#2 Cherokee vs #3 Thomas Jefferson

[dmcamp]

DMCamp of course they aren’t supposed to, but please. Just man up and admit they have an advantage. When you look across the field on Friday night, you will see a true small 1A school.

I'm not admitting something that isn't really true. TJ doesn't recruit. They only have an ADM of about 340 students. They might have students from Cleveland and Rutherford county, but there are two pretty good schools in Cleveland County, and in fact one of them is going for their 5th straight championship. Students aren't coming to TJ, especially from Cleveland County, to play football. A number of the seniors on this team didn't play football until the 6th/7th grade on TJ's middle school team. My brothers "only" played because the team didn't have enough players and Coaches were asking around to see who might be interested in playing. They are starters now because of good coaching and hard work. Unlike some schools, public charters (ex. MICS) AND some traditional public schools, TJ coaches don't recruit or try to bring in players, for the most part they take a bunch of kids who might not/probably wouldn't play football anywhere else, kids who are willing to put in the hard work that is necessary, and they coach them up and they encourage them, making them the good players they are and even better men. TJ does have, and is lucky to have, some really good athletes/players, with a natural talent/raw ability, that could play in college, but for that matter so does Cherokee.

 

[scott4boys]

Why do we have to go through this every year? I will be the first to admit that some schools/football programs have advantages while others have disadvantages (tradition, coaching, facilities, community support, funding, talent, etc.). However, you obviously must not know anything about Thomas Jefferson to make such an absurd statement? Yes, TJ is a true small 1A school (about the same ADM as Cherokee) and the smallest 1A school in their conference. They do not recruit (as stated by many posters that live in the area) and have had to build a program from the ground up. Seems like no one was complaining about "advantages" when TJ was on the end of many lopsided scores for several years. However, the kids persevered, we were lucky to hire a HOF coach and the program started to progress. In fact, almost all of the players on the field today have been together since or before middle school. In addition, Thomas Jefferson has some of the toughest academic standards in the state for a public school (they were just ranked the top public high school west of Greensboro and 5th in the state). The school does not care if you are a good athlete or not...if you can't keep up with the work, you don't play. In addition, being surrounded by several high profile 2A and 3A programs, we often lose many of our student athletes to the bigger programs. But, do we whine and complain? No, we just go out and work hard. Let me ask you...is Cherokee advantaged because they have access to great athletes in the region or possibly the best facilities in the state? Yes, but they probably have some disadvantages as well. In the end, they work hard, have a great coach and deserve their success...just like Thomas Jefferson does each and every year. Let's stop this nonsense and appreciate all of the programs that have done it the right way. If you still are not convinced, I invite you to drive down to Avondale (I will buy you lunch) and we will give you a full tour...see our facilities, meet the players and coaches and you will see that we are a true small 1A school.

 

[Wildcat10fan]

Andrews played TJ at the start of their program and seen the improvement each and every year they played. 2 years ago we went to TJ in the playoffs and beat them in the 1st round. They were like the 3rd place team in their conference. I seen a lot of good stuff that rainy night and seen a program that had come so far in just a few short years. They did have size and had several athletic players and were well coached and disciplined. But as far as the matchup with Cherokee I believe the physicality of the Braves will win out in this game. No disrespect for TJ because we at Andrews are a small school also. This is just my opinion

 

[Fightin4Braves]

I guess scott4!! Seems like we should twist up an old sayin if that's tru what your sayin!!! There's 1 good apple in every bunch!!!

 

[Mitchell county mountie]

I agree with everything scott4boys said. Anyone who has been in/around Cleveland County schools knows why TJ exists. TJ may be a charter, but football is the least of their concerns. The Gryphons have went thru the growing pains of building a program from scratch, and it is now paying off. MICS is the poster child of doing things the wrong way. Attending every clinic, challenge and combine in the state just to poach talent, a questionable coaching staff, and building a million dollar stadium whilst teaching in trailers... not TJ. MICS will fold when the day is done, TJ will not.

 

[BravesGWY]

Yeah I’m fine with tj . The factories bother me. The question isn’t TJ is as it always is the ability onto have an extreme advantage

 

[scott4boys]

Just for the record, TJ would not be the same football program today without the support of teams in the Western Highlands (Mountain Heritage, Hendersonville, Mitchell, Avery, etc.) and Smoky Mountain (Robbinsville, Rosman, Andrews) conferences. For the most part, we have always been treated with respect by the coaches, players and fans. I specifically remember the head coach of Mountain Heritage meeting with our team after a very lopsided loss on our end...he showed 100% class and encouraged our young players (many were 9th graders at the time) that with hard work and dedication, we would see better days ahead. Speaking on behalf of many fans at TJ, we have a great deal of respect for all of these programs and the traditions of "mountain football". They are wonderful people and take great pride in their football programs. Hoping TJ will put up a good effort against Cherokee on Friday but regardless, we hope someone from the West will bring home the state championship for 1A! Good luck to all the teams this Friday night and Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[RichBlackman]

Dmcamp I see love to bash MICS, every chance you get. If y'all dont win it all with 18 seniors y'all will never get close again. I'll see you soon when I come to Boone.

 

[Griddie]

That is great and I believe all you say, but that does not change the fact that these schools have/do have/could have advantages against true small 1A schools. That is, and always will be, the truth. And like I said, my daughter goes to one that has a lottery and pushes academics. But I’m sorry, if we are being honest, schools like Cherokee, Robbinsville, hiwasee dam, mitchell, etc. don’t have that advantage. So that’s just my opinion and it will never change because it’s the truth.

 

[ObserveAndReport]

No doubt charters have advantages, but the advantage for a rural one like TJ is not the same as a charter in an urban area. If traditional schools have to play with charters, I would like to see some sort of adjustment/multiplier for the population of the radius they can draw from.

 

[Mopar forever]

Details on the game??

 

[Kevin2346]

Cherokee's Ty Mintz dominated. Thank he ran for like over 250....bunch of long touchdown runs...one was 84 yrds. Im sure dmcamp will say they were trying out a new dline lineup or some lame excuse as to why they lost. Bottom Line is Union Academy and TJA hadnt been hit all year...TJA players were dropping like flies...layin on the ground forever after plays.

 

[dmcamp]

Details on the game??

Cherokee won. Mintz was most of their offense with some huge runs up the middle of our DL for TDs. Cherokee's defense made a few stops in the redzone. TJ just had way too many mistakes/turnovers. TJ tried to use bigger players on the DL instead of the starters and it didn't work, and then when we tried to go back to the normal line, two injuries on the DL (and OL) and then one of our best receivers sealed the loss for TJ.

 

[Mopar forever]

Cherokee's Ty Mintz dominated. Thank he ran for like over 250....bunch of long touchdown runs...one was 84 yrds. Im sure dmcamp will say they were trying out a new dline lineup or some lame excuse as to why they lost. Bottom Line is Union Academy and TJA hadnt been hit all year...TJA players were dropping like flies...layin on the ground forever after plays.

I guess I was told the truth then. I said that I had been told that if TJ was punched in the mouth it would be a wrap.

 

[Fightin4Braves]

They have no idea!! When a runner is up and still goin forward then he's fair game!! Every time they got hit tha coaches started sayin, come on ref they can't do that!! Throw a flag!! Hahah!!

 

[dmcamp]

Cherokee's Ty Mintz dominated. Thank he ran for like over 250....bunch of long touchdown runs...one was 84 yrds. Im sure dmcamp will say they were trying out a new dline lineup or some lame excuse as to why they lost. Bottom Line is Union Academy and TJA hadnt been hit all year...TJA players were dropping like flies...layin on the ground forever after plays.

Lol. I guess TJ should have just taken an unconscious player of the field? Where was ems? Took them like 10 minutes. It's also too bad that you can't watch tape to see that not all of our regular DL starters started. Was the fact that #66 wasn't out there but for a few snaps not a clue that they were trying something different?

 

[Mopar forever]

Serious question Why would you totally change something in the 3rd round? Why not keep doing what got you their, it had to have been working.

 

[Kevin2346]

The S in SPC stands for SOFT!!!

 

[dmcamp]

They have no idea!! When a runner is up and still goin forward then he's fair game!! Every time they got hit tha coaches started sayin, come on ref they can't do that!! Throw a flag!! Hahah!!

Which hits are you referring to? The hits on #14 after a pass. Or the helmet to helmet hit on #3 supposedly after the whistle was blown. And in regards to helmet to helmet, any force-able helmet contact to the head or neck area is supposed to be a personal foul.

 

[dmcamp]

Serious question Why would you totally change something in the 3rd round? Why not keep doing what got you their, it had to have been working.

Size. Hadn't faced size like Cherokee. Coach didn't think our normal line would be able to get push against Cherokee's line.

 

[Kevin2346]

Dmcamp what instrument did u play in the band? symbols?

 

[Bravesfan5]

It was kinda like watching a NFL game when they had ball with them running out of bounds and sliding before they got tackled lol

 

[dmcamp]

The S in SPC stands for SOFT!!!

Sorry #14 isn't soft. TJ isn't soft. Cherokee was trying their hardest to knock #14 out of the game, but #14 played until the last drive.

 

[Fightin4Braves]

Dude seriously!!!????? Dcamp, mintz accidentally bumped into him 1 time and was bout out for tha rest of tha game!!! We talk about HITTIN all tha time!! Guess you figured why we talk about it so much!! You guys cried more then anybody we've ever heard!!

 

[Mitchell county mountie]

Complete tap out by the baddest 1a conference ever.

 

[dmcamp]

It was kinda like watching a NFL game when they had ball with them running out of bounds and sliding before they got tackled lol

Outside of #14 who slid or ran out of bounds? And #14 took a ton of punishment throughout the game. After almost every pass he threw he took a shot.

 

[Mitchell county mountie]

Limp noodle soft

 

[Kevin2346]

Soft batch cookie dough bit**es

 

[Fightin4Braves]

Them pads ain't just for looks, that's what there used for!!! Wanna see some more big hits, then come to Mitchell next week and you'll see em son!! Our boys gonna get hit and we're gonna hit back, will be a physical contest next week!!!

 

[Mitchell county mountie]

SPC went down like a fat kid on a slip n slide. Delicate little guys.

 

[Bravesfan5]

Ain't singling any kids out but I believe It was pretty obvious yall didn't like the physicality of the game tonight

 

[Fightin4Braves]

Your runnin back and wide receivers slid and stepped outta bounds!!

 

[Mitchell county mountie]

I bet Cherokee didn't even hit TJ as hard as what was going on in ledger. Nothing dirty, just physical FOOTBALL. This ain't the LFL kiddos!

 

[Fightin4Braves]

They haven't been hit all year!! Anybody in our conference, Mitchell, mountain heritage, franklin, most of us up here hit like that dude!! You ain't special, we beat and bang on each other like that all season long!!

 

[BravesGWY]

All that hurry up no huddle passing 1 back looks great till you get hit in the mouth.

 

[dmcamp]

So helmet to helmet hits, concussion causing hits, are alright in mountain football? And why call the face mask penalties? Mountain boys can take hard hits and give hard hits, but grabbing a face mask is too much? Protect the mountain boys, to hell to the other team is what it really looked like.

 

[BravesGWY]

Every hard hit isn’t illegal . Y’all cried on every hit . Get outta here with that nonsense

 

[Fightin4Braves]

Every hard hit You and your coaches wanted a flag!! We don't give each other concussions, we just give them to your conference!! Are you tha football dad and do you feed tha team sliders at Friday's!!!?? Hahah!!

 

[Fightin4Braves]

Your a unicorn dcamp!!

 

[Gwytoli]

I'll admit... I have no idea how #14 got back up. The line let him get destroyed and in his regards, he is a strong kid. To take that kind of punishment. So props to him. The kid that got knocked out wasn't hit helment to helment... I cam corded it if anyone wants to see it.

Bottom line was, Cherokee scored more points than TJ. So congrats to you all and a great season.