally didnt think theyd be 3A but looks like they would be. In that case, if WC goes 3A, put AC with the iredell schools and add WC.

And it really doesnt matter what conference you have mcdowell/s caldwell in- they will be the only 2 4A schools in a split conference. The only Other option is to add them into a conference with Mooresville Lake Norman and Hough Hopewell and N Meck- and thats just not a realistic option.

 

[MooresvilleDevil06]

As for Hibriten- i think they could be 2A.. Im not confident in that- not sure if they have a growing student body or not.. But i think theyll be kind of in that border of 2A/3A

 

[MooresvilleDevil06]

Or you could do something like this (in regards to alexander central)- didnt really think of it at the time:

South Iredell
Alexander Central
Statesville
North Iredell
Hickory
St Stephens


And it looks like Foard and Patton could be 2A in the new realignment potentially- so ill have to completely re-think that split conference

 

[Earnhardt Forever]

Or you could do something like this (in regards to alexander central)- didnt really think of it at the time:

South Iredell
Alexander Central
Statesville
North Iredell
Hickory
St Stephens


And it looks like Foard and Patton could be 2A in the new realignment potentially- so ill have to completely re-think that split conference

I really like this conference! I think you figured out part of the equation.

 

[Earnhardt Forever]

And it really doesnt matter what conference you have mcdowell/s caldwell in- they will be the only 2 4A schools in a split conference. The only Other option is to add them into a conference with Mooresville Lake Norman and Hough Hopewell and N Meck- and thats just not a realistic option.

I agree that placing McDowell and South Caldwell do not belong in a conference with the Mecklenburg County schools.

If you have a split conference where you have only two schools of one classification you want to have no more than 4 or 5 schools of the other classification. The NCHSAA screwed up the last realignment by creating a 3A/4A conference with 2 4A and 6 3A schools. The 3A-4A Northwestern Conference was one of the ugliest conferences of the past realignment. It appeared that the leftovers were tossed into a heap and a conference was created.

 

[MooresvilleDevil06]

Yeah. It could be possible you see a split 3A/4A with maybe the teams like crest, burns, kings mtn. But thats still a pretty long haul. Ill have to take a better look at that when i get off work.


Simply put- im not seeing much of a scenario that doesnt have a good bit of travel for one school or the other.

 

[Earnhardt Forever]

You could probably send Kings Mountain to the conference with the Gaston teams. Crest and Burns could play in a conference with McDowell and South Caldwell. McDowell and SC used to play in the Northwestern Conference with Ashbrook and maybe Hunter Huss. It's not a pleasant trip but its doable.

 

[MooresvilleDevil06]

Yeah it seems regardless- both schools will have a fair bit of travel ahead of them, one way or the other. Because of that- if the state really is committed to doing away with splits- i can see them playing teams like Mooresville

 

[burnsbulldogtweeter]

You could probably send Kings Mountain to the conference with the Gaston teams. Crest and Burns could play in a conference with McDowell and South Caldwell. McDowell and SC used to play in the Northwestern Conference with Ashbrook and maybe Hunter Huss. It's not a pleasant trip but its doable.

Yeah someone on another message board did projections and he had Burns, Crest, and KM in a 3A/4A with Freedom, West Caldwell, South Caldwell, McDowell and Watauga. The only really long trip for Burns would be to Watauga. But KM would definitely need to go back with Gaston County and I pointed that out to him. I hope Burns and Crest go with them to the Big South.

 

[Godevilsgo]

Yeah someone on another message board did projections and he had Burns, Crest, and KM in a 3A/4A with Freedom, West Caldwell, South Caldwell, McDowell and Watauga. The only really long trip for Burns would be to Watauga. But KM would definitely need to go back with Gaston County and I pointed that out to him. I hope Burns and Crest go with them to the Big South.

That conference would work. I agree with Kings Mountain going to Gaston County schools.

 

[Slasher Killer]

There's going to be several longtime 3A's that will probably go 2A.

West Iredell and South Rowan will be down to 2A we they should have been realigned to in 2012. That will help their conferences more than hurt them. Hibriten and Tuscola will go, which for the latter is uncharted territory. Then there are possibilities of certain 2A schools going up. West Caldwell is defiantly going up, then you have schools like Ashe County who could if they dramatically gain #'s like they did in 2013 or 2014 can be possible 3A schools. That isn't likely to happen but if it does it will help Watauga a ton because of location. If Hibriten stays for instance that could make the NWC: Ashe, Watauga, S and W Caldwell, Al Central, and Hibriten. Long and I do mean long shot but it can be done.

As for McDowell they have it rough unless the state catches them a break. I put them in a simulator to estimate their distance and travel time to both Charlotte or Iredell county. They will have to go at least 90 miles and 2 hrs for a non con game to either Charlotte or Mooresville/Iredell county. Playing the Charlotte schools will kill them because they do not have the natural athletes to contest them or Iredell's schools. Putting them in a split conference is unavoidable. I'm sure the mountain schools won't mind and I'm sure either the Meck or Iredell schools will love more than anything than to not go 2 hrs a year for a varsity or jv game.

 

[Godevilsgo]

Football is not much of a consideration for conference travel. The other sports who play multiple times per sports year are the bigger concern. 60 minutes or longer for a football game is not fun but jeez its on a Friday with no school or work the next day.

This is a piece of cake compared to a wrestling team that schedules 55 matches a year including playoffs which in most cases almost never will more than 10 will be at home. Nothing is more logistically more difficult that scheduling wrestling. Wrestling rules for match numbers per week, night, and weekend are almost impossible to keep up with.

The NCHSAA will have less difficulty with football conference placement than the other sports concerns.

 

[burnsbulldogtweeter]

Football is not much of a consideration for conference travel. The other sports who play multiple times per sports year are the bigger concern. 60 minutes or longer for a football game is not fun but jeez its on a Friday with no school or work the next day.

This is a piece of cake compared to a wrestling team that schedules 55 matches a year including playoffs which in most cases almost never will more than 10 will be at home. Nothing is more logistically more difficult that scheduling wrestling. Wrestling rules for match numbers per week, night, and weekend are almost impossible to keep up with.

The NCHSAA will have less difficulty with football conference placement than the other sports concerns.

This is why they should have football-only conferences with no splits and different conferences for the other sports that would have splits. Football-only conferences could change every 2 years.

 

[Godevilsgo]

This is why they should have football-only conferences with no splits and different conferences for the other sports that would have splits. Football-only conferences could change every 2 years.

This would never work. Again the NCHSAA has to look at all facets of sports programs. Teams schedule the other fall sports around football as well. Soccer fields are usually the football field and need to be lined before play. So soccer, jv football, and other sports share fields, activity buses, and most of all FANS. Like conference opponents lend great allegiance to scheduling home and away like opponents in the same week.