Shelby, back to back Title Games for six decades.

['98 State Champion]

Last year, after the Title game, the Shelby Golden Lions, for the SIXTH consecutive decade,

had won the State Championship. But Shelby High's football history just got more

remarkable and unique. No other high school program in the state had even been to the

Title Game in each of the previous FIVE decades. And Shelby had made it multiple times to

the Title Game in each of those previous decades.

But now, with this weekend's trip back to the Title game, the Golden Lions have set another

record that may never be broken and is even more amazing. What do 68-69, 74-75-76, 86-

87-88, 97-98, 04-05-06-07, and 13-14 have in common? All were years of Title Game trips

and all were back to back. FOR SIX CONSECUTIVE DECADES. #1 in the state with 12 Titles

in 20 appearances over the past 47 years. Based on that, the Golden Lions HAVE

AVERAGED making the Title game 43% OF THE TIME, and winning it all 26% of those 47

years ! Shelby's playoff winning percentage, #1 in the state at 80% over that same period,

indicates they average making the Title Game EVERY PLAYOFF YEAR!

An unbelievable run of sustained success by anyone's standards. No one else is even close,

in any classification. Congratulations to Head Coach Lance Ware, his staff, and a great

group of players for maintaining Shelby's statewide football dominance into this current

decade and next generation.

Now might be a good time to remind all readers here that we do not create our posts in an

effort to be boastful or braggarts. We present factual information to support the definition of

The Shelby Golden Lions as The True Dynasty in North Carolina high school football. We

actually liked it better years ago, before all the social media took over, when programs were

known by reputation. But unfortunately, in today's media frenzy, if you don't speak up, the

truth can be buried by the want to be's. That is also why we quickly respond to others initial

posts, claiming positions they have not earned. We accept corrections, as you have

observed in our previous threads.

 

[WMFootballFanatic]

This is the best post I have ever seen on the 2A message board. Oh wait...what the heck is this doing here?

 

[gal durnit]

I don't want to bust his bubble but Swain has won at least 1 state title in each of the last 5 decades (79, 85,88,89,90, 01, 04, 11) and has the highest playoff wi n percentage in the state. We are a little ol 1A though. Shelby does have a great program though.

 

[Deana_King]

Good info gal
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[gal durnit]

What is the record for most consecutive state titles regardless of class?

 

[pollo_loco]

Again why is this on a 1-A board?

 

['98 State Champion]

Originally posted by gal durnit:
I don't want to bust his bubble but Swain has won at least 1 state title in each of the last 5 decades (79, 85,88,89,90, 01, 04, 11) and has the highest playoff wi n percentage in the state. We are a little ol 1A though. Shelby does have a great program though.

This is from last year:


Nice catch Swain County fans, and we certainly meant no disrespect to your outstanding program.


But a point of clarification may help you understand our statement, and defend our "no one else is close" position. A "decade" is 10 years, no matter how you slice it. Most consider that a new decade begins with a year ending in a zero. While Swain County also has a title game appearance in the 60's (1964, a loss), and one in the 70's (1979, a win), that is a 15 year gap and may be why you Swain Co. fans only considered 1979 to 2012 as your "five decades". In our reference to the previous "five decades" we appeared from 1963 to 2007, with no more than a 9 year gap between appearances. Now, in 2013 we are here again for a sixth consecutive decade. While that is a record Swain Co. can't go back and fix, we certainly give huge props to your program as next behind Shelby in sustained success for generations.


With that understanding, it is the overall consistent performance within those six decades that clearly separates Shelby from other successful programs. In Swain Co.'s case, you won the title 8 times in 12 appearances from 1964 to 2011. And both the appearances and the wins were evenly spread over that period. Shelby has won the title 11 times in 20 appearances from 1963 to 2013, also evenly spread over the years. Hopefully we add a 12th title Saturday.


While you may not want to consider Swain Co. a distant second, you must agree it would take decades to catch the Golden Lions under the best conditions. Thus the "no one else is close" position. And we haven't even mentioned that Shelby is #1 in all-time wins, appeared in the 1924 state title game and own a 1947 State Championship.


The good news is, you probably are in second place in historic sustained success. Robbinsville has 12 titles, but none since 1992. Murphy has 7 titles in 12 appearances from 1961 to 2012, but was a no show from 1997 to 2009. Thomasville has a deep history. Reidsville has the most titles at 18, but was a no show from even an appearance from 1971 to 2001, 31 consecutive years. That is why we challenge their "Football capital of NC" bogus claim. And of course the "johnny come lately's" that think their recent success gets them in this conversation. Independence, Butler, even SW Onslow with tremendous recent success had no titles before 1999. And Shelby's bitter rival Crest had no titles just twenty years ago.


But Richmond Co posters get the prize for biggest boasters with the weakest record. Only 6 titles from 1978 to 1998 and a gift win over Britt in the title game of 2008. Yet they claim to be the historically best program in the state. Just ask them. They love to make the case that 4A football eliminates the lower classifications claims because Richmond Co would defeat them. With that absurd logic, there are some higher classified schools in the state that would beat them- UNC, NC State, ECU. Meanwhile, lately they keep going out in the second round of the playoffs and posting nonsense on the 4A board to keep the Richmond Co. name on the "new" list. Other than 2008, Richmond Co. has been irrelevant for the last 15 years. And they know it.



could you also please provide playoff results to prove that your playoff winning percentage is better than Shelby's

 

[gal durnit]

A decade starts with a year that ends in 0? First off a decade is any 10 year period by definition but I will play along. In the stats I gave above going by your definition did we not win a title in 5 straight decades? And thank you for bringing up the 64 game. Before my time but that means six decades straight playing for a title. Pretty dang good. Best of luck to Shelby and their humble poster.

 

[Swain79er!]

Originally posted by '98 State Champion:

What do 68-69, 74-75-76, 86-87-88, 97-98, 04-05-06-07, and 13-14 have in common? All were years of Title Game trips



and all were back to back. FOR SIX CONSECUTIVE DECADES. #1 in the state with 12 Titles



in 20 appearances over the past 47 years. .......




Now might be a good time to remind all readers here that we do not create our posts in an



effort to be boastful or braggarts. We present factual information to support the definition of



The Shelby Golden Lions as The True Dynasty in North Carolina high school football.

First off, Much respect for Shelby and their football program. A proud tradition and dynasty, and good luck in the cahampionship!

'98 state champion, One thing I don't see here though is 12 titles. According to the NCHSAA list of state champions I see 6 state titles, the first in 1987. Maybe I am missing something, but if the NCHSAA is correct, you are not and your claim of Shelby as The True Dynasty is not exactly true. One of the dynasties yes, just not an unapproachable Dynasty as you claim. There are many schools in this state with outstanding football programs that are based on actual fact and Shelby is definitely one of them, but your statement and post as THE True Dynasty is not true, or even boastful or braggart, just self-delusional.

You posted this stuff on this 1A board last year for some reason. did you post it on the 3A and 4A boards as well? You should humbly enjoy your own success, but if posting this stuff makes you feel better, well ok.

I bet you drive a really, really, really big truck too...

This post was edited on 12/10 9:38 AM by Swain79er!

List of N.C. State Champions

 

[prlyles]

My guess is he's counting the ones they won in 3A back in the 80's.

 

[Swain79er!]

Originally posted by prlyles:
My guess is he's counting the ones they won in 3A back in the 80's.

The 6 on the NCHSAA list is counting the ones in 3A in the 80's

 

[pollo_loco]

Can this thread just be deleted? It brings nothing of substance to 1-A, besides one fan from a 3-A school chest thumping here.

 

[araiderfan]

This fellow is obsessed with RSHS... Ya think?

Since Richmond Senior is a baby school (born in the seventies) and he wants to use stats from the beginning of time maybe he should research Rockingham HS they might have a few championships (first one in 1924). Hamlet HS might have some too I don't know... Rohanen even has one.

http://www.nchsaa.org/sports/record-book how many times is Shelby mentioned (could it be a mediocre team playing worse than mediocre completion)?

I think Shelby is a school with a rich football tradition - that being said I don't see Gardner-Web beating UNC either.

 

[KevinFromSwain]

I didn't know we counted Regional Championships as State Titles? Cause any title before 72' and back were nothing more than a regional win. Sometimes we had 4 champs within a classification, being a Far West, Mid West, Far East and Mid East champion, still that's much to be proud of but if you wanna talk about tough check out how many back to back title games had a SMC team in it! I might be mistaken but from 1968 to 1977 the SMC had some one battling for a title. And in 78 it was a Cherokee team that lost one and they became a member of the SMC not long after that. Then from 79 to 93' the SMC had a participant in the title games. That's saying much for a true 1A conference.... What say ya'll about that one! ; )

Heck, the old SMC 2A school can lay claim to 6 titles from 73 to 79, and another in 1980. But you are correct, a new decade begins in years ending in 0! Not many folks realize that one.

Heck if we count the Regional title things the SMC has had champions all the way back to the 50's. And I believe we had a two class system then. Class A and Class B. But now I'm just blowing smoke up the SMC.... LOL! We do respect what ya'll have done, but we can almost match it, and if we take our SMC as a whole I'd say anyone that won a title from up here did well too.

 

[WMFootballFanatic]

People would do all grades of dastardly things to have the success of Shelby I would guess. I love reading those 2A, 3A, and 4A boards and trying to keep up with everything as best I can. But, I expect to read about Mount Airy and Starmount, and James Kenan, WM and Albemarle and Wallace and Robbinsville, Swain, and Murphy on the 1A Board. You know, OUR teams. I don't post WM stuff on those boards. The fact someone would feel it necessary to post this on all 4 boards shows they have their own issues with inferiority or something if they feel they have to prove something to everyone else on the planet. Just my opinion.

 

[footballstar_17]

Originally posted by WMFootballFanatic:
People would do all grades of dastardly things to have the success of Shelby I would guess. I love reading those 2A, 3A, and 4A boards and trying to keep up with everything as best I can. But, I expect to read about Mount Airy and Starmount, and James Kenan, WM and Albemarle and Wallace and Robbinsville, Swain, and Murphy on the 1A Board. You know, OUR teams. I don't post WM stuff on those boards. The fact someone would feel it necessary to post this on all 4 boards shows they have their own issues with inferiority or something if they feel they have to prove something to everyone else on the planet. Just my opinion.

Agreed!

 

['98 State Champion]

WMFootballFanatic- We post on all 4 boards because the topics often supersede any individual classifications. Shelby's cumulative historical success is tops across all of NC high school football. Swain Co is second. You 1A guys should be interested. Some of you are.

gal durnit- we never heard back from you on the playoff winning percentage leader. That would be because the info Deanna provided has the Golden Lions on top. And that data did not include our amazing run from 1968 to 1976 which was even higher and tops the Golden Lions out at an astounding 80% winning percentage IN THE PLAYOFFS since 1968.

 

[KevinFromSwain]

The NCHSAA winning % is only from the Modern Era, from 1972 to the present. The main reason for this is simply prior to that we had the WNCSHAA that controlled much of the western half of the state. But in 72' the NCHSAA took over state wide and since that point Swain has the highest winning % in the playoffs.

Only some of the older posters here will remember this but in the good ole days game day was a travel day by Train! I recall in my youth having to go to Asheville in the back seat on the old Balsam Rd. Dang that was a three to four hour trip ONE WAY.

Anyway that's the reasoning behind the 1972 mark. And I would think Robbinsville with their 12 state titles, 13 if you count the regional title in 69 I believe, would be in Second.

 

[recycled2]

Originally posted by '98 State Champion:
WMFootballFanatic- We post on all 4 boards because the topics often supersede any individual classifications. Shelby's cumulative historical success is tops across all of NC high school football. Swain Co is second. You 1A guys should be interested. Some of you are.

gal durnit- we never heard back from you on the playoff winning percentage leader. That would be because the info Deanna provided has the Golden Lions on top. And that data did not include our amazing run from 1968 to 1976 which was even higher and tops the Golden Lions out at an astounding 80% winning percentage IN THE PLAYOFFS since 1968.

Funny, most great programs also teach life lessons and more that just football. They teach the principles of hard work, discipline and to be humble about their accomplishments. Most SMC programs will meet this criteria of a great program as they strive to win games and produce good men.

 

[WMFootballFanatic]

98 Champ...Well good luck this week against Clinton, another fine program. We unfortunately lost a heartbreaker in round 3 and will not be a part of the larger discussion this year, because we lost to another fine program, Starmount. Starmount beat another fine program in Swain County to get to the finals. There are plenty of fine programs and they generally run into each other at some point in the playoffs if they are fine enough in a given year. And, the who's best will always be debatable. Always. In this what have you done for me lately world, this year is all that will matter. For 1A ball over the long haul, and arguably in all classifications for sustained success, the gold standard is the 1A SMC. That is not debatable. You can argue individual programs all you want. But as a conference, it is not even close. The only reason you can debate it as individual schools is because the SMC schools have historically had to beat each other to get to those championships. In 1A, we might be slow compared to them big boys, but we can slug it out with anybody when we have too. And if anyone dare post any of this on the 4A board, they would get eaten alive.
This post was edited on 12/12 9:02 AM by WMFootballFanatic

 

[gal durnit]

Originally posted by '98 State Champion:
WMFootballFanatic- We post on all 4 boards because the topics often supersede any individual classifications. Shelby's cumulative historical success is tops across all of NC high school football. Swain Co is second. You 1A guys should be interested. Some of you are.



gal durnit- we never heard back from you on the playoff winning percentage leader. That would be because the info Deanna provided has the Golden Lions on top. And that data did not include our amazing run from 1968 to 1976 which was even higher and tops the Golden Lions out at an astounding 80% winning percentage IN THE PLAYOFFS since 1968.

I didn't realize you had asked me a question or I would have responded. The data I saw included everything up to this year which had us winning 3 more games and losing 1. I hate math so don't ask me to figure the winning percentage lol. Do you actually think I give a crap about Shelby or was trying to equate our two programs? We are in completely seperate divisions for one and for 2 if your overall winning percentage is better it is only be a tenth or maybe a hundreth of a percent and was only done this year. The only reason I posted is because you said Shelby was the only program in the state to play in and/or win a championship in the last 5 decades and I just point out you were wrong. Swain has done it in the last 5 that I knew of and it was pointed out that actually it was 6 straight decades Swain has so all the more impressive. It is ok to be wrong 98. I swear adults react to stuff worse than kids some times. Carry on.

This post was edited on 12/12 8:36 AM by gal durnit