Latest on football divisions

[nickelo]

What is the latest on Independent School 11-man football establishing two divisions? What also was the reasoning behind establishing the two divisions? Was it based on student enrollment?

 

[HeathVandy]

We approved it at the BOM meeting in January. Off the top of my head, there are 8 schools in Division 1(all big schools, ie- Charlotte schools) and there are 9 schools in Division 2. Eight team playoffs with two state champions starting in 2007. I believe it is based on enrollment and first round blowouts(also people feared injuries). Example, was this year Harrells losing big as the eights seed to Country Day. I think there will be an influx of Division 2 schools in the next few years, because a lot of schools can compete more quickly in this classification...ie. Trinity, WOG, and St. David's, and even Village Christian who is starting a JV 8-man team this upcoming season. Conference winners do not get automatic byes so this allows free scheduling. Personally, I like it and I think it has been long overdue. TCS will be going 11man sooner than later. I think you will see 20-25 schools playing 11man in the next 3 years.

Heath

 

[nickelo]

Re: What is...

going to be schools' thought process as to when it is the right time to go to 11-man from 8-man?

 

[HeathVandy]

Re: What is...

Not sure about other schools, but for us it has always been about the numbers game. We have considered 25-30 players as the magic number, but I was impressed with what HCA did with only around 20. Secondly, the issue with travel. There are more eastern schools playing in the Division 2 bracket, with the opportunity of scheduling them and 1A-3A public schools in and around the Fayetteville area. Just my opinion.

Heath

 

[Bandit_9]

Originally posted by HeathVandy:
I believe it is based on enrollment and first round blowouts(also people feared injuries). Example, was this year Harrells losing big as the eights seed to Country Day.

Heath

I don't think we were the only team to get blown out of the water, and we certainly didn't fear injuries.

The fact of the matter is this - There is no way we could compete with Charlotte Country Day. They were too fast. When linemen on the other team are just as fast in the open field as your secondary and backfield, it's difficult to "matriculate the ball down the field." We actually played with them the first six minutes of the game, and I truly believe if we had not given up a fumble recovery for a touchdown early in that game we may have played with them longer. Our kids were overwhelmed, and you could see on their faces.

CCDS played and beat Charlotte Catholic and lost two close games with a powerhouse school from South Carolina and Shelby. That is almost comparing us to playing against Richmond or Scotland County.

I think moving up when we did is the best step forward for our program. It opened some eyes and made our players realize that we HAVE to hit the weightroom and get in shape before August 1.

Before going into the playoffs, I felt that winning your conference should at least have gotten us a higher seed than 8. Being in a new conference with all new teams is difficult to judge, but some schools that made the playoffs deserved higher seeds. Namely, Forsyth Country Day. Southlake Christian should have made the playoffs as well. Again, only my humble opinion. I realized after the playoffs, that we probably would have had the same result against any of the four top-seeded teams.

The Charlotte area is stacked with talent and great coaching, and I don't feel like anyone in the state, other than maybe the schools in Raleigh or Fayetteville would ever have a chance in that league. We just don't have the guaranteed base that these cities do, and it's always going to be tough for us when kids come from so many different communities.

I look forward to us competing in 11-man and hope that we can continue to do so.

 

[nickelo]

Re: So Bandit..

is this, in your estimation, a division of large and small schools? I also think HV's comments regarding injuries was not directed at HCA or any other school specifically but as one to explain reasons for the division structure that were brought forth at the NCISAA Board of Managers meeting when this was discussed.

As an aside, the athletes playing 11 man at whatever school that has roster sizes of 20-25 have to be in incredible condition as MY GUESS is that many are going both ways with minimal if any depth on the roster. Is this a fair assumption?

 

[HeathVandy]

Re: So Bandit..

Bandit,

I think the injury debate was brought up by Christ School's football coach who was very involved in the proposal. Almost all the 1st round games were blowouts- not just HCA. You guys did an incredible job last year for your first year with limited numbers. As you stated there is a BIG talent difference between the Charlotte Schools and the others. This will be in the best interest of the NCISAA and even the playing field for all schools to compete and have a CHANCE to win a title.

Heath

 

[Bandit_9]

Re: So Bandit..

Didn't mean to sound SO defensive about the blowout or injury debates - just trying to state the fact that no matter how you look at it - we got beat and were overmatched. THEY WERE FAST AT EVERY POSITION.

I think splitting the 11-man league into divisions is a great idea. It may even eliminate the 8-man league altogether in the end. That will take some time I'm sure. I just know what stigmas there have been with the 8-man teams. No one thinks it's football and those that compete in 8-man will always have to defend their case.

I, playing the 8-man game, viewing it from the media's perspective, and eventually coaching, know that there are some 8-man teams that can compete with just about anyone, if they just had more jerseys on the sidelines to field 11. At times we had fewer players on the sidelines this past season than the previous one when we played 8-man.

Today's game is so much different from the football of long ago. Bill Walsh's influence, though I absolutely despise west coast offenses, has made it possible to isolate 5-7 players on each team. Essentially, in some form or another, all teams play 8-man.

I look forward to most, if not all the private schools in the east, stepping up and playing 11-man. Congrats on the successful basketball season so far...good luck the rest of the way.